Paul Socken

In fifteen essays, scholars and readers from around the globe attempt to answer the question of the book's subtitle: "Why Read Literature in the Digital Age?" Is reading and studying literature still important or relevant in this era of iWhatevers, Twitter, and YouTube?

I've been hearing some form of "the paper book is dead" for years now, even before I went to library school. And as the final essayist Gerhard van der Linde observes, "The question of why one should still read literature in this digital age may be reasonable and justified, but I am not sure that any of the considerations one can advance in response will provide a compelling reason for the non-believer to mend his ways" (222). He's more right than he knows. In particular, the French literature professor writing about how Moliere convinced his students that classic literature was still relevant in today's world convinced me that this book is primarily going to be one of preaching to the choir of those whose profession is literature rather than actually arguing persuasively for the masses. I mean, when Alberto Manguel - who I hasten to add is one of my favorite essayists about books and reading - is one of the most accessible writers, you know you're reading a heady group of essays.

That's not to say that this collection doesn't have some important things to say about reading and the potential evolution (or devolution, depending on your point of view) of how we convey stories. The writers don't always agree with each other, but I found third essay on how reading should be an individual exercise in counterpoint with a culture that's constantly "sharing" thought-provoking if I didn't quite agree that book groups were the bane of reading. If you're an avid reader or someone who cares about teaching literature to students, this is definitely a worthwhile read. Just feel free to skip the essays that get a little too heady and academic.… (altro)