Comments on: Do you still read books?

By: cstanderfer

cstanderfer — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:46:15 +0000

I love books. Unless I am utterly exhausted, I prefer them to TV. I owned an Austin Public Library card in college and now have a Dallas card. The great thing about the library is that I can afford to read as many books as I want and also find a lot of undiscovered literature that I would never peruse in a book store.

I think reading keeps my mind active, strengthens my vocabulary, and improves my writing skills, or at least keeps them in check.

By: Marnie Florin

Marnie Florin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:44:23 +0000

I read at least a book a week. Well, I'll read 3-4 books in one week and then none for a couple weeks, so I guess I average a book a week. Mind you, I live in Africa and am not doing much else, but I've always loved reading. Just finished Native Tongue, currently reading Dark Star Safari.

By: Adam Di Stefano

Adam Di Stefano — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:19:36 +0000

I think this question is getting a little tired. If Jeff Bezos and Amazon haven't yet proven that we read books, then I'm not sure what will prove it. Yes, I read books. Lots of them, but I also fancy myself a writer, so maybe I'm not representative. That being said, if i look at my circle of friends, I can tell you that there's about a 50/50 split between people who read books, and people who don't. Alarming? Not so much, because if I look at my parents' friends, I see the same general breakdown.

Gen Y reads books, and if devices like the Kindle (which I bought my girlfriend for Christmas – another avid Gen-Y book reader) continue to make it EASIER for us to read, then we'll just keep reading. As for the last book I read, I'm in the middle of Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, and before that, and I just finished Unmarketable by Anne Elizabeth Moore (an interesting read for anyone who wants to understand more about marketing to Gen Y, even if I don't agree with many of Ms. Moore's arguments).

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:37:02 +0000

I completely agree with Mark. Books are now, just as they’ve always been (and perhaps more than ever), an escape from the rigors of the everyday grind. Getting some time away from the screen is a fantastic way to relax, and being spotted reading a good book earns you some retro caché on the metro or at a coffee shop.

I do have one gripe, however. I’m tired of people recommending books about marketing, technology, the latest social media trends, sensationalist economics, and pseudo-scientific behavioral bullshit. (Yes I’m talking about you, Mr. Gladwell.) Just because I’m in advertising doesn’t mean I want to spend my leisure time reading up on some well-regarded 50 year-old’s thoughts on Twitter. I like books for their ability to describe places and experiences I cannot experience or have not experienced for myself – to expand my world view.

By: Katie Morse

Katie Morse — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:55:14 +0000

I read, I read a LOT.

I have a Kindle account and go through a book a week (on average) reading on the subways. In addition, I always have 2-3 books on my nightstand which I rotate, finishing about 2 a month (on average).

I read magazines when I’m waiting to buy groceries, I read tweets, I read blog posts and I read news articles.

I used to get yelled at for not coming to dinner because I was in the middle of a good book a a kid, and more recently had to turn my cell phone on when I was on a cruise… not to use it – but to read a book in my Kindle account on it by the pool.

I know many people my age who read, and we regularly share book lists ranging from the super serious to the fancy free.

By: Scott Templeman

Scott Templeman — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:22:27 +0000

I have always been an avid reader, trying to mix work and play (I’m a sucker for Stephen King) . However the instances where I will end up reading the most in a sitting are those where I was not expecting to have a vast amount of free time. Unexpected car trouble, disabled train, or extra wait time at the dentist’s office are some of the best times for me to focus on a book. Having to constantly trudge around a book for such a scenario isn’t very practical, so it was safe to say that I was starting to trend towards hardly ever reading. While I would never buy a device which could only read eBooks, when Amazon released the kindle app for the Ipod Touch/IPhone, I was instantly hooked. Now I had the instant gratification aspect I love in my technology (I hear about a good book, I go online, pay LESS than a physical copy, and have a perfectly preserved copy on the device I always have on me). Combined with programing that uses the touch screen to emulate the tactile experience of flipping pages, I have found that the convenience and portability of eBooks have actually increased my reading time despite life being a whole lot less predictable and much busier since high school.

By: Andreana Drencheva

Andreana Drencheva — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:08:06 +0000

I love reading. I have always read a lot. I used to read several books a month, but after my second semester junior year things got out of control and now I barely have time to read. Now I read about a book in 2 months, which is really sad. Not only do I read, but I read real paper books. I tried electronic versions but they sucked. I could never read more than a few pages. Even the Kindle didn’t help. It is just not the same. There is something magical about flipping paper pages. I am trying to read as much as possible during breaks. Yesterday I opened the Lost Symbol and by 11 pm I was done. Sadly, not all Millennials read books. Some of my friends have never opened a book for pleasure. There reading is limited to textbooks and magazines.

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:32:13 +0000

Yes, I read books. I think the reason books will be around forever is the need to step away from technology for a little while. I love curling up in my bed under a blanket book in hand. I stare at a computer screen all day long and it can get tiring and often can result in a headache. A book, an actual print copy, is the alternative form of entertainment. It’s one of the few things left in today’s world that allows complete imagination and individual interpretation.

By: Between the Cracks – Goodbye 2009 | Mark Wanczak.com

Between the Cracks – Goodbye 2009 | Mark Wanczak.com — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:32:43 +0000

[...] 2. If you haven’t heard, Edward Boches (Creativity Unbound, CCO of Mullen) has started The Next Great Generation, “a new blog written entirely by Gen-Y 18-25 year olds willing to share their thoughts regarding life, work, brands, technology, environment, money, faith, sex, love.” It’s good to see my generation coming together to defend the stereotypical criticisms often tossed our way. Most recently, we answered the (stupid) question, “Do you still read books?” [...]

By: Sheema

Sheema — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:48:02 +0000

My friends and I all still read books- they are a welcome escape from staring at the computer screen or the tv screen all day! It also helps keep our imagination sharp.