We are readers

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by classicman

The market is there and the forced summer reading programs here are a reason for much of it.

But to back up Dana's point - we don't have that here. There has been a massive resurgence in children reading which the media like to pin on J K Rowling. Rubbish of course - the media only picked up on Harry Potter when The Prisoner of Azkaban knocked Hannibal off the top of the bestseller list in the week it was released. Even without children I'd heard the buzz from my local bookshop when The Chamber of Secrets was released. Although to be fair they knew me as a purchaser of children's books.

Originally Posted by classicman

It is my opinion that the end of the written book, much like the newspaper or even magazine is near.

All I can say is again it must be a cultural difference. I get Heat magazine every week and have done for nine years. It's trashy, but I grew up with magazines. My sister confirms my niece's age group are as into their magazines as we were (not sure what they read - it was Just Sevnteen when I was at school). For intelligent humour I get Private Eye every two weeks.

And 90% of people on the Tube every monring and evening will have a newspaper. I'm not kidding. A book or a newspaper. How else can you hide from the weirdos.

I know you're not anti-reading. I'm just saying perhaps you are sounding the death knell too soon.