Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Goodman
This may only be evidence that people are more prone to pass on to others children's books (which their families quickly outgrow) than other books, but I can't help wondering whether its another sign of something I see elsewhere: that our culture highly values reading as an activity for kids, and much less for the rest of us.
Thoughts?
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It makes sense. Kids are in the process of learning how to read, really important. For adults reading is a form of entertainment.
As a wide reader myself I feel we get reading all wrong. It's an activity, and like any activity it hits the sweet spot for some people, and not so much for others. Some can read for hours, for others 20 minutes of it is too dull. For the latter group: why read much if you find it unexciting?
And many cultures treat reading like a vitamin that we're
supposed to take, and not entertainment in it's own right. When you frame it that way it's going to have the opposite effect as intended.
As for little libraries, we have one nearby that my boys and wife use. I'll drop a book in there sometimes, but don't take many out.