Where Did All The Books Go?
Earlier this week, after spending the last ten days watching a ridiculous number of '80s and '90s movies, I tweeted out this random question:
It first hit me while watching Presumed Innocent (1990). (Do I have a thing for Harrison Ford? Yes, I think I do. I also now need to read the book this movie was based on!) In all of these movies, anytime there was a scene in the main characters' homes, you would see at least one wall filled with books. Shelves jam-packed with hardcovers and paperbacks, fiction and non fiction. It reminded me of my parents' house when I was little. We didn't have a wall of bookshelves, but there were always books stacked on end tables, filling bookcases in all the bedrooms, taking up residence on nightstands.
I started thinking about it, and you really don't see collections of books in many people's homes anymore. Sure, I have my office bookshelves, and the occasional small stack of TBR books on the coffee table, but the house I currently live in wasn't even designed to have books in any of the primary living spaces.
Of course, I know a big reason behind the lack of visible book spines in many homes today comes down to two main causes: Downsizing, and the invention of the e-reader.
Downsizing I completely understand. Every year I do a massive sweep of my house, and if there's an article of clothing I haven't worn since the last sweep, or a book I know I'll never read again or didn't like that much, they go into the donation pile. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to live a minimal lifestyle.
I also own a Kindle, and love it for travel. (You should have seen me back in the day, circa 2002, trying to board a flight to Italy with a carry-on stuffed with books and the bewildered TSA agent who marveled at how many volumes I'd managed to pack into that bag.) The advent of the e-book has also made it easier for authors to send out ARC copies of their latest novels for review, so I certainly don't begrudge them that.
Something else I realized as I mentally flipped back through the many movie scenes showing homes filled with books: I used to read a lot more than I do now.
Let me explain. I don't mean that my job or other responsibilities have diminished my reading, (maybe occasionally, but not enough to make a huge impact), more so, I don't read while doing other things like I used to.
I can remember how I used to cook dinner with one hand and have a book in the other, especially when making meals that required a bit of cooking/simmering time. In college, I'd take all of my required reading to the school gym and hop on a treadmill to walk while I read. I spent three or four nights a week doing that, and coincidentally avoided the dreaded "freshman fifteen".
Now, what do I do? If I'm cooking, more often than not I've got a podcast or Netflix playing on my phone or tablet. I still go workout at the gym, but usually have headphones in if I don't have my gym-buddy with me. When did I stop reading while doing those things? More importantly, could I bring that habit back into practice?
Could I simply put the phone and tablet and headphones down, and pick up a book the next time I start making dinner or go to the gym?
I think I can, and more importantly, I think it will do me some good to be a little more disconnected from the technology that has quickly and quietly pushed my beloved books onto the back burner.
What about you, dear Writing Desk Readers? Do you still have a home packed full of books, or have you taken the digital route? Do you find you read less or more than you used to?
Whether you prefer a physical, ink and paper novel, or the convenience of an e-reader, let's bring the books back!
It first hit me while watching Presumed Innocent (1990). (Do I have a thing for Harrison Ford? Yes, I think I do. I also now need to read the book this movie was based on!) In all of these movies, anytime there was a scene in the main characters' homes, you would see at least one wall filled with books. Shelves jam-packed with hardcovers and paperbacks, fiction and non fiction. It reminded me of my parents' house when I was little. We didn't have a wall of bookshelves, but there were always books stacked on end tables, filling bookcases in all the bedrooms, taking up residence on nightstands.
Of course, I know a big reason behind the lack of visible book spines in many homes today comes down to two main causes: Downsizing, and the invention of the e-reader.
Downsizing I completely understand. Every year I do a massive sweep of my house, and if there's an article of clothing I haven't worn since the last sweep, or a book I know I'll never read again or didn't like that much, they go into the donation pile. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to live a minimal lifestyle.
I also own a Kindle, and love it for travel. (You should have seen me back in the day, circa 2002, trying to board a flight to Italy with a carry-on stuffed with books and the bewildered TSA agent who marveled at how many volumes I'd managed to pack into that bag.) The advent of the e-book has also made it easier for authors to send out ARC copies of their latest novels for review, so I certainly don't begrudge them that.
Something else I realized as I mentally flipped back through the many movie scenes showing homes filled with books: I used to read a lot more than I do now.
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| I stumbled upon this photo on the Vic Books blog, love it! |
I can remember how I used to cook dinner with one hand and have a book in the other, especially when making meals that required a bit of cooking/simmering time. In college, I'd take all of my required reading to the school gym and hop on a treadmill to walk while I read. I spent three or four nights a week doing that, and coincidentally avoided the dreaded "freshman fifteen".
Now, what do I do? If I'm cooking, more often than not I've got a podcast or Netflix playing on my phone or tablet. I still go workout at the gym, but usually have headphones in if I don't have my gym-buddy with me. When did I stop reading while doing those things? More importantly, could I bring that habit back into practice?
Could I simply put the phone and tablet and headphones down, and pick up a book the next time I start making dinner or go to the gym?
I think I can, and more importantly, I think it will do me some good to be a little more disconnected from the technology that has quickly and quietly pushed my beloved books onto the back burner.
What about you, dear Writing Desk Readers? Do you still have a home packed full of books, or have you taken the digital route? Do you find you read less or more than you used to?
Whether you prefer a physical, ink and paper novel, or the convenience of an e-reader, let's bring the books back!
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