The Relevance Of Books .. GONE ???

Sad but true. There are a lot less people nowadays who are into reading. My friend and I rue this fact. We have put up a little shop for lending books and magazines. But there are a few people who visit our shop and its very disheartening. Not to mention that people say that books are not fashionable anymore because of the advent of the computers. Now reading has become on-line and novels are turned into movies that discourage people to read. They'd rather stare at the movie screen than read the novel.

I agree. I grew up with A tv in the house but I had some friends who's parents never bought one. We briefly had 2 tvs in the household - of course, even with early cable, there wasn't much on! I really think parents - of course, parents these days haven't ever even lived without COLOR tv much less no tv & think nothing about letting their kids have one in their bedrooms & going to sleep with them on. I even know people my age - over 50 - that tends to go to sleep with the tv on. I can't even bear to have music with a tune on. I do have a cd of ocean waves that acts as white noise - well, I had it until the cats scratched it. I think kids should have limited time on the tv - I did & it hasn't hurt me - infact, I don't watch much tv even now.

I read all the time and the media cant possibaly cover all history and every thing that had been printed I dont car how many movies or what ever they mkae If the make something historical they have to read on it to get the facts straight even if it is fiction for some things in fiction has to be based on facts and thats where their reading comes in. I try to read a book a week for I have little time but if I dont get the last one read I renew it. I am haveing a good time reading about how the look and type bones and pottory from Indian mounds here in the states great reading!

Hey s794, It's sad to say but visual media has mostly replaced print materials in my life for entertainment purposes-I do think the book is better than the movie & I love to read but I just don't make time for it much anymore. +'s |:)

I don't think that the importance of printed text will decline as you know reading from computers and nets puts pressure on eyes,it is also difficult to sit for hours together, while printed texts,that is books are easy to handle and we can even read it while we are resting in our beds.So i don't think that books will be outdated ever.

For me, sukumar, books will always be relevant. I think that any true bibliophile would tell you the same thing. While I enjoy the internet and other media, nothing will ever replace books in my heart. I had such a love for books as a child that I encouraged my uncle to teach me reading. I was already reading by the time I entered school. Books will always be around.

I don't read much now adays I must admit , I love the PC, but my hubby won't come any closer than 3 feet from it lol , he loves to read , he reads every morning , after dinner , and dozes off at bedtime still reading , I think this is why he is so smart xx

I believe those that love to read will always do so. and there are many that have no interest, at least now have an option. I love to read, i was reading adult books by the time I was 11, and this was after a childhood filled with Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys. I would take a book over any other form of entertainment going. I am trying to pass the love of books onto my granddaughter, she is only seven but I keep telling her yes you can use my computer but you have to learn how to read in order to use it, and she is learning, and having a blast, every night she has to read her mom a story and then her mom has to read one to her. I believe she is hooked on books and I am so happy about that.

I feel like movies have replaced books as the medium for social commentary. Its very sad actually that no one reads anymore. Although there are still a few book bugs out there, just not as many as there used to be. I would much rather read than watch TV, but the internet has its own draw that sometimes I spend more time on the computer than reading.

I don't think books have gone out of style. Just look at the phenomena of the Harry Potter books. People have gone absolutely crazy about them--standing in line for hours just to get the latest book. Books are certainly relevant in my life! I have stacks of them and often read as many as three or four a week. I am also a member of three book exchange web sites and get quite a few requests for books. The library does its fair share of business too. So I think books are safe for now!

I agree with you.I remember i used to read lot of books before the popularity of tv channels and computer.Nowadays if i need some reference i search in computer rather than turning the pages of books. But i always prefer to read news from newspapers rather than tv news.But i can see most people viewing news from tv channels or from the internet.

I prefer to read than to watch movies derived from the book. In the book your imagination work, you can read it back & back again just to understand or assess the situation. There's what we call reading between the lines to get what the story really signifies or projects or implies. In reading we're able to enhance our cognitive skills, our pronunciation, our vocabulary widens and we're able to appreciate the writers or authors.

One time this guy I know, who is a computer geek said that one day, there will be no needs for books, that everything will be on-line--from reading magazines to full length novels--when he said that I just smiled at him as I honestly didn't want to start an argument. I hope his "prediction" though never, ever comes true...One, I'm not really great at reading at any real great length in front of a computer as it bothers my eyes, and two, I just love holding that book in my hands and read...and if it were true that computers would replace books, well, I don't think I could drag my computer in bed with me to read before I go to sleep--as far as other visual media... I often DO see a movie first before reading the book, like just recently with the movie Eragon...but then that actually inspires me to read the book so I can compare it...and of course, the book is always so much better.

i won't renounce reading,i can't .i don't like visual media more than reading but unfortunately not everybody thinks so .as i can see less kids or teenagers are reading and this phenomenon couldn't be stopped

Modern technology may change the method of aquaring knowledge, but knowledge gaining is a must! Books may be converted to E-books or similar items, but it must have to come into human thoughts. Thanks.

I'd still much rather read a book than sit and watch TV. I usually have 3 or 4 different books on the go at any given time. A love of reading was passed on to me by my mum and I hope to do the same for my kids. Pretty much everything I know I learned from reading.

I personally not a book reader. If I see a thick book I lose interest already :) I learn more by doing, whish is fatal in some cases, but well I'm still alive. I do read, but a few pages or maybe a thin book, not too much.

Before the days of 911 there was "FAHRENHEIT 451". the main theme was that media would control the masses and books were outlawed. Firemen were actually called to peoples homes to burn books and raid the houses to find them not put out fires. If everything we see on the news is controlled by a group of people doesnt that mean are abilities to be objective become limited and we have no real free learning? Here is a good website about history of books http://pages.cthome.net/andbookstoo/bookburning.htm Every time a book is destroyed thats one less copy that might make an objective thought on a subject on someone who might have had a chance to read it and pass it on.

I think books are in just as much demand as in recent years. I think reading went down when TV first came out. I also think when the computer first came out reading went down. I think it is holding its own. Look at stores like Barns and Nobles, that stay open till late at night and have a coffee house in them. They are busy and seem to be busy. Amazon.com stock has gone up and they are very busy. Amazon first started as selling books now they sell pretty much anything. I do not think Amazon could have stayed in business if people where not buying books.

I agree with that. Most of the books and famous classic novels have all been made into movies so one can go see it instead. It's so sad, because there's a completely different thinking when one reads as opposed to when one sees. There's so many things that go on when one reads, the brain is actively and critically thinking to create the picture of what is being read and one learns grammar and learns new words and how to spell and sentence structures, it's so helpful! I'm a huge grammar freak, pretty much because I used to read SO much as a youngin'. So much that my parents to would deny me books! I had so many we were running out of space of where to place them all...LOL.