A few interesting conversations are going on around the country right now about reading and books. With the shift being made over at the L.A. Times in the book review department the question is being posed, “Is the printed book review losing the popularity contest to on-line book reviews such as blogs and on-line professional publications?”
Are our humble little book blogs a threat to such great publications as The L.A. Times? Now that the L.A. Times has published it’s final stand-alone book review section, only three newspapers have stand-alone book review sections that are printed; the Washington Post, the N.Y. Times and the Chicago Tribune. You can read or watch more about this discussion HERE on PBS’s NewsHour.
In the N.Y. Times Opinion section this morning, there is a collection of letters to the editor about what constitutes reading now a days. Are you reading when the words are on-line? Are you only reading when it is a piece of literature? There are some interesting points being made HERE.
What are your thoughts on these two topics? Do you take pride as I do in your own book blog? Do you respect and admire the bloggers whose book blogs you frequent and take into consideration the opinions that people like you and me have on books that are vying for your attention and money? I think we live in a very exciting time when everyone can have a voice and be heard. Knowing that people are taking their time to read what I have to say and leave comments is a huge thing and an immense compliment to me intellectually.