Yet at the same time, the popularity of books such as Potter should be taken as an encouraging sign: its enduring popularity indicates that there is still a huge market for reading, and for the now centuries-old tradition of novel writing in Britain. Next time you are hard up for a new gadget to distract the kids, or an interesting diversion for yourself, or even a gift at a special occasion, why not consider buying a book or two?
Even if you haven’t read a story since high school, it doesn’t mean you have lost the knack to get completely absorbed by literature. So too, you needn’t rush straight for the intricate humour of Laurence Sterne’s The Life and Opinion of Tristram Shandy, or James Joyce’s seminal work Ulysses. Since the beginning of the printing press, books have been as important in the world of politics and non-fiction as they have been influences on the creative minds of a generation.
Whether you fancy a hefty cookbook to be a lifelong companion in the kitchen, or a biography of one of your favourite film stars, there are books to cater to your taste. More importantly, they have one huge benefit over their more modern technological counterparts. Unlike a TV show, a book is material, and will remain, ready to be leafed through, annotated, copied, studied, whenever and wherever you want. From the bus stop to the office, the supermarket to the cinema, you don’t need to lug around wires and batteries to enjoy literature.
Finding a diverting book needn’t require moving the earth either: you can pick up a good read from the same place as your groceries. Department stores and supermarkets, as well as national newsagents, have a wide range of books to choose from. Sites such as Asda Books have a large range of products on offer, whether you are following a literary whim or are looking for cookery books.
|
