Two Thoughts on the State of Books

Here are two statements worth considering. One from director John Waters, the other from Canadian writer Stan Persky at dooneyscafe.com.

The Decline of Reading: QED

The American NBC nightly newscast for Aug. 9, 2011 offered a minute-and-twenty-second analysis of the London riots under the Dickensian heading “A Tale of Two Cities.” The network’s London correspondent, Martin Fletcher, concluded his report with this voice-over on top of visuals of shattered glass: “A final thought that may say a lot about our times: in this shopping centre every store had been looted but one – the bookstore.” Closing shot: a pristine Waterstone’s window display in otherwise trashed shopping centre. Nuff said. – August 9, 2011 by Stan Persky (Related at The Atlantic: London Rioters Are Leaving Bookstores Untouched)