Sheila Liming on What We Lose When Physical Books Disappear

Summary

Sheila Liming's essay explores the decline of reading culture and the symbolic loss of physical books in the digital age. She reflects on witnessing thousands of books being dumped into a construction loader, using this as a metaphor for society's shifting relationship with print. Liming argues that while preserving libraries is important, it alone won't save reading habits. She examines how digital media has transformed attention spans, the commodification of books, and what is lost when the physical medium of the book disappears — including deep reading, contemplation, and the communal experience of shared literary spaces.

Source

Hacker NewsSheila Liming on What We Lose When Physical Books Disappearyalereview.org