Reading in a time of change, by Margaret Simons

An excellent, thought-provoking article published in Overland magazine, Reading in a time of change by Margaret Simons was prompted by but not only about, the iPad.  E-books, e-readers,all sorts of reading in these times of change.  She discusses the experience of reading for herself, her children, her grandson, and concludes:

My father was also staying with us over summer. Thirty years older than me, he is still working out how to use his mobile phone but email – that ancient technology – is his main means of staying in touch with friends around the world. He reads local newspapers for the crosswords. He takes the Guardian Weekly in print form and is dismayed by the idea it may be delivered only online in future. He had not heard of Twitter until I told him about it.

Of course, he was called to sit down and read to my grandson. He pointed to the dog in the book, and my grandson made the connection with the dog in the room. The experience of reading was not a thing by itself but something intimately associated with the growth of a mind, with socialisation and even with motor skills.


Perhaps, in this very ordinary and familiar convergence of an infant’s growth, we can glimpse something of our future.

Cheers

Ruth