Comments on: The Novel Dies Again http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/ Reflections of a working writer and reader Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:06:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: anne http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/comment-page-1/#comment-96551 anne Thu, 12 Jul 2007 21:33:50 +0000 http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/#comment-96551 <p>I worked in a bookstore for 9 years and lots of people would ask why we thought no one was reading. We answered that, as a matter of fact, people were buying lots of books. In fact, although in a fairly small town we took in . . . over $3 million a year. People may not be intellectuals and read lots of Tolstoy and Shakespeare, but they're reading. Look at the people on commuter trains and buses - they're reading.</p> <strong>jb says</strong>: I expect there will be a few more books sold, Anne. I worked in a bookstore for 9 years and lots of people would ask why we thought no one was reading. We answered that, as a matter of fact, people were buying lots of books. In fact, although in a fairly small town we took in . . . over $3 million a year. People may not be intellectuals and read lots of Tolstoy and Shakespeare, but they’re reading. Look at the people on commuter trains and buses – they’re reading.

jb says: I expect there will be a few more books sold, Anne.

]]> By: Lee http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/comment-page-1/#comment-96545 Lee Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:44:47 +0000 http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/#comment-96545 <p>Dies again? So the phoenix ...</p> <strong>jb says</strong>: Yeah, the Phoenix. What would we do without it? Dies again? So the phoenix …

jb says: Yeah, the Phoenix. What would we do without it?

]]> By: Paul http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/comment-page-1/#comment-96540 Paul Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:45:26 +0000 http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-novel-dies-again/#comment-96540 <p>There are a whole host of reasons why people read less, and a debate to be had on whether it is necessarilly a bad thing, and whether TV/Cinema feeds the mind to the same extent as literature.</p> <p>But to credit one TV series with fulfilling the search for the Great American Novel seems far fetched.</p> <p>I find it hard to believe that any programme/film/book could fully comprehend and communicate the ethnic/religious/social/economic/cultural/regional diversity of America.</p> <strong>jb says</strong>: Thanks, Paul. For keeping things in perspective. There are a whole host of reasons why people read less, and a debate to be had on whether it is necessarilly a bad thing, and whether TV/Cinema feeds the mind to the same extent as literature.

But to credit one TV series with fulfilling the search for the Great American Novel seems far fetched.

I find it hard to believe that any programme/film/book could fully comprehend and communicate the ethnic/religious/social/economic/cultural/regional diversity of America.

jb says: Thanks, Paul. For keeping things in perspective.

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