The Lost Art of Reading

The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time is Ulin’s response to why literature is necessary. Reading is, he argues, a revolutionary act, an act of engagement in a culture that wants us to disengage. Ulin asks a number of timely questions — why is literature so important? What does it offer, especially now? Blending commentary with memoir, Ulin addresses the importance of the simple act of reading in an increasingly digital culture.

Reading a book, flipping though hard pages, or shuffling them on screen — it doesn’t matter. The key is the engagement with reading, and its seriousness and depth. Ulin emphasizes the importance of reflection and pause encouraged by reading, and the accompanying focus required to let the mind run free in a world that is not one’s own. Are we willing to risk our collective interest in contemplation, nuanced thinking, and empathy? Far from preaching to the choir, The Lost Art of Reading is a call to arms, or rather, to pages.