REVIEW: "The book is 2.0" Jason Merkoski - for those who care about the culture of reading, now and in the future

When I worked in the library, one of the most popular topics for discussion among the staff was the future of books and reading in general. Yes, now reading are much less than in the past: for example, the reading is not so popular among young people and children. Instead of the usual paper books were electronic, which can be read on any mobile device or gadget like the Kindle or Pocketbook.

How is the culture of reading lately, what future awaits the book and how to create a cult electronic reader from Amazon, read the "Book 2.0» Jason Merkoski. In Russia, it releases the publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber".

We understand the inevitability of the death of books, but do not want to put up with it. We are sorry for the book. We understand the importance of this loss, and trying to make up for it with the help of modeling knives and cans of spray paint and glitter. We change the books, make them works of art, putting the ideas that are too difficult to put into words. We transforms ordinary leather-bound books that once were just a commodity, in artistic expression.

instagram viewer

Surprisingly, Jason - a supporter of "electronic revolution" of books. But even he, an ardent supporter of electronic ink and faceless plastic devices are not silent about the shortcomings that brought with it, this is the "revolution". He's trying to find common ground and to link all this with the development of technology, from which you can not hide anywhere.

These important stuff

Of course, Merkoski talks about how he and a team of developers have tried to move the Kindle in the digital environment, it has long been customary in reading ordinary books: notes, flipping pages, "corners" in the inherent pages. Something of this has been implemented in the electronic reader, something - only tablets. we can observe the fruits of these developments are now everywhere:

Flipping pages helps to better remember information as we visually, geometrically remember how one page is related to the other, creating a mental map of bookmarks.

But a lot (and some deem as most important) - no.

You could say that I give the book its personality. Maybe this is some kind of pathology. But the book - a milestone in my life, and not only because they have learned something, but because they, in turn, is something I have acquired, stored between the pages of his pieces of my personality. Between sheets of books is the story of my life.

Of course, the books could not transfer to electronic format be painless, and e-reading could not entail a lot of problems:

It is much easier to write liked the place of e-books in a notebook than to call a friend and discuss it with him. In a sense, digital books encourage narcissistic lazy narcissism of our culture. We use our gadgets as substitutes for others and genuine human communication. And I think it's bad.

And it's not the only problem that represents Merkoski. There are a lot of critical points that need to be addressed. Jason says a lot about reading socialization, despite the fact that reading books on a faceless plastic rectangle could not entail some "intimization" and individualization of reading. Now, reading on the subway any novel in the Kindle, no one will know what you are reading. Unless, of course, will not be staring into your reader and guess on the proposals of the book you are reading.

Many forms, but one essence

Of course, the book, regardless of the form in which it is "written" is always the book. As I said, still many contradictions between the electronic and conventional reading remain unresolved, but a starting point, a basis is already there.

Because it is no different for the brain to read e-books from the usual - most of the time you do not pay any attention to the media.

In spite of that, e-books have brought a lot of good. Their potential is still not fully disclosed. For example, they are still not sufficiently widely used in education (after all, your child is much easier to carry a plastic weighing 300 grams, not a pile of volumes of the total weight of several kilograms). But the education system is conservative and is inert in nature, and it will be many years (especially in Russia) before the electronic books will replace paper.

But this does not prevent the author to discuss and try to predict the future of books and reading in general. Ever die out and electronic format, which is now a lot more seems to be a rarity - in its place will come some other, more practical and manufacturable. But reading will never die. After all, reading makes us who we are.

Books - a priceless gift. Without them, we would have differed little from monkeys learned to wear expensive watches, and stylish glasses.

To read it?

If you care what happens to the culture of reading right now, and you want to look into the future - "Book 2.0" is definitely worth reading. In what format? In fact, it is not so important. ;-) Though, most likely, after reading the "Book 2.0" you will change your opinion. Good luck!

"The book is 2.0" Jason Merkoski

Buy on litres.ruBuy at amazon