patlo's review against another edition
3.0
A nice commentary on the importance of reading (and especially reading novels). The author engages much of the same ground as Nicholas Carr in The Shallows (which I much preferred to this book), but from the perspective of a book reviewer and editor.
Recommended, and a nice little contemplation on the topic.
Recommended, and a nice little contemplation on the topic.
virginiacjacobs's review against another edition
2.0
This was basically a long-winded, rambling essay on the value of reading. This line on genre did resonate with me "This reflects, I'm sure, some fundamental things about me: a disbelief in genre (which I've always regarded as a set of boxes by which to categorize writing, whereas writing, or good writing, should stand against categorization in any form..." (p. 128).
When people ask me what I like to read, they usually mean genre, but my honest answer is, I like to read good books. I'm much less interested in genre than a book I can get lost in, where, when I get to the end, I'm sad that it's over.
When people ask me what I like to read, they usually mean genre, but my honest answer is, I like to read good books. I'm much less interested in genre than a book I can get lost in, where, when I get to the end, I'm sad that it's over.
dylanperry's review against another edition
2.0
So my reading for 2015 started with a bit of a whimper.
I will say I was excited to read this going in. I'd had my eye on it for a while now, and when my brother got it for me for Christmas, I put down what I was reading to start on it.
The Lost Art of Reading deals with a subject I'm passionate about: Reading in the information age. But the execution left a lot to be desired.
The author meandered, lost focus at times. It starts with him talking about his child and how he was having trouble reading The Great Gatsby. This narrative thread is then dropped for nearly 50 pages (with a courtesy mention of it at the end). Truthfully I was surprised to find he was an editor, because much of this seemingly short book was over-written, padded. It's barely 150 pages, but it felt long for what it was. It is also billed as 'part memoir'. This, I found, is not the case--the author barely touches on his life.
OVERALL: This topic is very close to my heart. And deserves more attention. However the overly-bloated execution of this book muddles the point that it tries to deliver.
2/5
I will say I was excited to read this going in. I'd had my eye on it for a while now, and when my brother got it for me for Christmas, I put down what I was reading to start on it.
The Lost Art of Reading deals with a subject I'm passionate about: Reading in the information age. But the execution left a lot to be desired.
The author meandered, lost focus at times. It starts with him talking about his child and how he was having trouble reading The Great Gatsby. This narrative thread is then dropped for nearly 50 pages (with a courtesy mention of it at the end). Truthfully I was surprised to find he was an editor, because much of this seemingly short book was over-written, padded. It's barely 150 pages, but it felt long for what it was. It is also billed as 'part memoir'. This, I found, is not the case--the author barely touches on his life.
OVERALL: This topic is very close to my heart. And deserves more attention. However the overly-bloated execution of this book muddles the point that it tries to deliver.
2/5
yossarianlives's review against another edition
3.0
I'm an English Professor and Ulin made me rethink my relationship to teaching literature, but mostly through negative example. Too much nostalgia for the good old days when books mattered. Alan Jacob's similarly titled book is much more open minded and thoughtful.
crabbygirl's review against another edition
3.0
this was more like a long essay than a book, with no chapters to break-up the main points. it was intellectually dense in parts, with lists of literature I haven't read or heard of, but other parts were easily relatable, such as the danger of placing novels solely within ebooks where content can (and has) been rescinded by the company that produced it. he laments the early editions of ereaders were dark grey type on light grey screens - hardly enticing anyone away from the crisp black type on a clean, white page (not to mention the physicality of a book - it's ability to be borrowed, perused on a bookshelf, be categorized as the owner sees fit). and he's hit on a truth that email and twitter and net surfing have conditioned us to read widely but not deeply, and that our concentration is easily broken (especially when trying to read a book on an electronic device). I liked how he saw reading as an individually paced medium (as opposed to film where we must follow at a prescribed pace) where we can disconnect from the present world and enter any number of new ones. but mostly, he encourages us to keep reading quality literature, and to allow ourselves to be affected, and changed, by it.
ktothelau's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book to use it as a source for my persuasive speech which focuses on the question of fact: Are there benefits to those who read for pleasure?
Though this essay strays far off-topic for about 50 pages, the parts that do focus on the point are very well-written and thoroughly intriguing. Mr. Ulin elaborates on his points in detail and definitely makes for some excellent citations.
A short read, a great read, but not a perfect read. If I were to turn in this exact essay to my professor, I'd get an 80% for going off-track (not taking plagiarism into account).
Though this essay strays far off-topic for about 50 pages, the parts that do focus on the point are very well-written and thoroughly intriguing. Mr. Ulin elaborates on his points in detail and definitely makes for some excellent citations.
A short read, a great read, but not a perfect read. If I were to turn in this exact essay to my professor, I'd get an 80% for going off-track (not taking plagiarism into account).
libkatem's review against another edition
3.0
This books was the author, Ulin, going on a little ramble about how computers and high speed internet have distracted us from the importance of reading.
There's a lot I agreed with, and a lot I disagreed with, but despite the fact that he tried to sound deep, it wasn't. Or maybe I need to take off my library science glasses.
There's a lot I agreed with, and a lot I disagreed with, but despite the fact that he tried to sound deep, it wasn't. Or maybe I need to take off my library science glasses.
mrpatperkins's review against another edition
3.0
Ulin's book is one long essay framed around reading The Great Gatsby with his son. There's no chapters, so it was hard for me to find the theme spread throughout the book. He talks of the growing distractions that prevent us from focused reading, so perhaps his book's structure proves his point.