MPKGD 
“People don’t read books anymore.”
Do you know the amount of effort it takes NOT to read books or to simply read? Books are everywhere and they no longer come in one form. As technology advances, books too have adapted to online formats such as free platforms, self-published works, blogsites, etc. Just because we don’t see people hold on to the traditional hardcopies that bulk up our reading totes does not mean that no one reads them anymore.
Its impossible not to get in contact with books. There are e-readers built into phones, software that allows you to buy and download books into your e-readers. All readers need now is an expansible memory on their phones, tablets, e-readers or on the cloud to make space for more books.
Is it that hard to imagine the innumerable worlds that you get to travel to without leaving your seat or the unending fountain of knowledge that you can garner just by turning the pages of the book?
I guess imagining would be difficult for those people because they don’t read (or so they claim).
Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash
Reading material is very diverse nowadays and would never get boring. You have the traditional ones: magazines, books, academic journals, newspapers, advertisements, e-books. Then you get introduced to self-publishing websites like Wattpad, (micro)blogging sites like Tumblr, and community discussion websites like Reddit, and these make for very, very interesting reads.
Oh! Don’t forget the genres that one can get into: fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, action and adventure, mystery, horror, thriller and suspense, historical fiction, romance, women’s fiction (umbrella term for books written to target a female audience generally reflecting on the shared experience of being a woman or the growth of a female protagonist (blog.reedsy.com)), contemporary fiction, literary fiction, magical realism, graphic novel, etc.,. There are a lot more and these listed are just fiction.
And then for the non- fiction enthusiasts, we have: memoirs and autobiographies, biographies, food and drink, art and photography, self-help, history travel, true crime, humour, essays, guide/how-to, religion and spirituality, etc.,.
Outside of these genre-based readings, you have your pamphlets, advertisements, billboards, flyers, bulletins, etc.,. All the other random pieces of paper stuck and posted around the city or your area makes for reading material.
I mean there are a ton of genres one can immerse into and fully discover. So, excuse me if I cannot and will never believe when someone says that “people no longer read”. I think it takes more effort to distance your self from books and reading than simply picking up one and start perusing its pages.
So, pick one that suits your fancy and then you will be transported into a world of bliss.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
So, for those who are looking into starting a life with books, I recommend these websites and maybe you will find that one book you will start your relationship with.
Disclaimer: I am neither affiliated nor sponsored by these websites.
The holy grail of all book recommendation sites! Its a social cataloguing website that allows users to search for books according to their liking. It can be used to explore new books and create reading lists to say the least.
It’s an independent media site full of book recommendations. It has podcasts, newsletters, and original content.
Lists on lists on lists!!! This is where you would find curated niches. If there is a specific taste that you are looking for, then there would probably be a list for it.
It’s an online community launched by HarperCollins geared towards Young Adults. You get quizzes, polls, lists, chance to upload content, chat in forums.
It’s for the youngest of us all. Books recommended are mostly for those 0-13 plus supplementary materials for those who are going to help the children read.
Want to try your hand at writing (after all those years of reading)? Wattpad is the way to go! It’s an online self-publication site and for the more adventurous of us, a site to read the works of other up-and-coming authors.
