It is a pity that for a book that celebrates books that deserve, no demand the investment of time and all our mental and emotional faculties, it is itself barely so.
Despite its bite-sized length and lack of depth, it is still important. I would recommend potential readers to Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business if you want a deeper understanding of the issues that Miedema touches on in this book.
By the way, the book is not so much about slowing down in how much you read than in reading in a more engaged way. It is against the redefinition of reading that is brought forth by the change in the mediums of reading and in the nature of the readings available as a result. It is not against readers who read a lot because they find tv boring and find intellectual stimulation more arresting. So ‘right back at you!’ to all of my friends who suggested this book to me in all sweet irony. Thanks too, of course!
For a more comprehensive review, see Richard’s review.
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- Amusing Ourselves to Death: Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom” and the View from Nowhere (jaypinho.com)
- Why You Should Read for Yourself (wegetgeek.com)
- Fofo’s #CBR4 Review #23: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (cannonballread4.wordpress.com)
- Active Reading (socyberty.com)
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