What about one of the first novels in China?

 

Dream of the Red Chamber.

 

In fact, this was really the first novel in China.

 

Fantastically wonderful novel.

 

The written word, regardless of form or presentation, is a healthy as it's ever been.

8 hours ago, biervoormij said:

I read real slow but when I stopped working I decided to try and read 50 books in a year. I have read at least 50 for the past 7 years. Currently I am at 40 for this year but am sure I will make it over 50 by the end of the year. I am glad a number of the authors that I really enjoy don't think that the novel is dead and keep writing.

Good for you. I have hundreds of books bought over the years to read "when I retired", but the dark side ( the internet ) has seduced me, and I read few.

If I can resist the pull of darkness, I will endeavor to put aside at least 2 afternoons a week to read. I can only hope.

At some point in time, the population consumed cave paintings, as that was the only form of media available. Then came clay tablets, scrolls, printing press, digital etc. evolution of media.

The content is still available its just in a different media nowadays

I used to read a couple of books a week, nowadays I still consume the content but its usually in the form of an audio book, someone reads it to me.

I do love to read every day, and I have a kindle but actually prefer holding a book in my hands. A good friend transferred thousands of books to my kindle for free. Then I found the Kinokuniya bookshop in Siam Paragon in Bangkok and now when I make my twice yearly trips to Bangkok from Pattaya for hospital appointment I always go there and stock up on books at a great price. In my condo building we have a collection of books in bookcases in an open area that anyone can access and I always put my books there after I have read them. Good to share and not waste them.

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

At some point in time, the population consumed cave paintings, as that was the only form of media available. Then came clay tablets, scrolls, printing press, digital etc. evolution of media.

The content is still available its just in a different media nowadays

I used to read a couple of books a week, nowadays I still consume the content but its usually in the form of an audio book, someone reads it to me.

The question really isn't about delivery format in any way.

 

It's about content.

 

A novel is still a novel whether it's in book, ebook, or audio format. 

 

Obviously some people are still writing novels and some people are still "reading" them in some way.

 

But I strongly feel that novels are in decline as far as their cultural importance and impact. 

 

I think over time that trend will continue with no hope of reversal.

 

Sure most probably students will continue to be forced to read novels in academic settings. But I think even that will decline. 

 

But what percentage of them will continue to read them voluntarily?

 

I think fewer and fewer. It seems to me appreciating novels has already become rather a quaint activity and in some sense an activity of a shrinking intellectual elite.

 

I should clarify that I'm talking about novels with at least some literary merit. 

Shocking, shameful result, in my opinion. 

I am a bit ashamed of myself as I used to read almost every evening/night time.

Last time I read a novel was on a bus trip to Bangkok

Now I download TV series, movies, and watch the free TV channels at my condo, which is as good as the cable I used to buy in the US at $50 a month

9 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Shocking, shameful result, in my opinion. 

Surprising, yes, but why 'shameful'?

14 hours ago, papa al said:

... have a crate of books to swap with someone.

Fiction & non-.

Pattaya.

Any First Editions? 

Two to three novels a week, all on ebook.

 

I can't recall the last time I read a paperback or hardcover.

I was surprised that my honest response was 0 in 2021, as I would say I was an avid reader using my Kindle.

 

But the reason is that I used to take at least one long-haul flight every week for my work, and as I'd seen all the movies I would lose myself in a novel.   But I've not been on any flights this year.

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The question really isn't about delivery format in any way.

 

It's about content.

 

A novel is still a novel whether it's in book, ebook, or audio format. 

 

Obviously some people are still writing novels and some people are still "reading" them in some way.

 

But I strongly feel that novels are in decline as far as their cultural importance and impact. 

 

I think over time that trend will continue with no hope of reversal.

 

Sure most probably students will continue to be forced to read novels in academic settings. But I think even that will decline. 

 

But what percentage of them will continue to read them voluntarily?

 

I think fewer and fewer. It seems to me appreciating novels has already become rather a quaint activity and in some sense an activity of a shrinking intellectual elite.

 

I should clarify that I'm talking about novels with at least some literary merit. 

Is our intellect shrinking, did you say? 

 

What about the Flynn Effect? 

2 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Surprising, yes, but why 'shameful'?

Millennials and Gen Z people will not/ do not have the same grasp on vocabulary and history if they do not read.  Reading also reduces stress and keeps your brain healthy in some ways I believe.

 

So if you do not partake in something easy and educational that is good for you that would be "shameful" ?  Is my take

 

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Is our intellect shrinking, did you say? 

 

What about the Flynn Effect? 

I didn't say that but could be.

2 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

Millennials and Gen Z people will not/ do not have the same grasp on vocabulary and history if they do not read.  Reading also reduces stress and keeps your brain healthy in some ways I believe.

 

So if you do not partake in something easy and educational that is good for you that would be "shameful" ?  Is my take

 

I see .... fair point.  Although I think grammar and proper sentence construction is dead anyway, thanks to messaging apps.

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That is an interesting point.

There was a time when I enjoyed James Patterson books, and then he outsourced his writing to co-authors..

I read lots of great Reacher books. After the last one I am not sure I will buy another one again.

Same with Baldacci. The last book which I read was horrible, after many good books.

At least Stephen Leather still writes great novels.

Agree with you about the last Reacher book. Lee Child co-wrote it with his brother. Big mistake!

I read novels and non-fiction. There are so many good books out there. I had to disconnect my Kindle for 6 months and I am still not through my backlog.

Ashamed to say I have gone from a daily reader to a zero vote, gradually over the last 5 years or so. Before I moved here from Cambodia I used to read about a book a month.

 

I always used to read (Kindle on IPad) for an hour or so when I went to bed but I'm married now.

 

 

10 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

What about the novel, as a form, and when the novel first became an art form?

 

Henry Fielding? Who does not love Tom Jones?

 

What about Fanny Hill?

 

How has the novel changed since the days of Fanny Hill?

I remember looking at Fanny by Gaslight as a kid, but went for a Harold Robbins instead

About 20 this year so far. I read when I walk to the town everyday and sit or on the loo - what else you going to do ? Look at the same piece of path 365 and stare at the sink taps ? 32 pages a day walking and loo = near 1000 a month = 2-3 books ish read when you have basically the ability to do nothing else ! I do not see that as a bad thing.

 

 

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

I remember considering Fanny by Gaslight as a kid, but went for a Harold Robbins instead

Sinclair Lewis is better than Lewis Sinclair, by any light. 

14 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I truly think you have a very inaccurate and narrow opinion  about novels. 

I read some novels but not that many.

 

Problem is that if people know you like reading they try to dump garbage novels like ' The Da Vinci Code ' or ' The Beach ' on you and expect you to read and rave about them.

 

I have read all Conrads works and Mark Twains but as a rule I prefer first hand eye witness history books. The Plague by Albert Camus was very good and of course , currently topical , but I don't have a copy here to re read.

I think the "real" book novel has died somewhat but I read PDF books having downloaded from Internet.

 

Also I listen to Audio books - does that count? For example, recently I have been into the Audio version of "The Hobbit"

8 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I walk to the town everyday and sit or on the loo - what else you going to do ?

I used to use dead time like that to study languages. Have a dozen words written down on a scrap of paper and memorize them whilst walking , working or pooing. Very effective method.

I ended up in a village Isan for two months and, this is true, read War and Peace on an iPhone 4 (not the epilogues though).

 

(Just incase anyone ever wondered how boring green as far as the eye can see, can be).

Anyone here up for a reading of the novel:  Giles Goat-Boy?

 

Or, are novels dead?

 

 

"a black comedy to offend everyone"

The pun was probably intended.

 

Not all novels are dead, maybe.

 

 

I read all the time. I did have a Kindle many years ago when they first came out. However, it did not feel the same as holding a proper book.  I used to find myself having to go back and re read several pages as the information did not sink in the same. Of course maybe it was just my age.....

Although I read a lot of literature when I was younger, nowadays I in English I only read non-fiction.  However, in my Thai studies I am just finishing ครอบครัวที่ลัก ("Shoplifters") by Hirokazu Koreeda, translated from the Japanese into Thai.  Very enjoyable.  Learned a lot of Thai vernacular.

Both fiction and non fiction will last as long as mankind has an open mind, and maintains it's curiosity. I do have friends who refuse to read books. And my heart goes out to them. Literacy is an amazing and beautiful thing. There is way more than a lifetime of wonderful stuff to read out there. Since I have discovered both Library Genesis - http://libgen.rs and Z Library, https://en.book4you.org I have downloaded hundreds of books, magazines, etc. Amazing.