Despite Reports, Reading Is Alive and Well

About this episode

<p>This summer, an article came out in <i>The Atlantic</i> called “The End of Reading Is Here,” and it put forward statistics that seem to prove the persistent feeling that new technologies are the death knell of reading books. But, looking into the question, the staff writer Nathan Heller finds a more complicated picture, and he draws a different conclusion in “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/10/26/james-daunt-profile" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>The New Age of Reading</u></a>.” Heller talks with David Remnick about the surprising statistics on book sales and bookstores; the influence of BookTok on younger readers; and how the C.E.O. James Daunt turned around Barnes &amp; Noble, a company that once looked bound for extinction.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><i>Further reading:&nbsp;</i></p><ul><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/progress-report/why-book-shaming-wont-solve-the-childrens-literacy-crisis#rid=e7fa2e85-f8c1-471c-b1df-4a2e18017b1e&amp;q=literacy" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Why ‘Book-Shaming’ Won’t Solve the Children’s Literacy Crisis</u></a>,” by Jessica Winter</li><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/06/the-battle-for-attention" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>The Battle for Attention</u></a>,” by Nathan Heller</li><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/06/the-end-of-the-english-major" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>The End of the English Major</u></a>,” by Nathan Heller</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, <i>New Yorker</i> staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.<br>&nbsp;</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>