I’ve been writing down every book I read since 1996. The number of books stayed pretty much the same through two immigrations, divorce, and all sorts of dramas, trials, and tribulations.

Until 2009. Starting that year, the number was cut in half and never recovered. What changed? I bought my first smartphone in December of 2008.

9 responses to “Shit Is Addictive”

  1. Shakti Avatar
    Shakti

    But think of how much news you read from your newsfeed.

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    1. Shakti Avatar
      Shakti

      Seriously though, trying to read a textbook on a computer or a smartphone sucks ass, especially if you need wifi to do it. I dislike it so much. I can’t imagine trying to read anything dense.

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    2. Clarissa Avatar

      There is no need to rub it in. 🙂

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  2. JProf Avatar
    JProf

    For me, it’s not my phone per se; it’s the Internet. I allow myself to get distracted and waste time on my computer (YouTube, blogs, Twitter, etc.) more than I do on my phone.

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  3. Izgad Avatar

    It is funny, I have also been keeping a reading list for years now and since I got a smartphone, my reading has gone up. This is because I started listening to audible books.

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    1. Clarissa Avatar

      I wish I could listen to books. But I don’t process information this way. I get distracted in under a minute and tune the sounds out completely.

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  4. el Avatar
    el

    How many book per year do you read now?

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  5. Crystallizing Chaos Avatar
    Crystallizing Chaos

    Very interesting. I too have kept track of what I read. And the years of big change – moving cities/countries or other emotional turmoil results in very few books being read.

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A conservative literary critic and college professor