Who reads books?

Andy Murray, Britain's brightest tennis hope, was asked what he was reading. He is said to have replied, "I don't read. I haven't read a book since the second Harry Potter", that is since 1998. Well, why should he read? Those who do read books sometimes find it hard to understand what life would be like without them. Pretty empty? Not necessarily. I think we may be moving into the post-literary era. To read a book requires some leisure time, and for most people their leisure time is already full up. Don't be snobbish about books. Is watching an hour of television less "cultural" than reading a book? It depends of course, but generally the answer is no. Culture exists in many ways: conversation, for example - the mobile phone encourages the long conversation; the cinema, even blogging. So who does read books? It is a minority activity. Quite small, and getting smaller. And yet there are all these books being published, seemingly more than ever before. A puzzle. I'd like to return to the subject when I've thought a bit more about it. I just want to turn on the TV to see how Murray has done today.

The last bookshop

I will be sorry to see the end of bookshops. They have been friendly places: and brave too, stocking books the booksellers knew they would never sell, but giving them accommodation, heat and light before returning them to their publisher for a credit. I feel a bit guilty too that in a tiny way I may be contributing to their demise. It is not my fault that most of my books are now sold through Amazon, which is not particularly friendly but is efficient at selling world-wide. All the same, I have spurned offers to join the Organisation of Latterday Luddites, decent people though its members are, and consider that its slogan, Gutenberg Lives, is not really accurate. I agree that, looking around one of the great book supermarkets, say Waterstones in Piccadilly, London, conventional book marketing does have a look of permanence. How could all this disappear? But they said the same about the British empire. Sorry about that. But there will still be secondhand bookshops. Very friendly places.
Hot news. My publisher Solidus has entered my most recent novel, Beyond Reason, for the People's Book Prize. This is a new prize with entries restricted to books from independent publishers. So no conglomerates. You can read about it at www.peoplesbookprize.com and, if you are so inclined, vote for your favourite book.