I guess the first question has to be what, exactly, is literature? I think for each of us, the definition is different. Literature is more than just words on a page, right? An office memo or a phone book can’t be considered literature….or can they? Trust me, I can spend hours contemplating that topic alone.
For me, there are two types of books that I read: Stories for pure entertainment and books that make me think or learn. Sounds silly, I know. My bookshelves are actually categorized as such as well. No surprise that I have all the “entertainment” books much closer to my warm, comfy chair and bed than the “learning” books. Although I was on vacation. WAS…
Entertainment books are exactly that. Something I read to take me to another world, time, place. Interesting story, but not much involved, and by that I mean there isnt a lot to think about. Nothing that will resonate with me long after the final page.
“Thinking” books….well, they do resonate. And maybe thats how I define literature. If it leaves a mark on me, if it lingers…if it’s something I want to dissect and study. Take it apart and really examine whats going on here. Underlining and highlighting, taking notes in the margins. Not a single one of my “entertainment” books are marked up like my “thinking” books. I love a good mystery or suspense novel. But after the discovery of “whodoneit” what is left?
And that’s probably one of the biggest reasons why I dislike reading off the computer. I can’t mark passages or words. I can’t dogear the pages of particuliarly moving pages to refer back to in a moment’s time. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING personal about electronic reading. Maybe that does make me old-fashioned, but I don’t care. I need the cover art and bound, doggeared, highlighted pages. I need something to hold physically in order to feel connected to it, to feel a part of it and for it to capture my attention, completely. If it doesn’t capture my attention, how can it make me think, how will it ever resonate?
