Novels I haven’t finished reading are piling up by my bedside. What if that’s a good thing? | Hanna Thomas Uose
In a thought-provoking exploration of modern reading habits, author Hanna Thomas Uose reflects on her personal experiences with unfinished books, highlighting a broader cultural phenomenon regarding attention spans in today’s fast-paced world. Uose admits to having five novels beside her bed, 36 audiobooks on her phone, and 46 eBooks abandoned on her Kindle, alongside a growing stack of advance copies of books she feels pressured to read as a published novelist herself. This admission may initially seem to support Ian Rankin’s assertion that the relentless distractions of social media and the rapid news cycle are diminishing readers’ focus. Rankin’s comments suggest that as attention spans shrink, literature may need to evolve to retain engagement. However, Uose challenges this notion by arguing that the act of abandoning books is not merely a symptom of a fleeting attention span but rather a reflection of personal choice and the right to curate one’s reading experience.
Uose emphasizes that her shift from a once-dedicated reader to someone who feels empowered to put down a book that doesn’t resonate with her mood is a liberating realization. This change in perspective underscores a significant cultural shift: the recognition that reading should be a pleasurable and fulfilling activity rather than a chore. The pressure to finish every book, she argues, is outdated, especially in a world overflowing with content and options. By embracing the freedom to abandon books, readers can prioritize their enjoyment and mental well-being, ultimately fostering a healthier relationship with literature. Uose’s reflections invite readers to reconsider their own reading practices and to acknowledge that it is perfectly acceptable to not finish a book, thereby encouraging a more personalized and satisfying literary journey.
In conclusion, Uose’s candid account serves as a reminder that the evolving landscape of reading is not solely about diminishing attention spans but also about the changing values and preferences of readers. As society grapples with the implications of digital distractions, Uose advocates for a more nuanced understanding of engagement with literature—one that respects individual choice and the importance of emotional connection in the reading experience. By shifting the narrative from obligation to enjoyment, Uose hopes to inspire others to embrace their reading journeys, regardless of how many books remain unfinished.
Authors are sounding warnings about the length of the modern attention span, but my series of abandonments is a sign of something else
This is embarrassing, but here goes. There are five novels beside my bed, all partially read. On my phone, I am partway through 36 audiobooks, which pales in comparison to the 46 ebooks I have abandoned on my Kindle. This doesn’t count the growing pile of advance copies beside my coffee table, vying for blurbs, now that I am a published novelist myself.
At first glance, these stats seem to corroborate Ian Rankin’s words. Commenting
a fortnight ago
on how easy it is to lose a reader’s focus, when it is fragmented by social media and the news cycle, the writer said: “Maybe as people’s attention spans change the literature will have to change with them.” But as someone who used to doggedly finish whatever I was reading, I now consider it a human right to put down a book that I’m not in the mood for.
Hanna Thomas Uose is a writer and strategist. She is the author of
Who Wants to Live Forever
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