Concerns are mounting over a decline in sustained reading habits, as digital distractions increasingly displace time once devoted to books and long-form texts. Naomi Alderman, a novelist and broadcaster, highlights the growing challenge many face in setting aside smartphones to engage fully with literature, an activity she notes has diminished even for herself despite her background.
Alderman points to the smartphone as a central factor in this shift, drawing a parallel with the public health crisis sparked by the advent of cheap mass-market cigarettes in the early 20th century. She recalls a conversation with a public health expert who compared smartphones’ size and ubiquity to that of cigarette packs, noting that just as cigarettes became widely accessible and habit-forming despite unknown long-term dangers, smartphones have similarly altered daily behaviours in profound ways. The rise of digital connectivity, especially during periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic, has tethered people to their devices, often at the cost of more immersive reading experiences.
Recent data underscore the broader implications of these changes. A 2024 OECD report reveals that literacy rates have declined or stagnated across many developed countries. Educational institutions report an increasing number of students arriving at university without the ability to read entire books, a trend that academics warn could have significant societal consequences. James Marriott, in his forthcoming book The New Dark Ages, argues that a waning capacity for in-depth reading hinders the public’s ability to engage with complex arguments critically. He suggests this may contribute to a susceptibility to simplistic messaging and misinformation, as people increasingly rely on soundbites and gossip rather than analytical thought.
In response to these challenges, Alderman has developed an eight-week reading programme aimed at rebuilding daily reading habits. The initiative offers three tracks to accommodate different levels of commitment and difficulty, encouraging participants to gradually work up to reading for at least half an hour daily. Early feedback from participants has been positive, with many reporting improved concentration, reduced stress, and renewed enjoyment of longer texts after only a few days. The programme has attracted interest from educators looking to incorporate it into school curricula and has inspired community-driven efforts to create reading trackers and support materials.
Alderman emphasizes that reclaiming reading time from digital distractions is both urgent and achievable. She advocates for a simple starting point: setting down smartphones and dedicating just 10 minutes to reading on the first day. By doing so, she maintains, people can rediscover the intellectual and emotional benefits of books, countering what she describes as a public health crisis of intellectual well-being driven by modern technology.