Well, fifty years ago there wasn’t the Internet, or gaming consoles to keep our attention. Nor did anyone have the choice of a hundred different television channels. I suppose this argument could be compounded by the phrase that there’s simply ‘more to occupy us’ these days. This is most likely stating the obvious, but it also happens to be true. We have busier lives because we expect to fit in so much more.

As children, if we grow up in a house that has bookshelves, we get used to having them around. We get curious about them, and any parent who loves to read will automatically encourage that curiosity. In a house with no books save for our own children’s books, we begin to wonder why our parents don’t enjoy reading, and begin to grow a little worried that perhaps reading is a ‘kiddies’ thing that we have to grow out of when we get older.

Allow me to put another argument to you. Now, if you have the latest Playstation-box-wii thing, to a lot of people (and not just teenagers these days) you’re automatically the cream of the crop. If, instead, you’re currently searching Amazon for that latest book you want to read, you’re heralded as a ‘square’ who probably irons their socks. Let’s face it; books just don’t seem to be ‘cool’ any more…unless they’re something you can play on the latest console, of course. (I’m looking at you, Nintendo DS).

Occasionally you will get a book series that captures the attention of enough readers for it to become something that’s acceptable to read. The ‘Harry Potter’ series can be used as an example here. I know that I’m using points that seem to largely encompass the younger generations rather than the older ones, but I’ve always been under the impression that if you disliked books growing up, you’re hardly going to want to break the mould once you reach your late twenties.

Why aren’t books cool? My personal belief is that it’s because they’re associated with schools and learning. When forced to read ‘Shakespeare’ nonstop, or plod through something like ‘Animal farm’ when you’re barely a teenager, it gives the impression that the literary field has nothing more to offer than ‘old’ words and confusing metaphor. Yes, I sincerely believe that schools do indeed have a lot to answer for with this regard. Where are the books that are ‘fun’ to read? I defy anyone to tell me that you can’t get an important theme out of something like the old ‘Animorph’ series. Literature is subjective, after all.

Picking up a book can also be both confusing and rather daunting for someone who hasn’t really trodden down the road of ‘favourite authors/genres’ before. Go into any bookshop, and the choice is massive! If you haven’t picked up a book before, where do you start? Fiction or non-fiction? Biography, Fantasy, Travel, Humour? Even as an avid reader myself, trying to look through genres I’m not particularly used to still intimidates me a little.

When it all boils down to it, I think a lot of the problem lies with this trepidation people have towards literature. There’s the fear of not being able to fit anything else into your evenings once you’re engrossed in a good book. There’s the alarm of being teased by your peer group. You’re hesitant to go into a bookshop and pick up the ‘wrong thing’. I could go on, but I’m sure, dear reader, you have the idea.

There isn’t really an easy ‘cure’ for this. But I’m still a firm believer that the love of literature (or ‘lol’, as I like to abbreviate it), has to start at home and school. A home environment where books – even if they’re alongside massive DVD collections or computer gaming – are the norm, followed by a school system that allows a certain amount of freedom in what’s read, instead of being entirely archaic, is paramount.

All in all? We have to learn to stop being afraid, turn the page to the first chapter, and just dive in.