I'm pretty sure that two generations ago, they would have been more like I was: always with their nose in some volume, looking up only to cross the street or to guide a fork on their plates. But today, even in our book-crammed home, where their father is often in a cozy reading chair, their eyes are more likely to be glued to a screen.
đź“š Every book leaves a mark. A line that sticks, a question that won't let go, a small shift in how you see the world. But unless you capture them, those traces fade as quickly as the last page turns. That's where a book journal template steps in-it's not about adding homework to your reading, it's about preserving the spark. Think of it as your personal vault for insights, favorite quotes, and those half-formed thoughts you know are worth keeping.
The oldest one is recommending the book he's just finished to me. You should read this, he says, handing me a well-thumbed paperback, which I turn over in my hands. Blue, I say. The cover's blue, yeah, he says. It's a translation, and not much happens, but it's good. OK, I say. I'm already reading a book, but I will take this on holiday with me. Now I need a new book, he says. Any ideas? This has never happened before.
For much of my life, whenever I've spotted a neglected novel in my periphery, I've looked away. I'm not an "extreme empath," but I can't help feel guilty - like the book's sitting there wondering when the hell I'm going to get my act together. Despite my editorial profession, I'm actually a really slow reader, capable of only finishing 12 books a year.
I was saddened to learn that gen Z parents don't read to their children because they don't have time, dislike having to read the same book over and over, don't enjoy reading books themselves or find it boring.
