I've just seen a lovely thing that is not as common anymore

[ilovemynails]

We have been on holiday to Tenerife. At the airport coming home there was a British family.
Mum, Dad and 3 children who looked between 10 and 14 and each one was reading a proper book.
No phones or tablets in sight.

Gosh what a depressing read. What looked like a positive opening post has, in true Mumsnet style, turned into people trying to prove they're better than everyone else. I can't believe a nice post has turned into a competition as to who is a better reader (seriously...reading 10 books as opposed to 2 doesnt make someone a better person) and the suggestion that people who read physical books must be stupid because they're heavy, bad for environment and have a cost. Rounded off with a criticism of libraries!

OP I think what you saw is lovely. FWIW I think it would be equally lovely to see a family all reading on kindles (but hard to tell, obviously...hence books stood out more). I didnt take from your post, which was entirely innocent, positive and not that deep, that you are somehow anti-kindle!).

Is reading only okay with a physical book then? I have a Kindle because I can carry over 2,000 books with me instead of limiting myself to the few I could carry.

I would never have such a low number as 2000 books on my kindle.

People seem very aggrieved about my reading speed, which is sometimes useful, but mostly something that has only impacted my life in pre-Kindle days in terms of lugging large numbers of physical books on holiday. I have no idea how many books a year I read, but I’m not on holiday 365 days a year, though, as I’m an academic in Eng Lit, my job does also involve a lot of reading.

Yes, I also have a degree in English Literature but I have never known anyone to read at a pro rata rate of 1000 books a year.

I am not saying you are telling lies or exaggerating but I am...surprised.

@ilovemynailsthis lovely post made me smile. it’s a very wholesome image!

Shame there are 100 posts being unnecessarily snippy, but so many posters just enjoy having a row.

I was on the train from Liverpool to the Wirral around a month or so ago and there was a family of 5 playing a game of chinese whispers. So much laughter and parents really involved and enjoying it just as much.

Thats just not true. A kindle is a few mm thick and weighs almost nothing. Read paper books if you prefer, but please dont try to pretend they dont take up more space. Especially if you are carrying multiple books.

I think reading is great full stop, kindle or otherwise. For me though, I like to have a book, especially if it's second hand - just love the feel and smell of the pages, and turning pages, the artwork in the covers. Weird of me probably. Love bookcases too and seeing them all lined up.

Don’t be ridiculous. Do you know how small a kindle is? It is smaller than a single book. It.can hold thousands of books.

Fine to prefer a physical book but at least be accurate about what you say.

That sounds irritating tbh if you could hear them all laughing

Oh come on, a bit of laughter on a train. If I ever feel irritated by people having a bit of fun, i’ll be having serious words with myself. How dare people laugh in public. Get a grip.

If It’s loud enough that others can hear the game and the laughing, then it’s disruptive to others. Children’s laughter tends to be at a distinctive pitch which is hard to ignore

It’s no different to a family talking to each other. They weren’t disrupting the whole carriage, they were just interacting with each other and having some wholesome fun. I travel on the train most days and trust me see a lot of disruptive people. In a nation of people constantly on phones or kids glued to screens, this was a welcome change. What bugs me more than anything is adults playing reels on loud volume, disrupting everyone. This was a million miles away from this. Good on them entertaining 3 children without screens and genuinely enjoying it too.

It’s public transport, nor a library.

I can perhaps understand it being annoying in a quiet carriage. But otherwise - there are FAR worse and more disruptive things on public transport than a family with children having fun.

I travel on trains a lot too and agree about the reels. At least people on screens (with headphones if appropriate) aren’t disturbing others though.

Plus I always think the joy of people being on screens is they are less likely to try to strike up a conversation with me!

Yeah, and you don’t care if a £1 book gets nicked compared to your electronic device!

I know! I was reading this thread wondering why people were being so bitchy. Meant to be a nice warming post and then posters come along and judge just coz they do things differently.

There are indeed. But just because there are more disruptive things, it doesn’t mean that is not disruptive.

Being forced to share a small space with other humans is enough of a pain - the least we can all do is do our best not to inconvenience or any others any more than necessary.

Because of the assumption that reading a physical book is good but that a screen is bad. The OP probably wouldn’t have had the same reaction even if they were reading Kindles (rather than tablets)

My dp got me a
kindle for Christmas as he was sick of our luggage allowance being used up by books. Great present as on a beach holiday I can read 4/5 books in a week

But you can have multiple books on your kindle, you can get them free. Two paperbacks wouldn't do me for a holiday even if they were both for me.

The poster probably reads more on holiday, I know I do. Multiplying what I read on a week's holiday by 52 would not give you the correct figure for what I read in a year.

Nor me. Plus what if you start a book and it’s crap? With the kindle you can move on!

I love reading on kindles. My original kindle has gone to the great library in the sky this year as it is no longer supported. Can't remember how old it was, probably 20? Buying a new one was a priority.