Plus ça change

Amit Verma wishes

it would somehow become cool for people to read books

Since the article he links to refers to Orwell, I thought I would quote Orwell's essay on the topic.

But if my estimate is anywhere near right, it is not a proud record for a country which is nearly 100 per cent literate and where the ordinary man spends more on cigarettes than an Indian peasant has for his whole livelihood. And if our book consumption remains as low as it has been, at least let us admit that it is because reading is a less exciting pastime than going to the dogs, the pictures or the pub, and not because books, whether bought or borrowed, are too expensive.

Postcript: Amit, congratulations.