The long read- dead or alive?

I was in Stirling University library this evening.

This has been transformed from a 1960s building into a state of the art library for the 21st century.



Looking at the shelves of books I was reminded of a recent interview with Martin Amis in which he said that he believed the "long read" was dead. He doubted that there would ever be another "War and Peace" written.


Surely not?

But then yesterday I picked up a pristine copy of Steve Jobs biography, from Glasgow School of Art. Although it had been in the library for several months I was the first person to take it out.

I mentioned this to an artist friend. She was not surprised.
"Why should they read that when they have got the internet?"