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I heard about this book from a Deep Thoughts with Cal Newport episode featuring David Sax as guest. I had my share of obsession with analog tools, so this topic matter greatly intrigued me.

The most insightful section was the section on "work" and its analysis of digital economies. In other words, why not everyone can become a programmer.

At the end of the day, it's not like the book offers groundbreaking insight. To me at least, much of the messages were a rehash of ideas that I were already exposed to. Being in the "tech industry", I already knew about the trend in which digital economy companies and software developers are those most obsessed with analog. I had already done "going analog" experiments myself, after all.

The reason why I devoured this book is its journalism and prose. I found the domain knowledge, interviews, and case studies fascinating, aided by the author's fluid writing style.

I downloaded the Aladin's ebook app to be notified of free ebook rentals! One was written by Kim Choyeop, one of my favorite authors, so I binged the whole thing in one sitting, finishing the read at 7AM.

It's a bit unfair to say this book is written by Kim Choyeop, as it is a collection of essays (and a short story) about bookstores. Reflecting the constant anxiety of an industry constantly under threat, many authors ponder what is the existential purpose of (physical) bookstores in an era in which the average person doesn't read a single book, and those who do, read lots of ebooks?

It was reassuring that there are some lunatics like me still out there that like physical bookstores. Casually browsing Barnes & Nobles or the university library and returning home with some books that randomly piqued my interest is one of my favorite things to do.

Only one author wrote fiction. It was very well written, touching on how connections can bloom over books and how the world seems so cold to people's feelings.

Listening to what bookworms have to say tends to leave me optimistic. The kinds of people who frequent physical bookstores seem more curious about the world, more progressive in their beliefs. Polar opposite to the political realm; I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.