 By Thanh LeHO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – As films, music, the Internet and video games become very important to young people in their daily lives, books have lost some of their popularity, especially among the youth. “I’m not patient enough,” said An Nhat, 16. Nhat said he just reads a little, usually when someone recommends a good book. Teenagers in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam offered a number of reasons why some young people don’t like reading books, and some still do.
“First, they don’t have much time," said Hoai Phuong, 17. "Secondly, they don’t like too many words. Thirdly, spending time on books is wasting time to them. Finally, they don’t find any appealing topics in books.” Phuong also said that reading books requires love and patience.
Thao Nguyen, a high school student, said that high prices could be another reason books have become less popular these days. Phuong Lien, a classmate of Nguyen, complained: “The prices are too high, especially Tre Publishing House’s." Lien said she thought the books of Nha Nam are okay, with good content, nice covers, and fair prices.
Moreover, with the fast development of technology, there are a lot of sources of e-books. It’s easier for young people to stay at home, search for information, and acquire everything they need from the Internet.
However, to some young people, reading books is still something very important. Phuong Lien is fond of novels and social science books. Hoai Phuong is keen on science books, especially those related to physics. As she said, these books can meet her need of entertainment as well as answer her questions about physics.
And Ngoc Thuy, 16, is addicted to all kinds of literature books, from classics to modern ones. She sometimes reads about philosophy, but she never reads horror stories. “I can understand different feelings and emotions from the characters in books," said Nguyen. "My thoughts become deeper. My writing skills can also improve.”
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