Reading as a total act

Abstract

It is undeniable that digital technology has made unmistakable progress in all areas of life, in books and literature in particular. So much so that this technology poses a serious threat to the future of printed books and reading, at least according to some experts. Taking note of this hegemony, the question we are entitled to ask is: will the digital book inevitably replace the printed book? The thesis that we intend to develop, within the framework of this modest contribution, is that reading (of the printed book) is a total, integral act, insofar as it involves various aspects of the reading subject. In addition to the eyes and the brain, indispensable organs, the act of reading calls upon other dimensions of the being, such as touch, attitudes and behaviors, ways of being, which feed the reader's imagination. . This, in turn, moves the body. If this interaction characterizes literary reading, while optimally promoting the pleasure of reading, it seems absent in the case of digital books. Literary reading is a fundamentally subjective experience, which fuels dreams, inspiration, writing, behaviors.