Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World explores how our increasingly screen-based lives are reshaping the way we read, think, and feel. Drawing on neuroscience, education research, literature, and philosophy, the author examines what happens to the brain as it adapts from print to digital reading.
Structured as a series of personal letters to readers, the book considers how digital habits influence attention span, deep concentration, and the development of a rich inner life. It raises pressing questions about whether children and adults immersed in online environments can fully develop the "deep reading" capacities that support critical thinking, reflection, imagination, and empathy.
Blending scientific insight with down-to-earth examples and warm anecdotes, the author highlights both the promise and the risks of a digital culture. Rather than rejecting technology, the book proposes a "biliterate" reading brain—one that can move thoughtfully between print and digital media.
Inside this book you will explore:
- How the brain learns to read and why medium matters
- The impact of constant digital distraction on attention and memory
- What changes in reading mean for children’s learning and development
- The connection between deep reading, empathy, and democratic life
- Practical ideas for preserving deep reading in a digital world
Ideal for educators, parents, students, and thoughtful readers, this book offers a cautious yet hopeful roadmap for nurturing deep, reflective reading in the 21st century.
