Book clubs are much more significant than just a group of people, socialize, eat and talk about the novels. They have become a sociological and political phenomenon. To understand why that is, we must return to the middle years of the 20th century.
In 1995 the Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam published an essay (which later became a book) called “Bowling alone”. Locate on the decay of civic life in America, a trend that will take place over the past 40 years, starting in the 1950s.
Where is everybody? According to Putnam, we are at home and stay there. First, we isolated in remote suburbs, far from the centers of the city, where traditionally people always met. Secondly, we have become distracted by the technology: spending the night in front of our television and now computers. Finally, the majority of women in the workforce, have had less time and energy to civic participation.
The consequences that means fewer of us are engaged in communal life. And the subject, Putnam cree.
Putnam has painted a grim picture.
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