The Free Press
The Free Press App Is Here!
NewslettersSign InSubscribe

Share this post

The Free Press
The Free Press
Who Is Reading Even for Anymore?
Who Is Reading Even for Anymore?
(Photo illustration by The Free Press; images via Getty Images and Alamy)
There are now two types of readers—the ones quietly enjoying a book and the ones for whom books are content fodder.
By Kat Rosenfield
02.23.24 — Culture and Ideas
125
209

Share this post

The Free Press
The Free Press
Who Is Reading Even for Anymore?

You’ve probably seen the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe reading James Joyce’s Ulysses. If you have, you know that it is, on its face, an absurd image. Monroe is in full makeup, wearing a fashionable romper, seated on the wooden slat of a merry-go-round with a copy of the book in her lap. Her perch is so narrow, and her position so precarious, that …

Enjoying the story?
Enter your email to read this article and receive our daily newsletter.
Already have an account?
Sign In
Kat Rosenfield

Kat Rosenfield is a culture writer at The Free Press and author of five novels, including the Edgar-nominated No One Will Miss Her. Prior to joining The Free Press, she was a reporter at MTV News and a columnist at UnHerd, where she wrote about American culture and politics. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Playboy, The Boston Globe, and Reason, among others.

Tags:
Culture
Comments
Join the conversation
Share your thoughts and connect with other readers by becoming a paid subscriber!
Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
More in Culture
For Free People.
LatestSearchAboutCareersShopPodcastsVideoEvents
Download the app
Download on the Google Play Store
©2025 The Free Press. All Rights Reserved.Powered by Substack.
Privacy∙Terms∙Collection notice

Share