Triinu Tamm says books could help cut medical costs

Reading and writing more could improve mental health and help reduce medical costs, Loomingu Raamatukogu chief editor Triinu Tamm told ERR in an interview.

Tamm said people still read books, but reading habits are changing and long texts are read less often than in the past. She pointed to shrinking print runs and reading studies as evidence of the trend.

A recent large-scale study on reading in Estonia, led by Marju Lauristin, challenged the idea that young people no longer read. It also found that they often read in English and get information from different sources, meaning they may not look to Estonian bookshops for new releases. Tamm said a key question is how to reconnect young people with Estonian-language literature.

She agreed that school reading lists could include more contemporary books. Young people are more likely to engage with a book when it speaks to them, she said, although teachers may first need to show that reading is worthwhile. Tamm also noted that literature competes with more visible cultural activities such as theatre and film.

Interest in books remains, however: reading clubs are growing, and people share recommendations on social media. The Facebook group for the Reading Challenge has 12,700 members, Tamm said.

She said young readers can also connect with classics because they explore enduring plots, situations and emotions. Books continue to deal with how to live and exist in the world, even as circumstances and language change.