Book-learning

“I learned it from a book,” announces Manuel, hidden behind the moose’s head that is for some reason on the reception desk at Fawlty Towers.

“Did you? Did you really?” responds the Major, impressed.

I read books all the time, but most of the really useful stuff that I’ve learned in life simply cannot be learned from them.

How to be creative, for example, as and when it’s needed.

Video killed the radio star?

At a recent interview in Hampstead, writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg (above) was asked what he thought was the future for printed books in the age of the ebook.

“There is this strange idea that when something new comes along it knocks everything else on the head,” he responded. “When film came it was supposed to kill theatre; it didn’t. When television came it was supposed to kill film; well, it didn’t. Television was supposed to kill radio; it didn’t.”

How that intriguing list could be extended: aircraft vs ships, the promised paperless office…

The worldwide CEO OF Saatchi & Saatchi, Kevin Roberts, recently wrote: “I am amazed at the resilience of television. For fifteen years the cool kids have been trying to kill it. But TV thrives in a world of choices.”

Of course, there are genuine casualties of innovation. For example, who now uses the fax machine?

Did video really kill the radio star?