BRAGG-ING WRITES: Rick Bragg (at right) is a great storyteller and I’ve always had faith that people will continue to want stories. Ever since we sat around campfires in the days of the hairy and unhygienic cavemen, we’ve always wanted stories.
I’ve always been a sucker for them (stories, not cavemen) – whether in newspapers, magazines or books. Bragg made his mark in newspapers, writes frequently for magazines and has published several best-selling books.
Still — these are scary times for storytellers and people who love to read.
Alarms started going off in the newspaper industry, but still I had faith. I told myself: The nature of the publication might change, but people will still want stories … won’t they? They will still care about other people ... people unlike themselves … won’t they?
Even though the delivery system has changed for the young folks, I still hold on to my newspapers. I guess that makes me a weirdo. I look at my friends leaving the Tribune and the Times and ponder a world crushed by information and the incredible shrinking product from which I prefer to get the news. I don’t think a laptop can compete with a newspaper for pure portability and information storage. What a great invention.
