Leif Randt: Red alert for reading culture in Germany!

Leif Randt: Red alert for reading culture in Germany!

Leif Randt, an author living in Berlin, commented in a recent interview on the declining reading skills that affect many people. His new novel “Let’s Talk About Feelings” was published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch on September 4, 2025 and represents another chapter in his literary work. Randt, born in Maintal-Hochstadt in 1983, sees the challenge of concentrating on reading as threatening. He emphasizes, “Reading a book requires a lot and doesn’t require multitasking.” This could lead to a gradual erosion of the ability to read and write correctly, says the author in an interview with rbb24.

In Randt's current reading, which included a live conversation and a photo show, the text moves into the background. This trend toward spoken word, boosted by the popularity of podcasts since the pandemic, worries him. He himself read his chapters on his cell phone and listened to them as an audio book in order to better assess how readers deal with the content.

The role of reading in the digital world

Despite these challenges, Randt believes that the book will survive as a cultural technique, even if reading may become niche. He describes reading as a two-way communication process that creates not only knowledge, but also an inner world and spirituality. Parallel to Randt's reflections, the Berlin International Literature Festival is taking place until September 20, 2025, whose motto is “Strange New World”. The Young Program even runs until September 24th and is aimed at the younger target group in order to promote and preserve the reading culture, as can be found on literaturfestival.com.

A central aspect of promoting reading is examining the results of scientific studies. According to a compilation of theories and surveys conducted by the Reading Foundation, reading skills are strongly affected by digital change. The foundation regularly analyzes how reading behavior is changing and which factors influence reading culture. Studies show that reading aloud and early childhood reading support are crucial for the development of reading skills, which supports Randt's stories.

In summary, Leif Randt reflects in his new work and beyond important questions about reading culture in our modern, often distracting world. The outlook for events such as the literature festival shows that commitment to reading and literature continues to play an important role.