Reading As a lost art.

I have recently read commentaries by well known authors about the dying art of reading. Kurt Vonnegut has a book containing some of his short stories that were published previously only in magazines. In the introduction to Bagombo Snuffbox Vonnegut discusses the demise of magazines that carried his (and many others') short stories. He also discusses the importance of reading.
While discussing the beauty of the short story he says " While I am reading, my pulse and breathing slow down. My high school troubles drop away. I am in a pleasant state somewhere between sleep and restfulness. " He goes on to talk about sharing the story he had read with his harried father and the soothing effect is passed along as the short story passes from hand to hand. Beautiful. There is an absolutely great story called "Thanasphere" to start the book. It's the only story I have read so far but it haunts my mind regularly. Love to read, please read. Hold the book in your hand, there is something so endorphine inspiring in the turning from one page to the next. Your mind takes hold of the words and spins them into the most fantastic natural machinations of the imagination. Very few things in life are as fine as that. So states the mean one.