The New Dark Ages review: Marriott's defence of reading called grandiose but thin

Times columnist James Marriott's book "The New Dark Ages" argues that smartphones have undermined reading culture and warns of broader social consequences, including vulnerability to authoritarianism and misinformation. Marriott, who credits his childhood immersion in literature with shaping his worldview, claims to have abandoned his own phone because "George Eliot is no match" for digital distractions.

The Guardian's review characterises the work as grandiose but superficial, suggesting Marriott fails to convincingly explain what makes reading valuable in the first place, despite positioning literary engagement as essential to resisting tyranny and tribal thinking.