I don't know, in those stock photos I can picture them without the books and it doesn't seem as bad. They're all pictures of people in public places minding their own business. The pictures in the OP are families and friends, often in what looks like what's meant to be a social setting, staring at their feet instead of interacting.
Of course you can find examples of people reading at the table, but that doesn't mean it wasn't considered rude. Notice he says Amy was "caught" reading at the table. When you read at the table you're sending the message that the other people at the table are boring and unworthy of your attention. Not that I was never guilty of it, I was a pretty rude kid. :)
Of course you can find examples of people reading at the table, but that doesn't mean it wasn't considered rude. Notice he says Amy was "caught" reading at the table. When you read at the table you're sending the message that the other people at the table are boring and unworthy of your attention. Not that I was never guilty of it, I was a pretty rude kid. :)