It is important to make the effort to keep our cultural heritage alive, says Commissioner Neelie Kroes

Here I am reading my favourite book – “Stoner” by John Williams. It’s just a tale about an ordinary man leading an ordinary life – the kind of person who could be your neighbour. Yet that simple story makes it all the more realistic and readable – a very deep and moving book you can really dive into, says Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda for Europe.

In fact the book itself has its own sad story – written in the sixties, within twenty years it had almost stopped selling. Yet thanks to one New York bookseller (who I once had the pleasure to meet) itwas rightfully resurrected – this time with a success that carried across the Atlantic. That story itself is a reminder of how fragile our cultural heritage can be, how easy to lose  – and how important it is that we make the effort to keep it alive, added Commissioner Kroes.

© European Union, 2013