Sad, Scary, Disappointing
Today I read in a newspaper that less than half of American adults read even one novel, play, or short story per year that is not assigned to them by a teacher or employer. Literacy is a privilege--maybe the privilege--and most of the people in this, the most privileged country on earth, practically scoff at it.
posted by Amber at 5:46 PM
4 Comments:
yes it is a privilege and yes it's fantastic. But there's something that separates the world-as-lived from the words-on-a-page that perhaps we're lowering in the hierarchy?
A book to look at when you've got the time is "Spell of the Sensuous" by David Abrams. There's a lot off gobbedlygook in the first chapter, but after that it's a really fascinating look at literature and culture through the rise of the alphabet. Food for thought.
I'm scared to death that my children don't like reading. I have done EVERYTHING just right and they just do not seem to like books. Not they way I do.
I spent hours and hours devouring them as a kid and they just...Don't.
It makes me really sad.
I'll never give up encouraging them, though.
Froyd-- Interesting idea; I'm sure there's something to it. I'll check out that book when I get a chance.
Loralee-- Definitely don't give up on your kids becoming readers. My sister is 11 years younger than I am, and I loved reading so much as a kid that started trying to read to her when she was, like, 6 months old. But until a few years ago, she just wasn't that into it. And she still doesn't spend nearly as much time reading as I did, but she's grown into it. Eric says he was the same way (and he's reading right now, this minute). So there's a good chance your kids will eventually like to read, especially if they continue to see how much you enjoy it.
"...practically scoff at it." That's a perfect description of how many non-readers act.
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