American Literacy

[A response to Paul Mathers.]

Will I scandalize you if I question the pure virtue of literacy?

What I mean is, reading, in and of itself, has only a pragmatic value. Literacy is a tool. It happens to be an extremely useful tool, but it’s value is in it’s usefulness. Of what value is it if someone can read, but chooses not to, or reads only the back of his cereal box? Or Glenn Beck?

I would not swim again...

As I was driving to work one April morning last year, Renée Montagne, host of NPR’s Morning Edition introduced a story I just couldn’t turn off. Irish author—The Man Booker Prize—many literary novels—one of the finest living writers. Okay. She had my attention. He’s turned to writing hard-boiled crime fiction… I’m afraid I may have groaned with a dark, gnawing anticipation.