Resources

Caleb Crain, in the December 24, 2007 edition of the New Yorker, has an article, Twilight of the Books.

One part book review of Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf, one part summary of recent literacy stats, and one part speculative essay, it is a bit of a dog's breakfast but interesting none-the-less.

I don't agree with his somewhat dispirited conclusions but there is at least meat in the article which is perhaps more than can be said for most articles these days.

There are many cited statistics, almost every one of which sparks further questions as well as objections or ripostes. For example

In 1982, 56.9 per cent of Americans had read a work of creative literature in the previous twelve months. The proportion fell to fifty-four per cent in 1992, and to 46.7 per cent in 2002.

One wonders if this decline is a function of lack of demand on the part of the reading public or a function of lack of supply (quality) on the part of the writing population. Also, since these figures cover a period encompassing a massive migration into the country of people from low literacy backgrounds, one would expect there to be a significant erosion of reading as reported by respondents; was this factored in?

The article is interesting and I do agree with the article's premise that reading is an integral part of our recent human history and a causative factor in the development of our advanced civillization and that there are many mysteries; historical, physio/neurological, and social, attendant to the act of reading which we do not yet fully comprehend and that the barrage of new technologies (radio, TV, internet, etc.) are likely to change reading practices in some way but in ways that are only dimly discerned at this juncture.

In the Jaunary 11, 2008 New York Times, A.O. Scott has an article, Take the Kids, and Don't Feel Guilty, which you might find interesting.

His central argument is two-fold. Parents should look beyond easy rules of thumb in deciding what is beneficial for their children. Yes, we should seek age appropriate materials (movies in the case of his article and books in the case of TTMD). But we should be simultaneously seeking to expand their horizons in terms of both what they are familiar with and what they are comfortable with.

Which leads to his second point. The biggest impact is not the movie/book itself, but the conversations arising from it.

I agree with both points.

The Telegraph in the UK had an interesting article, Reading Shouldn't Be Such Hard Work by Alice Thomson this past week, in the January 11, 2008 edition.

Some interesting comments from readers follow as well.

An interview and article from a number of years ago on the old Homearts site with Harold Bloom. Recovered through The Wayback Machine.

An interview from the old Homearts site with Fay Weldon.

Saints and Spinners is the blog of Farida Dowler. Ms. Dowler has a particular focus on trickster stories as well as stories told through song. She has also has a pleasant sense of humor - See her series on the blog, Children's Books That Never Were, starting with Angus Lost (platypus edition).