Most impressive post, Askia --thank you for the evidential support and the eloquent statement. I see , daily this slow death of reading and have read writer’s laments of it. Kathleen Norris alludes to this phenomenom in one of her books, but unfortunately, I cannot recall if it is Cloister Walk or Amazing Grace. She mentions a recording artist who uses poetry as an inspiration for her work. But the poetry is based on classic myths and scripture, something that the artist’s work does not seem to understand. Sorry that I can’t dredge more than that from my memory.
It may seem a reach, since we were discussing books, but I use this as an example of the pervasiveness of the phenomenom.
I have to be done with discussion, as interesting as it is–I have to work all weekend. I will certainly agree with the OP’s contention that not all hope is lost for reading and that Ms Lee has perhaps used a broad brush. But it remains that reading as outlined above is waning-and the world is poorer for it, IMO.
Aw. I hate you’re leaving the discussion just as I got sucked back into it, eleanorigby.
I will also state that some of what we’ve been talking about here and what Harper Lee laments is talked about (to an extent) in E.D. Hirsch’s “Cultural Literacy” series.
NOW – I don’t say this as a specific endorsement of Hirsch’s books, or his list as outlined in the original Cultural Literacy – I found that list a bit elitist and Eurocentric, but I haven’t read his more recent works yet – but I do recall parallels and more evidence of what we’re talking about.
Where it will die, a slow, ignoble, malingering death as people trip over themselves to answer such GD conundrums as “I Hate Bush, Don’t You?” and the fiftieth permutation of “Is It Possible We’re Not Committed To Hating Bush More?” and send it crashing to the bottom of the page, malnourished and twitching…
Rest assured I have quite a bit more to say on this matter, as I have read over the latest posts, and (cue the drums) I have actually read Lee’s letter in “O.” Picked it up today. Unfortunately, I am completely knackered, as the wife and I closed on our first home today, and I am currently 200 miles away from my home computer. We’re going to be moving some of our stuff from a different city to our new house this weekend. Don’t look for a whole lot of contribution from me over the next few days, but this thread is still very much in my mind.
I’m not a scholar in this area, but since developing an interest in Truman Capote’s writing some months back I’ve become peripherally interested in Harper Lee, thus I’ve tended to notice whenever I happened to come across mention of her anywhere.
The impression I have of her is as someone who has a reputation among those in her hometown of being reclusive, testy, and more than a little disdainful of anyone with an interest in talking to her about Capote.
My overall impression of her is that of a somewhat misanthropic person who is not particularly likable and who tends to have a rather condescending view of humanity in general.
Huh. As if. For me, it will wither away with the intimidation I feel every time I set foot in GD. I have no clue how to cite anything and no time to learn.
It was fun while it lasted…
Ms Lee may well be the town Curmudgeon (a position I am applying for upon retirement. Here’s a sample: get offa my lawn, damned kids!)–if so, that might explain alot. I remember from reading a reissue of her book that she hates fiction that has introductions. Not sure why that’s relevant, but I felt it needed to be shared. Askia -I agree with you re the Cultural Literacy series and thank you for the phrase (cultural literacy) which has been on the tip of my tongue for some time now, but I was unable to recall it.
Off to be a nurse to people who don’t read (for the most part) and are proud of it (no, not the pts–although we get our share of them–I am talking of the staff!)
Congrats to you and your wife on the closing, good luck with the movem and thank you for the homework assignment. If you read the letter, I guess I have to quit surfing the 'net hoping for a link to the article shows up and get off my ass and actually do that, too.
I believe it was on 60 Minutes. The interview took place in the White House. The gist of it was that the president was proud of the fact that he wasn’t an intellectual, looked down his nose at them, and preferred to be a Good Ol’ Boy.
Well, who exactly does Bush like?
<OT hijack over>
Just popped in after to work to see things. Read an interesting article in the Aug issue of RN magazine–there is literacy and there is medical literacy. Even the most literate among us can be medically illiterate–IOW, unable to comprehend a prescribed regime/combo of meds/treatments etc. I thought it was tangentially related to this thread. The article also stated that most drug info is geared toward 11th grade reading level, but that alot of pts (that’s us) have comprehension levels at about 5-6th grade for medical subjects. I will look over the article again tomorrow (I left it at work) and double check my reading levels etc.
I’m currently reading Middlesex, and just finished two Philip Roth novels: Everyman and Sabbath’s Theater. I’m on a Philip Roth kick at the moment. American Pastoral is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. I’m also going to re-read City of God by E.L. Doctorow. Awesome book.
