CCBC-Net Archives
Reading at Risk
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Norma Jean <nsawicki>
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 02:49:31 -0500
The National Endowment for the Arts released on Thursday a 60 page report, " Reading at Risk," which dove tails with the current discussion. The largest study of its kind, it describes a downward trend in book buying by Americans and a particular decline in the reading of fiction, poetry, and drama. Observations are made about the reading habits of adults as well as children/teenagers. For those interested, one can download this thoughtful/insightful...and depressing... report from the web site of the National Endowment for the Arts or request a free copy.
When the first children's book by Madonna was released, hoards of excited/screaming people were lined up to buy copies. The small number of people interviewed on the news wanted the book for their children because Madonna is a star whom they "love," and they therefore wanted their children to own her book. It had nothing whatsoever to do with reading; it was a book by a "star." What irritates me more than celebrity publishing is folk like Madonna and Jay Leno saying during interviews that they wrote a children book(s) because the children's books available are not very good, and the interviewer, unfortunately, goes along to get along...and does not ask how they came to that conclusion.
Folk interested in American history and/or popular culture know that the country goes through good and bad patches. From the chair in which I sit...we have been in a bad patch for a long time...and the " dumbing down of America" is not, in my judgement, a smart ass remark but an accurate observation. What I do not believe occurs to many folk, is that we are all part of the "culture," and as individuals, whether or not one holds a
"high," or "low " bar matters. No matter how one feels about the last election, one hopes it has shown, once and for all, that each vote matters. The same can be reading... what is published, how it is published, what is purchased by libraries, etc.
As a young editor, the president of the small publishing house that employed me, would not allow an employee to call another house and ask for a free copy of a book. He believed one would learn "something" if he/she walked into a bookstore and bought the book with one's own money. Based on reviews or word of mouth, I frequented what was then Scriber's bookstore with the intent of buying a particular book. Picture books I read in the store, and the number of times I left without spending $3.95 on the book were amazing. It taught me a great deal about my own taste/ judgement as an editor and also, something about marketing. It is a story I often told young folk in publishing...hint, hint...with few results. A former CEO, who was once exasperated about the number of free books the house was giving away, asked in a meeting, if folk had a friend working at Brooks Brothers, would he/she call and ask for a free shirt. Over these last few decades, books/reading have declined in value which is not to suggest there will not be a turnaround but those who care must speak louder and make observations that, in some circles, will be hard to hear. As I recently said to someone, I dialogue with no one, but a conversation is always welcomed. Sorry to ramble...on that note, the report is interesting, and well worth reading in its entirety. Norma Jean
Received on Fri 09 Jul 2004 02:49:31 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 02:49:31 -0500
The National Endowment for the Arts released on Thursday a 60 page report, " Reading at Risk," which dove tails with the current discussion. The largest study of its kind, it describes a downward trend in book buying by Americans and a particular decline in the reading of fiction, poetry, and drama. Observations are made about the reading habits of adults as well as children/teenagers. For those interested, one can download this thoughtful/insightful...and depressing... report from the web site of the National Endowment for the Arts or request a free copy.
When the first children's book by Madonna was released, hoards of excited/screaming people were lined up to buy copies. The small number of people interviewed on the news wanted the book for their children because Madonna is a star whom they "love," and they therefore wanted their children to own her book. It had nothing whatsoever to do with reading; it was a book by a "star." What irritates me more than celebrity publishing is folk like Madonna and Jay Leno saying during interviews that they wrote a children book(s) because the children's books available are not very good, and the interviewer, unfortunately, goes along to get along...and does not ask how they came to that conclusion.
Folk interested in American history and/or popular culture know that the country goes through good and bad patches. From the chair in which I sit...we have been in a bad patch for a long time...and the " dumbing down of America" is not, in my judgement, a smart ass remark but an accurate observation. What I do not believe occurs to many folk, is that we are all part of the "culture," and as individuals, whether or not one holds a
"high," or "low " bar matters. No matter how one feels about the last election, one hopes it has shown, once and for all, that each vote matters. The same can be reading... what is published, how it is published, what is purchased by libraries, etc.
As a young editor, the president of the small publishing house that employed me, would not allow an employee to call another house and ask for a free copy of a book. He believed one would learn "something" if he/she walked into a bookstore and bought the book with one's own money. Based on reviews or word of mouth, I frequented what was then Scriber's bookstore with the intent of buying a particular book. Picture books I read in the store, and the number of times I left without spending $3.95 on the book were amazing. It taught me a great deal about my own taste/ judgement as an editor and also, something about marketing. It is a story I often told young folk in publishing...hint, hint...with few results. A former CEO, who was once exasperated about the number of free books the house was giving away, asked in a meeting, if folk had a friend working at Brooks Brothers, would he/she call and ask for a free shirt. Over these last few decades, books/reading have declined in value which is not to suggest there will not be a turnaround but those who care must speak louder and make observations that, in some circles, will be hard to hear. As I recently said to someone, I dialogue with no one, but a conversation is always welcomed. Sorry to ramble...on that note, the report is interesting, and well worth reading in its entirety. Norma Jean
Received on Fri 09 Jul 2004 02:49:31 AM CDT
