Reply to "Public privates!"

I agree with what you're saying, Rick. I think that part of the basic problem is that kids expect instant answers and instant feedback and don't want to take the time needed to read a book. Maybe television and the internet have caused a lot of this, but I also suspect that some of it has to do with our school system and how they were raised. Kids don't have to learn any more. I spent several years teaching and don't plan to go back. During that time I was told that certain students were "nonreaders" and I would just have to accept that. We were told to identify a certain quota as "learning disabled" whether they had a problem or not in order to get funds. Of course, once the label is there, much less is expected of the student. Then there's the whole issue of self discipline and personal accountability. If you expect them to behave and do their work, often you're not "respecting their disability" because they're "disabled with borderline ADHD." Anyone who's worked with kids knows that they'll raise or lower themselves to your expectations. Often these kids have no limits or responsibilities at home and know that their parents won't make them do anything that they don't want to do at school. These "nonreaders" have children and place little or no value on education or reading, which then gets passed on to their kids. We seem to be on a downward spiral. Students graduate knowing less and less, the future teachers who are among those students know less and less, and so on.

Every time I drive into town I stop to look for books at the Goodwill store that's about two blocks from the university. There are usually classics there, especially right after the end of the semester. Some of the covers are still tight from being new so they've probably never even been opened. There are enough of them that I can afford to be picky and go for the nice, preferably leather bound, hardcover ones. The last trip yielded a gilt-edged, leather bound copy of Jack London's works, The Last of the Mohicans, a novel by Joseph Conrad, and some collections of the writings of John Dryden and David Hume. More than once someone's said that they were surprised that I'd actually read them.

You're right about good books being a from of art and something that should be enjoyed again and again. Maybe more people would read them if they were taught in a more appreciative style instead of by reading a few chapters at a time and then beating those chapters to death ad nauseum. The average reading level is also on its way down, and since people tend to read what they're comfortable reading, this may also have an effect.

You have a good point about people finding time for what they truly enjoy. Baking things from scratch doesn't take much time if you're going to be home anyway. It only takes a few minutes here and there. Maybe it all boils down to what people value. (I gave up on trying to spin coconut hair after that first try.)

OK, I wrote a novel back to you, and since the Cliffs Notes haven't been released yet, the longer version is all that's available. No movie version is planned.