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A review by meghan_brannon_reese
Why Read? by Mark Edmundson
3.0
I’d give this 3.5 stars if I could, because there are parts of what Edmundson said that really resonated with me about the role that literature does, can, and should play in the lives of people, particularly in its ability to shape how we live and its potential democratizing effects.
However, there are moments that feel, not exactly pedantic, but very much steeped in a particular privileged worldview. He comes across in places as paternalistic, seems to favor the traditional canon, and poo-poohs pop culture and less canonical works. I think all forms of writing can be transformative, so I had a hard time with his stances on that (Stephen King fans, beware. He calls King a sentimental writer and suggests his understanding of the human condition is a bit facile.).
I don’t happen to agree with him there, and in a few other places, but generally I like his take on the Final Narrative and his advocating for reading and the Humanities in general.
It’s a slim book, but it took me a while to get through, as I was finishing other books on a deadline, and I admit I did get impatient with his tone, so I’d leave it frequently, only to come back because I so valued what he said in the first 80 or so pages.
Overall, it was a worthwhile read. It gave me some things to think about and made me re-examine both my pedagogy and praxis, so though there were issues with the book, I consider it a good use of my time and attention.
However, there are moments that feel, not exactly pedantic, but very much steeped in a particular privileged worldview. He comes across in places as paternalistic, seems to favor the traditional canon, and poo-poohs pop culture and less canonical works. I think all forms of writing can be transformative, so I had a hard time with his stances on that (Stephen King fans, beware. He calls King a sentimental writer and suggests his understanding of the human condition is a bit facile.).
I don’t happen to agree with him there, and in a few other places, but generally I like his take on the Final Narrative and his advocating for reading and the Humanities in general.
It’s a slim book, but it took me a while to get through, as I was finishing other books on a deadline, and I admit I did get impatient with his tone, so I’d leave it frequently, only to come back because I so valued what he said in the first 80 or so pages.
Overall, it was a worthwhile read. It gave me some things to think about and made me re-examine both my pedagogy and praxis, so though there were issues with the book, I consider it a good use of my time and attention.