A review by nes166
Why Read? by Mark Edmundson

1.0

I liked the premise of the book and the first few pages, so I purchased it. I thought Edmundson sounded a little old-school in his theory and approach, but her really lost me when he starting reinforcing author's intention as the point of the "art of interpretation" (55). I skipped forward to the last few chapters, where he has unclear messages about the "canon," multiculturalism, pop culture studies ("But we can do better [than pop culture studies] [135]), and he makes a pointed rip at the "cultural studies gang" (121). But then, flipping back through the book, I'm hard-pressed to find mention of female authors or authors of color - Bronte, Shelley, Austen, and Malcom X are mentioned. Indeed, "Gender and Identification" doesn't seem to address gender at all. Definitely a bail for me.