New reading list challenge
I saw this editorial about a new NEA program at Modern Art Notes. Kinda sad that I have to read out-of-town blogs to link up with articles written in my local paper, huh?
The concept is interesting, to get more youngish people interested in literary reading all the while promoting American literary culture. Despite the fact that book sales are up in general and the TV reading clubs have been blessings for some authors (and curses for Franzen), literary reading is actually declining, and exceptionally so for the 18-24 year-old crowd. Of course, I have to wonder exactly what the 18-24 year old crowd is doing because it seems that every other day some industry is lamenting their sagging numbers in this demographic--movies, books, dinner receipts, cigarettes, CD sales. One of the potential problems, as the writer points out, is that the major push in federal funds for this program will focus on public libraries, a place mostly frequented by people who are already interested in reading.
But because I love my lists, sometimes more than I love my nuns, I thought we could toss around some ideas for what would be good for the reading list. You can see that "The Big Read" will include The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Their Eyes were Watching God, and Farenheit 451. These are all adequate choices.
A while ago I had a post about reading lists, but my list then doesn't fit this excercise. What American literary works would you want folks to read to get them interested in lifelong reading for the Hallibut? And by literary it would have to be novel, poem, short story collection, or plays. When I look at my other reading list, most of the authors are not American, and then I thought oh yeah, Atonement, but again, he's English.
I agree that Gatsby is unavoidable and a brilliant choice. While Mockingbird would also stimulate the need to read, I would be afraid of the fact that Lee produced nothing after that might stop a nominally motivated reader. For poetry I was thinking Wendell Berry, maybe The Country of Marriage, despite the Brad Howard connections (yeah, go figure Vetty and LC--Dr. H's favorite poet was a Christian poet). I was thinking perhaps Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe. Slaughterhouse Five. The Age of Innocence. My Antonia.
No, not a list of the greatest American things, but what kind of books, plays, poems would you recommend for this type of initiative?
And would something like this work anyway?
The concept is interesting, to get more youngish people interested in literary reading all the while promoting American literary culture. Despite the fact that book sales are up in general and the TV reading clubs have been blessings for some authors (and curses for Franzen), literary reading is actually declining, and exceptionally so for the 18-24 year-old crowd. Of course, I have to wonder exactly what the 18-24 year old crowd is doing because it seems that every other day some industry is lamenting their sagging numbers in this demographic--movies, books, dinner receipts, cigarettes, CD sales. One of the potential problems, as the writer points out, is that the major push in federal funds for this program will focus on public libraries, a place mostly frequented by people who are already interested in reading.
But because I love my lists, sometimes more than I love my nuns, I thought we could toss around some ideas for what would be good for the reading list. You can see that "The Big Read" will include The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Their Eyes were Watching God, and Farenheit 451. These are all adequate choices.
A while ago I had a post about reading lists, but my list then doesn't fit this excercise. What American literary works would you want folks to read to get them interested in lifelong reading for the Hallibut? And by literary it would have to be novel, poem, short story collection, or plays. When I look at my other reading list, most of the authors are not American, and then I thought oh yeah, Atonement, but again, he's English.
I agree that Gatsby is unavoidable and a brilliant choice. While Mockingbird would also stimulate the need to read, I would be afraid of the fact that Lee produced nothing after that might stop a nominally motivated reader. For poetry I was thinking Wendell Berry, maybe The Country of Marriage, despite the Brad Howard connections (yeah, go figure Vetty and LC--Dr. H's favorite poet was a Christian poet). I was thinking perhaps Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe. Slaughterhouse Five. The Age of Innocence. My Antonia.
No, not a list of the greatest American things, but what kind of books, plays, poems would you recommend for this type of initiative?
And would something like this work anyway?
Comments
My random choices for the list -- Gatsby, definitely. And I see your point about To Kill a Mockingbird, but I think it needs to be on there anyway. I'd throw in some Henry James -- pick any one. Maybe Turn of the Screw or one of his major novels like Portrait of a Lady. Steinbeck should probably be on there. My favorite Steinbeck has always been Cannery Row. And you know my love for Cather, so I second your choice of My Antonia. I'd be okay with some John Irving, too -- Garp or Owen Meany. And I think Toni Morrison's Song for Solomon would be a good pick.
Poetry -- harder for me because I'm a poetry moron. My list will probably sound like a syllabus for American Poetry 101. Dickinson and Whitman definitely. ee cummings -- even though I hate the whole "small i guy" persona, some of his poems are musical and fun to read. Maybe some Elizabeth Bishop? Sadly, I can't get much more contemporary than that with poets.
Plays -- again, out of my element. I think you'd have to say The Crucible would be worthy. Ditto for something by Tennessee Williams. And this might seem like a whacked choice, but I love Beth Henley's plays.
I was toying in my head about Beloved. Serious accessibility issues, I would think, for the inexperienced reader. Bluest Eye would be too depressing. I would love to buy the world a Coke and a Toni Morrison novel. How 'boutmaybe Your BLues Ain't Nothing Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell?