A book for readers who want to know what it means to truly read.
Whenever the PISA study headlines that children are reading less, there is an uproar. We almost forget what seems to scare people more these days: readers not reading the “right” books or readers who may misunderstand what they read. In an era when authors fear unpredictable readers as much as editors and publishers worry about every risky word, even considering warning labels for classics that cannot simply be rewritten, the question arises: How did we ever come to believe that reading is essential to an informed citizenry if books are so dangerous that they pose a risk to democracy? Why do we value children learning to read so much?
Philosopher Bettina Stangneth asks these questions and offers a surprising answer: We are not being honest when we talk about reading. Instead of warning about dangerous books, we should discuss what reading truly is and how to read any book well – not with fear, but with the insatiable curiosity of philosophers.
"Stangneth is a brilliant writer and an elegant thinker." DLF
