Almost as alarming
(but mostly unnoticed) as the threat of terrorism are the
results of a recent survey by the National Endowment for
the Arts that shows that reading in America, among all economic,
ethnic and age groups, has fallen dramatically.
Additionally, the survey
points to the fact that people who read for pleasure are
much more likely to visit museums, attend musical performances
and do volunteer and charity work … in other words,
the reading group tends to lead active, involved lives while
nonreaders, over half the population, is withdrawn and isolated.
These are particularly significant facts for the senior
population since isolation and depression can lead to premature
mental problems as well as alcoholism, frequently a "hidden"
problem among the lonely and unseen elderly.
During my childhood, books
were a welcome and treasured gift. "Read me a story"
was a bedtime plea heard long after I was able to read myself
but still wished for the shared enjoyment a good book provides.
One of my favorite family
photographs is of my mother, seated on a summer porch with
our little dog, Toby, asleep in her lap while she reads
"Peter Pan" to an enchanted daughter.
That same summer porch became,
in subsequent years, the special place where Victor Hugo’s
"Les Miserables" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s
"Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" engaged me so
completely that I was admonished to go out and play in the
fresh air instead of "having your nose stuck in a book."
The before-bedtime ritual
of graham crackers and milk, along with a few chapters of
whatever I was currently reading, persists to this day (although
tea and biscotti have replaced the crackers and milk).
At the time of our four-year
stay in Japan, when I was home-schooling our son, I struggled
mightily as an untrained teacher to instruct an often-unwilling
Michael in his lessons. Slowly, he gained confidence, and
when he completed his first reader, I said, "Michael,
I’m so proud of you." His reply, which I can
recall clearly after 40 years, was to pat my hand and respond,
"And I’m proud of you, too, mother." Of
course, now there are computers, cell phones and television
that compete with our time. In the state of Washington,
the commuter ferry running from the suburbs to Seattle is
considering installing laptop terminals, thereby effectively
lengthening commuters’ working days and destroying
yet another quiet time to read or just enjoy the scenery.
In the face of all the competition
from an entertainment media, parents and grandparents have
a responsibility to see to it that time is set aside specifically
for reading, and that children be taken to our many excellent
libraries and encouraged to join book groups and reading
discussions.
We can all join organizations
such as the Friends groups of our local libraries whose
fund-raising efforts supplement library budgets. We can
also become trained literacy volunteers to help the many
newly arrived Americans struggling to learn English.
What is the point of a high
literacy rate in America if no one is taking the time to
read? Most important, what is the future of a democratic
process if all our information comes in pre-digested, condensed
sound bites? The very bedrock of a democracy is an informed,
engaged citizenry. To open a book is to open your mind to
new ideas and new experiences.
Dear readers, I would welcome
hearing from you about what books have most influenced you
or about your favorite recent "reads."
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405. H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
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