“Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be no older ones. Literacy will be dead, and democracy – which many believe goes hand in hand with it – will be dead as well.” – Margaret Atwood

I am not young; nor am I old. Yet, as we transition into 2017, I feel an increasing civic responsibility to read – and to read both widely and deeply. Atwood’s warning regarding democracy’s vulnerability resonates with me, particularly in light of the increasing public infatuation with – and blind embrace of – “fake news” as gospel truth. Continue reading →