Home > Pulpwood Queen Blog > Archives > 2007 > May > 15 > Entry
Reading Is NOT Important?
What did I just say? I will say it again as even I cannot believe it. Reading is NOT important. In fact, that is exactly what is being said by a favorite southern newspaper. The Atlanta Journal Constitution let go their book editor and is discontinuing their book section. Yes, you heard me right. A newspaper has decided that books, reading, and literacy are not important. In fact, having a book section is bad business, those pages are just not selling enough newspapers. They are considering plugging in The New York Times Book Reviews. I don’t know, but if I wanted to read The New York Times Book Reviews I would subscribe to The New York Times or check it out online for goodness sake.
Book reviews are not selling enough newspapers? Sensational news stories and color photos help sell papers. Why not just do a whole newspaper in pictures, maybe add some coloring pages. I also believe comics are something that everybody reads. What is happening to America? Here there are some of us doing everything we possibly can to promote reading in our homes, schools, book clubs, communities, and literacy not-for-profits and yet one of the leading southern newspapers wants to cut costs by doing way with the section that deals with reading?
As a bookseller, a reader, and now an author, I have always thought that The Atlanta Journal Constitution was the newspaper to look to for the best in good reads, known for it’s book section and book reviews. That newspaper has been considered one of the premier book review sections in the country especially for southern authors and readers. Sorry for the pun, but looks like covering books is gone with the wind.
Read the petition below that was sent to me by Shannon Byrne and look and see who has signed this petition. That is right, I am number 244. I was awed by all the authors and their comments. Feel free to sign and post a comment, I did. In this day and age I am dumbfounded by a newspaper that does not want to support books and reading. I thank God for The Marshall News Messenger everyday. Not one day goes by that they do not have a story on literacy, usually three or more. And guess what? They are both under the Cox newspaper umbrella. Go figure.
Tiara wearing and as God is my witness, book sharing, Kathy L. Patrick Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs www.beautyandthebook.com To: The Atlanta Journal Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s recent decision to eliminate its book editor position and, possibly, its book review section is demoralizing beyond words. The AJC’s book section is one of the best-edited literary pages in the country. It provides Atlanta, which ranks #15 on the University of Wisconsin’s list of most literate cities in the U.S., with a powerful and necessary cultural dialogue. Under the astute guidance of the section’s editor Teresa Weaver, the books page has demonstrated an admirable commitment to both literature and nonfiction works which have grappled with some of America’s most complicated issues and themes.
Not only has the AJC’s book section helped to champion such important writers as Edward P. Jones, William T. Vollmann, and Colm Toibin, not to mention Paul Hendrickson and Monica Ali all of whom are now recognized as major literary voices, but it has struck a fine balance by also letting readers know, through in-depth interviews and event listings, about more popular authors who make Atlanta a stop on their book tours. If the major newspaper in a major market like Atlanta lacks a book section, then we may soon be missing authors, too, when publishers decide not to send their writers to a city where the primary forum of ideas and review is ignoring them.
I am a subscriber to and/or a frequent reader of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and I want the AJC to continue publishing a book section edited by Teresa Weaver that gives Atlanta a unique, thoughtful approach to books, one that represents a diverse array of voices, and is not simply fed by wire copy from the Associated Press or the New York Times.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
View Current Signatures
The Help Protect Atlanta’s Book Review Petition to The Atlanta Journal Constitution was created by and written by National Book Critics Circle (NBCCAtlanta@hotmail.com) . This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.
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