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“Not all stories speak to all listeners, but all listeners can find a story that does, somewhere, sometime. In one form or another.”
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Currently reading: The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon and yes it has been worth the wait. Only 80 pages to go out of 466.
As an avid reader, I would say that for a period of time in my life, I was a snob when it came to certain forms of storytelling in written form. I believed that comic books (graphic novels), as they were known in my youth, couldn’t deliver on a story the way a novel or short story could.
But with the US at a 21% (43 million people) illiteracy/functional illiteracy rate, I realize that was a foolish and snobbish position to take. Any form of storytelling that encourages a person to read has value. Just because a format doesn’t appeal to a person, doesn’t make it any less viable form of storytelling.
I have properly chastised myself for such idiotic thinking (feel free to flog me in the comments section – I deserve it.)
While I have always known that literacy is a problem, I have become more acutely aware of it in the last few years especially when two people in two different industries (auto sales and pest control) told me that they have a hard time hiring because people don’t have basic reading comprehension skills. And that saddens me.
That is why I take back every negative thought I may have had about graphic novels. Any form that encourages a person to read I support. Any form that takes the readers on an adventure I support. And any form that allows readers to discover new ideas or go on a journey of self-discovery, I support.
As the saying goes – Reading IS Fundamental! And that I will get behind every day of my life.
To find ways to get involved go to https://www.rif.org
My Lemons My Lemonade 