The Closing of the American Book by Andrew Solomon

Americans do not read as much as we should which will have negative consequences when it comes to the heath, politics and education. According with Solomon, The National Endowment for the Art made a survey that indicated people who read are active in the community. For example, people who like to read will go to museums and musical performances more often, and perform volunteer and charity. This is compared to non-readers, who have little to no active engagement with the community. The author declares that electronic media can be dangerous for nonreaders because most people use television or other electronics as a means of relaxing, consequently absorbing all of the good and bad information. However, readers were able to filter the information more effectively while watching television. Solomon claims that people who read do not feel alone because they see a book as a friend, while people who do not read and spend their days with electronics devices tend to feel depressed. Reading is a mentally active experience and helps us learn. It can also help us stay guarded from future mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s. If we are not active and do not exercise our minds, we have a higher chance of developing Alzheimers. The Nazis feared the power of reading many forms of literature, taking measures to burn books because the material within was viewed as being subversive, or representative of ideologies in opposition to Nazism. Today, reading allows Americans to be better informed on issues within our own country, giving us the opportunity to have our own thoughts and opinions on life in society and politics. If we do not read on these topics, it is more difficult to form individual opinions on them. The United States is one of the most literate societies, but most of the population does not take interest in reading. Schools should desire and encourage students to read, providing rewards and incentives for reading and try to make it fun. If American students can be excited to read for pleasure, it may become a habit that they will continue long after finishing their formal educations. Reading is important because it is good for health, keeps people engaged in politics, for politics, and allows for us to continually educate ourselves. It is important for the community and we should encourage people to read, making it a social experience by joining local book clubs or forming our own book clubs with groups of friends. Reading, either for information or for pleasure is something Americans should desire. If only everyone in society understood how rewarding it is to achieve, and the worth of it in the end.