States that in the history of literacy in the United States, a high rate of literacy developed because radical Protestants needed to read the Bible. Muses on the explosion of reading followed by agitation for public education in the 19th century. Argues that people must find a voice to address cuts in funding for the arts. (PA)

Discusses bibliographical and historical methods for discovering popular reading habits of past communities and presents a case study of the popular reading habits in Ulster between 1700 and 1900. Collectors of popular literature are discussed, and a definition of popular literature is suggested. (14 references) (LRW)

A study focusing on the history of reading, or the uses of literacy, in the first years of the American republic examined the subscription list and content of "The New York Magazine; or, Literary Repository" for 1790. Data for the study were taken from the magazine's subscription list and from various biographical sources, such as the…

The great majority of the Founding Fathers were readers. In fact, the leading political figures of late eighteenth-century America were generally, and often intimately, acquainted with the output of the greatest European minds of the day--and of the minds of the ancient western world. Two factors above all placed an ineffaceable stamp on the…

Reviews the history of children's fiction series publishing, examines the childhood reading histories of adult readers who currently read for pleasure, and investigates the reading of series books as an essential stage in the reading development. Also discusses the need for public libraries to be aware of different patron reading levels. (contains…

This study assessed the readability of popular print material (newspapers, magazines, and books) published in 1920. Selected passages from these books and articles were analyzed using the Flesch Reading Ease test and other, more theoretically interesting and relevant, readability formulas. Results indicated that "highbrow" publications…

Analyzes the development of the telephone, newspapers, and videotex in terms of purchasing patterns and styles of usage. Concludes that parallels in the early histories of telephones and newspapers suggest that videotex will likely become a service for business and an elite group of customers, not a mass audience. (PD)

Provides selected quotations about reading from great writers of the past (MKM)

"The English Common Reader" was the first comprehensive and systematic exploration of how the ordinary Englishman became a reader. A social history as well as a history of the English reading public, the book has become a classic. This updated edition has a new preface and an extensive new bibliography. The book is divided into two broad…

Two studies focused on children's reading but employed very different procedures and techniques. The first study examined the link between the levels of children's reading comprehension and the quantity of reading they did. Subjects, 198 children chosen at random from years 5, 6, and 7 of a single elementary school in Adelaide, Australia,…

The history of television adaptations of children's books is traced from television's first attempts at network children's programing to local production, network specials, independent stations' production efforts, reading shows, efforts in Canada and Great Britain, and Weston Woods film company productions. Guidelines for programing success are…

Reading is an important part of the modern child's environment. The number of things one must know about in order to understand this world has been enormously increased. No one can hope to learn of them all through first-hand experiences. Printed matter, which preserves and facilitates widespread distribution of knowledge, becomes a necessity. To…

Adults cannot be induced to go "back" to school but they can be assisted in continuing their education. The school, the university, forums, discussion groups, libraries, newspapers, magazines, the radio, and the motion pictures all have roles to play in making education a continuing process for adults. The public forum demonstrations,…