Reading Is (funda) Mental
May 17th, 2012 by Magdalena Tabor
Today CNN.com listed the most well read cities in the U.S. Before reading the article, I was certain, that without a doubt, NY topped the list, but was shocked and dismayed to learn that it never even ranked in the top twenty! How can this be? I’m perplexed. Each day I see scores of people immersed in books, newspapers, magazines, and kindles while riding the train. Why, Michael’s obsession alone should ensure NY’s number one title. I’ve never met anyone who has a greater love of reading and not a moment is ever wasted idly waiting for time to pass, when it can be utilzed absorbing a wealth of knowledge gained by simply reading. This is a man who takes advantage of every opportunity to be better informed. For instance, Michael reads while:1) Waiting on line at a bank (Next! Next!)
2) In the car between traffic signals (Whoa! Easy on the horn, buddy).
3) At family functions (which I tell him is a bit rude but he’s managed to squeeze in some conversation, so I’m good with it).
4) While eating dinner (I’m convinced that this is what gives him indigestion, and not my cooking after all).
5) He even reads while walking which completely baffles me. I’m sure if I tried this, I’d stumble and break a bone, or get run over by the inattentive UPS truck driver delivering more books to our house).
So, what city made number one? Alexandria, Virginia with titles selected from the Romance category. (Wuthering Heights, anyone? Or something much less classic?) Number two? Cambridge, Massachusetts in the categories of Business and Investing. (What about all those subscribers to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal? I’m cancelling our subscription). Number three? Berkeley, California on Travel books. (Could that account for all those people riding on NY trains? They’re not really NY’ers at all?? I didn’t notice any surfboards).
I think New York City should stage a protest with every single person reading on trains, buses, and subways tomorrow. And let’s not stop there. Every person waiting to buy their coffee and bagel should be accompanied with an open book in hand. Every driver stopped at a red light should be engrossed in their magazines, tabloids or what have you. To hell with all those honking horns. Let’s show them who’s really number one. Go ahead and be a devil. Read Crime and Punishment while crossing Seventh Avenue tomorrow. The yellow cabs will still be stopped (reading, of course) and won’t even notice you’re crossing against the light. Just look out for the guy on the bicycle with a copy of Charles Kuralt’s, On The Road. And before you turn out the light, you will read your child to sleep, to instill a love of reading in future generations of NY’ers. (Daddy, read Gone With The Wind again without stopping). Might I suggest the abridged version?
What am I reading at the moment? Great Expectations (coincidentally) by Charles Dickens. What’s got your attention? Are you reading for the greater good of NY? Does reading Blogs count?
