Why Read? by Mark Edmundson Bloomsbury USA, originally published in 2004 My rating: 3 of 5 stars English departments are under attack in higher education. To be precise, courses that involve reading literature are under attack. Some people still prize being able to express oneself well in writing – maybe what we'll have down the road is simply “Writing Departments.” Not if Mark Edmundson has his way. Why Read? is an extended essay on the value of reading, an expansion of a widely circulated Harpers … [Read more...] about Book Review: Why Read?