The Modern Library and literacy

When I was sailing in the Navy I decided to continue my education at sea by reading my way through the Modern Library. This collection was widely available both at bookstores and through some of the so-called libraries at my disposal. I found many of these books to be down right unreadable, but struggled with them because I was convinced that it was the thing to do.

I went in a bookstore down on Market Street, not far from where we were tied up. A nice looking young woman asked if she could help me and I asked for the Modern Library collection. Her response was to asked what I was reading now. My answer "Galsworthy," and she laughed out loud and said "why?" My answer was that I was reading my way through the Modern Library and she laughed again.

Well, I was in for an "educational experience" that day, she informed me that I didn't have to read books that were not really intended for me, that there were things more suitable, and she sent me back to the ship with a couple novels: one by Saul Bellow, and another by a man named Robbie McCauley (I think that was his name). They were both terrific reads and I found myself going back to that bookshop for more help and titles.

Librarians can provide this kind of help too, of course, and it may be that my choice to become a librarian later was exactly so I could be of help to others in their reading choices, and in choosing learning materials in other formats as well. Today there are so many avenues into learning, often not going beyond those that have been digitalized and thus available via computers. My analog learning past has been updated a little, although I still enjoy reading books immensely, playing LP records and audiocassettes, CDs and DVDs. Perhaps the odyssey might be called "beyond the Modern Library collection."