Yes, popular literature hit an all-time low to the point that fine literature is being overlooked by so many of us. The extent of the damage has even reached to Chapters as they clutter the front of the store with unrelated merchandise. Moreover, on the tables nearest the entrance are shiny, colourful, hard-covered bestsellers with Oprah's book Club's seal of approval sticker. In fact, it took William Faukner almost an entire century to finally be recognized as a valuable writer by most of us when Oprah recommeneded a three-volume set of his "best" work. We read what Oprah tells us we should read, find it at the front of Chapters, and, for the select few of us who actually want to read more of an authors work, are hardly able to find anything else he wrote in the store. It seems we all want what someone thinks is "best," without having to do any research. Instead we gather bits and pieces, as if all works were seperate, only caring to read the author that the New York Times deems "brilliant" and "Dazzingly unique."
It seems everyone wants to "escape." Everyone wants to read for "enjoyment," to dissolve ino a world where a beautiful young woman falls head-over-heels for some man who has some dark forboding secret. It seems we don't want to look around us, don't want to read about things that matter. Further more if all we are reading is mass-market, bestselling, clichd plot driven books, I'm concerned about what that says about us, and, more specifically, where humanity is headed.
Explanation for changes: I tried to remove any excess personal opinions as I felt that they drew your mind away from the overall intent and thesis of the essay. Although making slight tweaks throughout the essay the one part I did get rid of entirely was the part about "Canadian" literature and the bash on Chapters. Like the essay this part was more of an organized rant, however, it really did not fufill its purpose by connecting with the reader but instead took away from the overall piece. Through these slight changes I feel I have made the piece into a more rounded and effective essay.
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