The first Current Affairs meeting of the 2026-2027 DMA year will happen on Thursday, September 17 at 3pm (NOTE TIME CHANGE!) in the Lillian Gade Room at the DCA and on Zoom.
Our topic will be: Have We Reached the End of Reading?
The Atlantic Monthly declared as much on the cover of the August issue. Let’s discuss whether we agree with the author’s diagnosis and assessment of the causes and impact on people and society. Joining us with first-hand reporting from the front lines will be Francis Janosco, longtime English teacher at Darien High School. I can’t wait to hear his perspective.
The article providing our starting point is: The End of Reading Is Here – The Atlantic (also attached).
Agree with it or not, it’s well sourced, well crafted, and a very interesting read. The article, unsurprisingly, generated what Barry on Wednesday crudely called “a shitstorm.” A more DMA-worthy way of describing it might be “a massive amount of serious reaction, much of it critical.” We’ve attached an extended and annotated reading list. Start with a NY Times rebuttal: https://www.
Here’s what we want you to do. PLEASE do read and think about the two attached articles. Then wander through the reading list. Pick one or two that interest you, and bring those perspectives to the meeting. If you want a good place to start, these two contain some spicy criticism of the Atlantic piece:
