Chapter 1

"Reading Don't Fix No Chevys"'s first chapter is very intriguing.  A lot of the issues and perspectives it raises on the reading lives of young men are very interesting, especially at this time in history.  Personally, I really enjoyed learning about the different views of given researchers (as well as seeing how political bias/perspective shapes authorial voice and conclusions).

One point I would like to see more of (and may later on in the book) are more cross-cultural and historical analysis of males and reading.  I was a little surprised at how widespread the negative attitude of reading persists, but then I have to reflect on my own conditioning and environmental influences which might have insulated me from some of these attitudes.

What is the historically present trend in literacy? Are these attitudes currently changing for the better or worse overall?

Many historical accounts I've read seem to have a certain assumed respect for the literate, but then again, perhaps historians, who are obviously quite literate themselves, tend to highlight those attributes consciously or unconsciously.  So when reading this book, and seeing views, whether accounting for similar trends across 14 different countries, but also seeing negative views occurring in England towards a literate lower class, I get the notion that literacy might be like fashion that fluctuates depending on the idealized role of men within a society.

Not to discount the researchers who claim biology doesn't play a part: I've read similar views referring to the higher rates of color blindness in men relating back to the biological imperative to hunt (monochromatic vision providing and easier system for sensing the movement of animals hidden within foliage), and correlated with the notion of men being more likely to to excel over women at "hunting" and retrieving information.

Anyway, looking forward to more!