A study was released this week that rates large (pop. > 250,000) American cities by literacy and literary culture. The top ranking went to Seattle. Los Angeles was number 54 ... out of 64. Think that's bad? It gets worse. The South Bay is represented on this list. Long Beach, it turns out, has over 250,000 people. Yep. It's a big city. I've always liked Long Beach, it has a great aquarium, the Queen Mary, they used to have the Spruce Goose. My senior Prom was held in the Queen Mary, and ....
What? Stalling? OK, yes, I'm stalling. You want to know where Long Beach ranked. Well, out of 64 cities in America, I'm proud to say that Long Beach, the pearl of the South Bay, wasn't last.
It was third to last.
Civic leaders in other low-ranking cities, from Detroit to San Antonio, have taken the study to task, explaining how it doesn't really reflect a true understanding of the rich traditions of literary goings-on in their neck of the woods, and do you realize Sydney Sheldon slept here once, by God, and blah blah blah.
I'm not going to defend SoCal. Mostly because it doesn't need me to, but also because I know the study is absolutely right.
I've been to Portland. I've been to Seattle. Their high rankings are well-deserved.
Do you know where the nearest well-stocked independant bookstore to my house is? Neither do I. I think it's out in Downey somewhere; I keep meaning to go check it out. There used to be one in Hermosa Beach, but Hermosa Beach decided they'd rather have brawling drunken proto-yuppie college students instead.
If I mention a book I've been reading to a casual acquaintance in most cities, I can count on at least a glimmer of recognition, and maybe a discussion of other books that person has enjoyed. Here? Blank, vaguely guilty or defiant stares, a gaze that lets me know that discussions of that sort simply aren't welcome. An informal survey shows that some people I know can't remember the last time they read a book that wasn't for business or dieting purposes.
There are exceptions, of course. Lately I seem to be meeting many more people to whom a book is a joy. I keep hearing great things about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. But by and large, Los Angeles is a literary desert, with occasional precious oases, Redondo Beach and Los Angeles Public Libraries among them.
Please write in and prove me wrong!
Posted by Brian at July 17, 2003 08:20 PM