It is startling and it is shaming: in a country that prides itself on being among the most enlightened in the world, 25 million American adults cannot read the poison warnings on a can of pesticide, a letter from their child's teacher, or the front page of a newspaper. An additional 35 million read below the level needed to function successfully in our society. The United States ranks forty-ninth among 158 member nations of the UN in literacy, and wastes over $100 billion annually as a result. The problem is not merely an embarrassment, it is a social and economic disaster. In
Illiterate America
, Jonathan Kozol, author of National Book Award-winning
Death at an Early Age
, addresses this national disgrace. Combining hard statistics and heartrending stories, he describes the economic and the human costs of illiteracy. Kozol analyses and condemns previous government action--and inaction--and, in a passionate call for reform, he proposes a specific program to conquer illiteracy. One out of every three American adults cannot read this book--which is why everyone else must.