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Not So Literate L.A. Strikes Again
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Flavorpill recently created this really cool list of 10 books for America's 10 most literary cities. The annual results are in on Central Connecticut State University's ranking of the 75 most literary cities in the country and Flavorpill wanted to do each city proud. Cool, right? So what book did they ascribe to L.A.? They didn't. Out of seventy five cities, Los Angeles ranked 61st.Sixty-first?!?!?!?!! That's not good. It's so not good it's bad. Very bad. Our city is host to the brilliant Festival of Books! How can this be?
The results are still more bleak for overall California literacy. Ten of California's 12 largest cities landed in the bottom rankings of the annual study with Sacramento, Stockton and Oakland ranking poorly as well, though our capitol beat out L.A. handily by nabbing the 45th slot and Oakland makes Angelenos look downright illiterate with its spot at 37.
So what's a not-so-literate city to do when library budgets are being cut, bookstores are closing at a shocking pace and after-school reading programs are dramatically underfunded and understaffed? Are our bookish bars to blame? Should we move to Washington (1st) or foggy San Francisco (6th)? Or can we stick it out so we can figure it out?
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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