But then David Lodge is a great curative

Many of the popular kids are linking to this from the Chronicle of Higher Education. Its an opinion piece that seems careful not to have much of one.
In essence, faking your way in discussing, or even acknowledging good books can be enough, given that it's likely that no one in your circle has done the reading either, and what does it all mean if there's no longer a commonality between what should be read?
The article suggests that most of us walk around with a sizable amount of guilt over what we aren't reading, and it has frozen us in place. I'm not buying it.
I'm the first to admit to having a huge hole in classical literature and anything that would have once been called "Great Books".
If that means there's an immutable lack, well so it goes, but feeling bad about it won't stop me from reading more David Lodge. Because David Lodge is just good, as well as good for you, as it were.
As with most things, Jessa has the right take on this.

Posted by Dave