Here and Now: Instructor's Manual

An anthology of the best of American essays gleaned from magazines and newspapers: this was an attempt to introduce the general reader to good writing so as to counteract the dumbing down of public discourse in the age of the Internet and Talk Radio.

• Binding: Paperback
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill (1998)
• ISBN-10: 0070443734
• Description: A guide to critical reading and writing of contemporary American non-fiction. An accompaniment to Here and Now: Current Readings for Writers.
• Link: amazon.com

Excerpt from Here and Now

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This section of the essay--probably more than any other--has a built in democratization of opportunity for students to voice and write about their opinions. Since the American mass media are virtually universally distributed to all classes, ethnic groups, and geographical areas, little, if any background should be needed to introduce the subject's content. Sex and violence and stupidity are commonly discussed elements of popular entertainments and all the essays with the exception of "Spike Lee: Fast Forward" address one or more of these. The first two essays, "Bimbo Watch" by Timson and "Violent Reaction" by Lacayo, raise first amendment issues and suggest that perhaps the "American way" of dealing with offensive programming is for the offended individual to shut it off. Noe's essay is an excellent model of the comparison/contrast form of rhetoric and you may wish to focus on the methods the author uses to tease out the unique elements of each. Students tend to write in generalities, and the specificity of this essay may serve to illustrate that words can be used as laser-sharp tools in helping to organize thought. Richardson's "Dumb and Dumber: The Case Against Hollywood" reminds us of Whitman's adage that "good poets need good audiences," and a reader-response approach to solving the problems in Hollywood may include discussion of the definition, acquisition and development of taste. Finally the essay about Spike Lee can provide your students with an "inside look" at how a celebrity actually spends his working day. You may consider comparing his work with some of the individuals in the "Pay Scales" section.

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