I understand that since this is my space to write in, it should follow that I am the one doing the writing. But I’ve been tired of late, and instead of my words today I’d like to share someone else’s. Below is a PDF of a speech recently given by the British author Philip Pullman in defense of his local libraries, libraries which, like many here in Seattle and elsewhere, are facing severe budget cuts and/or are being forced to close.
I like Pullman a lot, both as a novelist and as an essayist, and you’d have to not have a heart, a brain and an imagination not to love all the wonderful things that are available at pretty much every library. This speech is one of the more enjoyable things I’ve read lately – Pullman’s insistence upon the beauty and wonder of knowledge that transcends the functionality of markets is well-put and in need of being repeated. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as well.