Fear of Reading

By Marcelle Clements
Published: May 18, 1992

Although this is the era in which flaws in the emotional and psychological development of every man, woman, child and dog have been scrutinized in the most minuscule detail, there seems to be no organized interest in one of the most painful afflictions known: lexical anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure while reading. ...


A version of this op-ed appeared in print on May 18, 1992, on page A17 of the New York edition. The online version omitted drawings by Istvan Banyai.