What are you reading today?

Hussein Al-alak is the editor of Iraq Solidarity News (Al-Thawra). Hussein is also a regular guest on Radio Offbeat, on Manchester's ALLFM. 

I was delighted to visit the Wood Street Mission, with a special World Book Day contribution for their ‘Books Forever’ appeal. It’s incredible that here in England and according to the National Literacy Trust: “18% of adults aged 16 to 65 (that’s 6.6 million people) can be described as having very poor literacy skills.” 

Across the pond in the US and according to the National Literacy Institute: “54% of adults have a literacy below 6th grade level”, “44% of American adults do not read a book in a year” and “20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage.” This is further reflected in the fact that “3 out of 4 people on welfare can’t read”. 

Just imagine how different our world could be, if we only started with the basics. As Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis once stated: “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”