The document describes three writers' early experiences as readers. Ta-Nehisi Coates reflects on growing up and becoming curious about black history while studying at Howard University. Richard Rodriguez describes growing up as a bilingual "scholarship boy" in a Spanish-speaking household. Gerald Graff talks about disliking reading, especially literature and history, until his undergraduate studies in English. The writers discuss important moments in their development from exposure to new ideas from reading.

1. Describe their early experiences as readers.
In the following passages, three writers describe their early experiences as readers. A well-
known journalist and writer, Ta-Nehisi Coates reflects upon his growing sense of curiosity
at Howard University, which he refers to as Mecca, the site where he is motivated to learn
about the history of black people and where he learns to formulate questions to help him
better understand who he is as an individual. The passage we include here is taken from his
award-winning book Between the World and Me, and is addressed to his son. Coates makes
many references to authors he has read and public figures he admires. We invite you to do
some research to learn about who these people are and their significance in the ways Coates
writes about his education. Richard Rodriguez and Gerald Graff are well known outside the
academy. In this excerpt from Hunger of Memory, Rodriguez describes what it was like
growing up as a bookish bilingual “scholarship boy” in a Spanish-speaking household. In the
other excerpt, from Beyond the Culture Wars, Graff narrates how he disliked reading books,
especially literature and history books, well into his undergraduate years as an English
major. Both of their narratives turn around moments of recognition triggered by exposure
to the ideas of others. As you read the selections, consider these questions: 1)Where are the
turning points in each narrative? What are the most important things the writers seem to
learn? 2)What incidents or insights did you find most interesting in the narratives? Why?
What seem to be the key ideas in each narrative? 3)Do these ideas strike you as being
potentially useful in your own work as a thinker and writer? 4)Do you find that the writers
exhibit academic habits of mind (making inquiries, seeking and valuing complexity, seeing
writing as a kind of conversation, and reflecting)? If so, where?#Describe #early
#experiences #readers