Proposes four criteria for evaluating college readers (anthologies), highlighting features that might foster those proficiencies of active reading discussed by Bleich, Rosenblatt, Holland, Dillon, Fish, and other prominent theorists. Applies those four criteria to four best-selling college anthologies. (HTH)

Notes that George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is frequently encountered in textbooks that ignore the existence of the original audience. Argues that textbook editors thereby misinform students by failing to show how writers recognize and write to particular audiences, and how writers' specific audiences determine many of the authors'…

Interrogates the reading/writing connection by evaluating how three essays by published writers affected the attitude and writing practices of university students in a course on the personal essay. Describes the course. Suggests what findings imply for current rationales about the reading/writing connection and for the use of anthology readings in…