About
First of all, a dysfunctional literate is someone who is perfectly capable of reading high-brow literature but chooses instead to wallow in the muck. Life is short, and if I’m going to read something, it had better be something that interests me!
I started this blog back in 2011 and kept my name off of it because I wanted to write whatever I felt like writing without it becoming an issue in my personal life. Yeah, I kind of ruined that anonymity by posting a picture of a book cover with my name (or maybe it isn’t) on it, but I’m not as concerned about maintaining my anonymity as I used to be.
Here at Dysfunctional Literacy, I’ll poke fun at the classics and defend the crap (‘crap’ isn’t a bad word). And sometimes I’ll defend the classics and make fun of the crap, especially if the author peddling the crap isn’t even trying to make it good.
Yes, reading can be awesome, but some authors, critics, and over-analytical teachers can make it tiresome. If my efforts here can help just one person afflicted with dysfunctional literacy, then all my efforts will have been worth it.
*****
A grammar-obsessed English teacher falls in ‘luuuvvv’ but discovers how chaotic and dangerous ‘luuuvvv’ can really be.
The Sunset Rises: A 1990s Romantic Comedy is now available on Amazon and from the trunk of my car at various local bookstores… until parking lot security kicks me out. Buy it now while supplies last!
Dysfunctional Literacy 
The term: “dysfunctional” does not easily translate into the English (English) language. In England (England), we can only stand in slack-jawed amazement at the intellectual nuances of Americans like you who speak of “dysfunctional literacy”.
After 32 years of driving trucks and trying to be a good Dad, I was delighted to find that my 18 year old son was offered a place at Oxford to read English Literature. With some trepidation, I met with the Dean of Faculty and Masters to discuss my son’s prospects.
Somewhat overcome by the oak paneling and the Dean’s “Darth Vader” cloak and authoritative, crisp responses to my questions, I was finally reassured of his intentions.
Despite his imposing attire and steely gaze, the man was clearly wearing a pair of Vans trainers. Also, his Head Tutor had an encyclopedic knowledge of Tupak Shakur and had recently completed a year’s study of American Rap Lyrics.
I kid you not.
You just gained another follower.
Big Smiley Face!
Hey, I don’t know if you do blog awards or not, but I’ve enjoyed your blog, so I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. 🙂 If you would like to claim, here is my post: http://literarytiger.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/versatile-blogger-award/.
Thank you for putting a name to my disorder. I’ve had a great deal of formal education and did once suffer through Moby Dick. Now I happily wallow in the worlds of Harry Potter and Sookie Stackhouse and may never read another book written with some deep meaning behind it. I’m glad to have been diagnosed. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by thefirstgates to like a post.
Your blog title and definition remind me of a friend, a very elegant souther lady with lowbrow tastes in literature. When anyone made a comment she would declare, in her Carolina accent, “I love my trashy novels!” I do too…
Thank you for my laugh of the day! Love your blog.
I’ve always been proud of the fact my preference is reading first class trash. Is it OK to say I love your blog?
Thanks for your recent likes of my posts. I get readers block on many of the blogs I check out. Not here. Very entertaining stuff.
Hi – just thought I’d let you know that I’ve nominated you for a Versatile Blog Award because I love your blog 🙂 Don’t worry if you don’t want to take part, but wanted to let you know!
http://beckysaysthings.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/becky-says-things-about-being-nominated-for-an-award/
Your ideas remind me of that movie ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ when Robert AKA Ewan McGregor tells everyone about the book he’s going to write. Everyone says that it sounds like a trash novel and he tells them that’s the whole point – to write a trashy, airplane novel. Ever since I saw that movie it has been kind of a dream of mine to write a trashy novel. I’m enjoying your blog, keep it up!
I’ve been a dysfunctional literate since I stopped teaching high school English. Too many good medium-brow books out there to spend time on the Moby Dicks.
You got me hooked with your tagline: Just because you CAN read Moby Dick doesn’t mean you should.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Hey thanks for the like-age on my blog! I like the Mark Twain stuff. . .
Hey. Thanks for stopping by and liking my posts. 🙂 I’d have to agree with you – some ‘classics’ are kind of dull. I could never finish A Tale of Two Cities.
…Ok, actually I couldn’t finish the first page. But I was in seventh grade.
I’m all for the Etymology.
I like your blog, fun but serious in a light way. I know my grammar and literary reading sophistication have fallen…after I finished my BA in English Literature and Language um, over 30 yrs. ago.
I haven’t read a novel in over the past 5-8 yrs. Just non-fiction.
Hello, my name is Shelina and yes, I’m also a ‘dysfunctional literate,’ and gladly wear the new title.
I feel that “The Old Man and the Sea should be added to the list of books suffered through in high school. I can’t tell you how many times that book hit the wall. It’s one of the reasons I started writing so young.
Great idea for a blog and I love the name. Thanks for stopping by The Brass Rag. Come back and see us again soon.
Is a coach reading self-help a “dysfunctional literate”? I’ve read a tremendous amount of self-help trash: before engaging in my literary studies (never could get through the whole of Moby Dick) and after giving up my English Lit. M.A. Bad habits die hard. I still enjoy and study books for the “happy few”. I am even working on a program :” Growth through the Canterbury Tales”. No joking.
Thanks for following Kidz Showz! Sounds like you have a good sense of humor! 😀
Entertaining blog you’ve got here. Thanks for checking out mine!
Pretty fun stuff.
Over at my blog, we tend to take our reading a bit more seriously.
I nominated you for the Epically Awesome Award of Epic Awesomeness. Come read about my adventures accepting it: http://greenwalledtower.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/a-w-a-r-d-s/
You just proved the point I was makiing in the piece you just liked! Great site.
thanks for the visit! If you liked my latest post, i will be posting more soon! so please come and visit again!
Hey, I nominated you for the Liebster Award! Please check out my post for the details: http://www.ricorambles.wordpress.com
Hi, thanks for stopping by and liking my post! I sincerely like what you have here. I look forward to reading your posts!
I’d like to nominate you for the Sunshine Award. If you accept, find the details here:
http://kokkieh.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/you-are-my-sunshine/
Awesome work…following your blog 🙂
http://cinejuana.wordpress.com
Thanks for dropping by “Honey.” As I read your about page, all I could think about was how dysfunctional could be used to describe my life growing up and yet out of dysunfunctional, here I am, perfect! 🙂 Will be back to have a dig around, But right now, the fish are biting!
Awesome site, man! Totally agree that literature should be cool! I like how you fuse humor and lit. I’m glad I came across this and am following it!
I really enjoy reading your blog posts – I love your style. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. It’s a ‘pay it forward’ kind of award, showcasing blogs to other bloggers. You say a little about yourself and nominate around 5-7 other blogs you like for the award. You can see how it works on my entry here http://elainecanham.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/183/ If you want to join in, just copy the logo to your own post.
Hey Jimmy (if that’s your real name). I had to nominate you for “Most Influential Blogger” because you “influence” me to try to be funny, even though I rarely am. You can nominate me for “Biggest Procrastinator” because I actually did this three days ago, and am just getting around to telling you about it.
http://mustbethistalltoride.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/the-most-neurotic-blogger/
I have a dysfunctional book for you to review!!!!!!!!
Life, Love & Everything
By yours truly (Philippa Sue Richardson)
https://www.facebook.com/lifeloveandeverything
Glad I came across your blog…looks like fun! Following…
hey there I just though I would let you know that I nominated you for a very inspiring blogger award check out my post : http://caffeinatedelfling.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/apparently-my-rambles-are-worth-something/ and keep on being your awesome self
This blog is a hoot. One of my favourites. Much respect.
I totally agree. I was brought up on the likes of Dickens, Jane Austen and Shakespeare, but they just don’t do it for me. I love reading trash!
Really like this blog! I have a weakness for 80’s Glam romance novels. One woman’s trash… another ones treasure! Xx A
Hi! I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. I hope you don’t mind!
Hi, I really enjoy your blog! It puts a smile on my face every time so now I will be following you. Don’t want to miss anything, right. Keep up the good work!
This will be one fun follow.
If you’re up for it, I’ve tagged you to be a part of The Book Blogger Test. Here’s my link for the questions if you’d like to be a part of it – http://rachaelcmarek.com/2014/06/19/the-book-blogger-test/
Great Blog
As someone new the “author” blogging world I have been reviewing blogs….out there! Most bore me, the writing is atrocious (Yes, a world you could probably add to your list of “old” words) and the topics are mundane. Until I came upon yours…Chuckled so hard. Thank you for the reprieve. Keep writing, you do have a gift. You are worthy to follow!
I have nominated you for the lovely blog award. If you would like to claim this please see my post at http://totemsage.com/ for the details. I have shared your blog with my small list of readers.
You’re very funny. I went to read your “about page” and am having a hard time reading “about you”…I’m thinkin’ maybe I missed something someplace…I’ve always been a “tad slow” at these things…Did I miss something somewhere?? 🙂
I have nominated you for the Liebster award. You can find more information here
Absolutely Awesome! Your blog is great. Keep up the great work! please Visit http://www.helloworldmagazine.com sometime, too. Thanks!
Hey! I nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award! The details are here: http://whatthehellisshereading.wordpress.com/2014/12/26/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
Hi there, how are you? Just tuned in to some suggested book review blog and decided to give yours a follow. I laughed out loud, I write book reviews sometimes too. If you’d like to return the favor/see what’s up in my world, visit me at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com. Happy 2015!
Hello, my name is Gregory Thomas. 🙂 I’m a writer and poet, and I also write stories as well. I put all of my work on my blog at “Cascadialegends.wordpress.com” please check them out 🙂 If you like my work, please let as many people know about my blog as you possibly can, thank you very much!
-sincerely,
your friend, Gregory Thomas
Wondering if you consider guest posts?
Hi,
I truly enjoy reading your blog and have nominated it for The Creative Blogger Award. I sincerely feel your blog deserves this recognition. If you wish to participate, please follow the rules in the link below. Whether or not you choose to participate, I hope you will accept the recognition and my sincerest appreciation.
Here is the link: https://mrflyingpig.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/the-creative-blogger-award/
I love your humour 🙂 Great blog!
I love your humor 🙂 Great blog!
You’re blog is awesome. I have spent years being harassed by my high brow colleagues who claim that, by reading books with footnotes and bibliographies, they are somehow more intellectual than I am. I, however, stand proud of the fact that I read YA romances, that I haven’t read a book where the protagonist is not a teenager in about four year despite the fact I’m in my 40s. and I refuse to be intimated when I am surrounded by preteens in the YA section of my library. Because of your blog, I finally have a name by which I can call myself: A Dysfunctional Reader. Thank you, author of Dysfunctional Reader. Thank you.
BTW, I meant your, and not you’re. See? Dysfunctional.
Hi. I nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award. Here are the details.
http://eveofnight.blogspot.ca/2014/10/lets-celebrate-whos-up-for-award.html
Consider yourself loved. I have given you the Sunshine Blogger Award!!!
Hi! Your blog is one of the few that I read regularly. So I would like to nominate you for the Infinity Dreams Award. It is totally up to you whether you’d like to participate or not, so cheers! https://dwellinginerised.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/the-infinity-dreams-award/
No Contact Button? Alrighty then. I am reading “Crap” right now and when I am done I will be reviewing it on my blog. I thought I would ask if you’d like to do an author interview with that?
Hi! Just letting you know I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award https://tometreats.wordpress.com/2016/11/05/sunshine-blogger-award/
Not sure if you do all these award things (hmmm…that would be a cool topic)…but here it is anyway:
I’ve nominated you for a Mystery Blogger Award if you would like it.
I actually enjoyed Moby Dick when I was younger, though I’m not sure I’d read it today. Just yesterday, I decided to pass on The Divine Comedy, even though I could read it and would probably enjoy it. My middle-aged reading habits have become desperately perfectionist. No matter what I’m reading, I start thinking that I should be reading something better. Dante would give me a lot of time to lose my concentration in this way; so screw him.
Gosh, have I developed a short attention span in middle age?
Hello,
I hope my message finds you well. My name is Ahmed and I am the creator of a comic book that features a superhero with Autism. The story is inspired by my nephew, who is an awesome autistic kid, and by Mesopotamian myths. The comic is meant to help raise awareness about Autism through an engaging story, and there will also be information about Autism Charity organizations from around the world for people to reach out to. I am writing to you in hopes that you might be interested in giving my comic a shout out and support my upcoming campaign, which will start on the 15th of May and it will run for 30 days.
Here is the pre-launch page on Indiegogo where you can learn more. There is a video teaser followed by an explanation for the comic to help you understand more about my project. I hope you will find it interesting.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-epics-of-enkidu/coming_soon
Thank you very much. I’ll be looking forward to your reply.
Kindest regards,
Ahmed