Is freshman reading a fad that has seen its day?

Designed to bring college communities together and alert incoming students to what college is really like, “common reading” selections are often the subject of criticism and ridicule. The Pope Center’s Duke Cheston says they have been at various times “controversial, touchy-feely, and arguably too easy.” In any case, they seem to be losing steam.

Duke reports that colleges are beginning to reconsider their value, and four colleges in North Carolina have dropped the readings altogether. He also observes that more than half the remaining books can be found on Oprah’s Book Club list.