According to some current wisdom, reading is an unnatural act that must be taught methodically and systematically. In this version updated to consider recent political and commercial attitudes, Smith (education, formerly U. of Toronto, etc.) argues that both reading and learning to read are natural activities and not exercises in decoding language from the page to sound. He describes how he understands what learning to be a reader is all about, the limitations of the phonics method, the ways in which our brains understand reading as a natural activity, the role of memory, the relationship of language and meaning, the art and science of constructing a theory of the reading world, the interaction of letters and words with meaning, the process of inclusion and the importance of teachers in it, and the fables that are causing children to fail in learning to read. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)