There is a new fashion in the study of literature called "Distant Reading". It consists of grinding all literature up into data and then doing some quantitative analysis on it. It calls itself "distant" to distinguish itself from " close" reading. Well I can't help but offer a few reactions: First, it is not nearly distant enough. Second, it is to literature what ISIS is to beautiful antiquities. But many teachers of literature are slaves to fashion. An economy prostitute will not react more quickly to the sight of a thousand dollar bill than these whores will to whatever is new. So don't let your good child major in literature if it is taught by folks of this ilk.Â