Anthology Era Replaces Full Novels

U.S. high schools are increasingly assigning excerpts and anthology‑style curriculum products instead of whole novels, driven by perceived shorter attention spans, standardized‑test pressures, and vendorized digital curricula (e.g., StudySync). The change shifts reading from sustained, printed engagement to fragmented, screen‑mediated tasks and alters what counts as literary competency in schools. — If widespread, replacing whole‑book reading with excerpt‑based instruction will reshape literacy, civic imagination, and equitable access to deep textual skills that support critical thinking and democratic participation.