Dear Deirdre,

Do you feel that the requirement for teaching Huck. Finn is a dinosaur
in view of its relevancy and current affairs?  I'm as much a fan of Twain
as anyone, but I must admit that the "n-word" (useful euphemism, there)
is so emotionally charged that it bothers me in any context, surely not
the same effect that it had when Twain was writing.

I would never mean to advocate censorship of any form, but I question the
repeated use of a book which is, after all, rather dated in its analysis
of American racial problems.  While that's certainly not all there is to
the novel (which is damn funny to boot), I can understand the reservations
of many modern readers.  Perhaps this book needs to be required less often
and in place one of Twain's other fine works could be studied.

Daven