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Despite his character, McGuffey was actually an amazing teacher. The Readers could have been made by no less than a splendid teacher. His motivation for writing them was in fact due to the low percentage of students in his classroom who could read. He knew that if they were to learn they would have to be able to read first. His Readers ranged from the simplest lessons to the most advanced. One reason why the Readers attracted so much attention was the fact that they were fun to read, and would leave the reader with a light and happy feeling. The Readers were compiled of poems, essays, speeches and short stories that gave a positive outlook on life. The impression of the Readers stayed with many, long after the days of childhood were left behind. The Readers were published by Trueman and Smith publishing company, and over 120 million copies were sold. The McGuffey Readers were one of the most commonly read books of nineteenth-century America, and arguably the most influential pieces of literature of the era. |
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