"This is a conversational book with the author around big ideas in literacy and their impact on democracy. The author explores powerful ideas from the 'writing renaissance', 1975-1987; the founders and their philosophies, and the impact those ideas have had on teaching and learning. He examines the legacy of those founders through their own works, explains the concept, argues for its importance, and draws on his own teaching practice/observations This intent is to include interviews from the next generation - both teachers and scholars - who have embraced and built upon those ideas. Given the current climate of restricted choice, formula writing, shifts in media, the author expresses a sense of urgency on how the decline of engagement, creativity, innovation, writing as voice have a negative impact on future generations"--