Chapter 15 Summary

After dinner, the Leete family takes Julian to the library. Mrs. Leete tells Julian that his position is enviable because he has a whole century of great literature to experience for the first time. A footnote in the text appears where Julian comments on the absolute accessibility of the library and the freedom of everyone to read its works, instead of the 19th century system which kept books away from the multitudes and required red tape and effort to get to read them. Both Mrs. Leete and Edith comment on their favorite works, and the discussion leads to questions about the publishing system. Julian comments that government-run publications don't allow for any criticism of the existing social structure, and he needles Mr. Leete by saying that unless your system is truly perfect, such a system cannot be fair and equitable. Mr. Leete agrees...