I admit it. I like to read. Reading is my golf, I guess. Depending upon my appetite, I could easily spend more on books than on a round of golf.  The good news is that my book splurges often generate enjoyment lasting longer than 9 hours, which is the average time it takes me to play a round of golf. It’s amazing how long it takes to find errant golf balls in adjacent parking lots and neighboring properties. A friend of mine told me that I play “army golf.” I chuckled at his assessment but didn’t realize it was an insult.

Since my preference is for reading, I’ve discovered that I’m attracted to certain authors and genres. I read fiction but prefer non-fiction. I enjoy history buy typically avoid biographies. What is most appealing to me is the art of gifted writing. I don’t consider myself a good writer, especially when compared to history’s best – depending upon how you define “best.” Reading Shakespeare is painfully frustrating to me, though I enjoy the stage presentations immensely. Perhaps I’m not well-rounded.  Or maybe it’s my reading level.

A recent article in the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ Smart Politics publication featured an assessment of the recent convention speeches by Michelle Obama and Ann Romney. According to the article’s author, Michelle Obama’s DNC speech was written at 7 grade levels above Ann Romney’s RNC speech. According to the article, Mrs. Romney’s speech was written at the lowest grade level in convention history, while Mrs. Obama’s was written at the highest grade level in convention history. Michelle Obama’s speech was written on a 12th grade reading level with an average of nearly 31 words per sentence.  Mrs. Romney’s speech was written on a 5th grade level with an average of approximately 15 words per sentence. As a point of reference, the King James Version of the Bible was written and translated on what is, today, a 12th grade reading level. By comparison, the New International Version was translated on a 6-7 grade reading level. But what does all of this mean, really?

Some analysts conclude that the respective convention speeches reflect the intellectual capacity of the listeners, while others focus their assessment on the mental acumen of the presenters. First Lady Abigail Adams once said, “We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” True enough. Proverbs 10:19 reads, “When words are many, sin is not absent.” (NIV translation for my 6th grade readers). I can say with confidence that reading and speaking are two different activities. But in order for either to be effectively received, one essential attribute is necessary, and it has little to do with word count and reading level. It explains why you didn’t count the number of words in the last sentence. But it’s twenty-six, in case you’re wondering.

Whether you prefer short or long sentences, or comprehend those sentences on a 5th or 12th grade reading level, what’s most essential for impact and meaning is clarity. In Politics and the English Language, George Orwell wrote, “The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.” With that, I’m going to finish reading Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. It’s written on a 3rd grade reading level and suits me perfectly.