Noting that what becomes of reluctant readers should be of great concern to a nation that advocates education and has traditionally been committed to principles of the higher order, this paper identifies the characteristics of reluctant or unmotivated readers and discusses what happens to them. Following background reflection on the limits people who can read but choose not to set upon themselves and their community, the introductory section of the paper presents a review of scholarly literature dealing with the problem of the reluctant reader, emphasizing articles on such topics as literacy, reading habits of the American public, and reading motivation. The next section of the paper discusses characteristics of the reluctant reader, including lack of interest in or anxiety about reading, and recommends strategies to applying early in a child's reading development, including reading aloud to children and searching out materials that are interesting to young readers. What happens to reluctant readers is examined in the next section of the paper, with particular focus on George Steiner's theory that power in the United States will ultimately belong to the alliterate. The paper concludes with a summary linking the American educational system with social conditions and posits the belief that understanding and acquiring a value for reading is as important a factor in the furtherance of literacy as is teaching illiterate adults basic reading skills. (NKA)