A study last year found that approximately a quarter of American adults in haven’t read a single book in the last year. (Pew Research Center, Sept. 2016)
I grew up in a family of avid readers, and my own little family is too—complete with children sneaking flashlights into bed to read the end of Harry Potter after bedtime. So part of me is a little appalled that 1 out of every 4 people hasn’t read a book in the past year. Not because I think it’s a bad thing, but I just feel like they’re missing out! Pleasure-wise, reading a good book is right up there with eating chocolate. Or petting bunnies.
It makes me wonder if a quarter of the people I know haven’t read a book in the last year.
And of course, this study only talked about print books, ebooks and audiobooks. I wonder if the study were to take into account online reading, how much that would change things?
I don’t ever read fiction online. (Notice I’m resisting the urge to add in a joke here about claims made by politicians/news outlets/interest groups… 🙂 ) But I do a huge percentage of my non-fiction reading online. If I need to learn about what fires made from dried dung patties smell like (um, hypthetically…), I google it.
The Pew Research Center seems like a reliable source, but do you see this reflected in your own lives? Are a quarter of your coworkers, friends, family or acquaintances non-book-readers?
I have a suspicion that since every single person getting this email reads books, that the findings might be skewed – that we book-readers might surround ourselves with other book readers, but the last poll was so fun, it seemed like an interesting thing to find out.
So, do you think that a quarter of the people around you haven’t read a book in the past year?
You can vote below. And if none of those answers fit, leave a comment!
-Janice
PS- For those of you who I know are wondering, the internet says dung fires smell grassy. Not dung-y.
If you don’t include those only drawn in with the books on the best seller lists, then much less than 25%. With those included, 25% sounds close. I read a book a week minimum, but few talk to me about what they read. Most seem to think it takes away from things that others, including significant others, want you to do with them. Well, unfortunately they are right, but …
That’s a good point about the best seller list. I do know a number of people that read, say any new Harry Potter that came out, but didn’t read another book all year.
Being new to my area I don’t know a lot of the people. Some I have met don’t read much at all but I have found many more who do. As for my friends and family we read all the time. We make reading a part of our daily lives and enjoy talking to others about the books we like.
Most of my family reads all the time too. My friends are probably half and half for readers. Although I’d be surprised if a quarter of the people I know haven’t read a single book in a year!
I have some friends that would consider reading a game booklet/walkthrough the same as reading a book…silly gamers (secretly one myself), other then that they don’t read. I love to read. I read on WattPad all the time, never really kept count on how many I’ve read in a week, much less a year…lol
My husband and I were talking a few months ago about how many games are so much like books. They have such long, involved plot lines! 🙂
Oh I know…use to play a few myself. A few days ago I was telling one of my friends about a book I was reading in the middle of explaining it to her, without giving anything away, she stopped me with just nine words…”Ill wait till the movie comes out or game.”
Sadly, when it comes to reading, there are a number of people with whom I am acquainted that would rather perform an appendectomy on themselves (without anesthesia). My former business-partner was this way.
Tis a shame…
That made me laugh!
My roommate doesn’t read. He owns a few textbooks on coding, a copy of The Watchmen, and a Bible, all of which are coated in dust. I don’t get it. How can someone not like reading? I have friends that read alot, including pen pals. We talk alot about what we’re reading.
I really do think that people who don’t like reading just haven’t read the right kind of books yet, but I’ve never had the chance to prove that! Here’s hoping your roommate finds one he likes someday!
Of the four siblings in my family (all in our forties), 1 doesn’t read novels at all and three read so much it’s ridiculous. So I guess the 25% thing sounds about right. I work in a law office, so more of us read, but few of us read novels. People that don’t read fiction just don’t know what they’re missing out on – they’ll binge watch tv shows, but not pick up the novel it’s based on!
lol. Good point about the siblings. Add in two heavy-reading parents and its’ way under 25%, though. 🙂