The Numbers Are In
According to CNN, the Associated Press conducted a poll via telephone about reading. The basic findings went like this:
One in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and seniors were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.
Since every single person I know reads and most read more than four books a month, forget about in a year, I’m not sure who got the call from AP. CNN talks about that 27% of the population that did not read one book last year:
Who are the 27 percent of people the AP-Ipsos poll found hadn’t read a single book this year? Nearly a third of men and a quarter of women fit that category. They tend to be older, less educated, lower income, minorities, from rural areas and less religious.
Whatever the breakdown, the results are a bit depressing to those of us who write for a living…and to those of us who know the joys of reading and realize others are missing out.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:43 am
It astonishes me how many people I know that don’t read. Since I have become more serious about my writing, I don’t have as much time to read. Of course, I still find the time and I encourage my children to read. Thankfully they both love it too.
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I posted about this on Dear Author but I’ll say it here too, though it’s probably a shocking thing for an editor to say; my husband doesn’t read (books) and honestly, I have never felt like he was missing something because he doesn’t. Yes, *I* love to read, I love books and everything about them. He loves that about me. But he doesn’t think less of me because I can’t fix a lot of stuff around the house (he can) and build pretty much anything (he can) or do complicated math in my head (he can and he’s a blessing when I’m shopping and trying to figure out how much I’ll save with the discount). I guess what I’m saying is, yes, we love books and we recognize that reading is valuable. But there are other things that are valuable, too.
Josh watches the news, reads the newspaper, surfs the internet. He’s bright, knowledgeable and can hold his own in a political conversation. But he doesn’t read books. I don’t think he’s ever read a book in the entire 5 years I’ve known him. And I don’t find that a bad thing, think less of him or think he’s lacking because of it. It’s just not part of him, just as the things he excels at and enjoys aren’t always a part of me. Different things are valuable to different people and I guess I’ve come to realize (through him) that a statistic like that is pretty worthless unless you know the people behind it!
August 22nd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Most everyone I know reads. I read between 15 and 20 books a month and enjoy every one of them.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I think Angela has a good point. Everyone’s different and enjoys different things. My husband, a computer geek, is pretty handy as far as technical stuff with the pc, which is good for me because if it so much as hiccups, I freak out. His reading involves online news, the occasional newspaper, computer and motorcycle magazines. We were together for almost 10 years before he picked up a book to read. I’d dragged the whole family to a book signing of one of my favorite authors, and he picked up a book then. I was surprised and pleased, but I never pushed it on him. He still enjoys a good book every now and then.
As far as I’m concerned…so many books, so little time. I can’t get enough.
This guy told me one time, “If you have time to read, you don’t have a job.” I guess it doesn’t take any time to be an idiot. I mean, really, what a ridiculous thing to say, especially to me.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:22 pm
As someone who reads an average of a book a day, I find this appalling. I can’t imagine not reading.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:15 pm
It amazes me too and I guess this is a sexist comment, but men seem to read books less than women, at least most of the ones I know. I think women enjoy the emotions that reading brings to them. And if it’s something you enjoy - you make the time. Lots of my reading has been done before sleeping and instead of sleeping lol.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I just read this article this morning and was surprised that so many people don’t read books. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have a book to read, particularly since I read about 20 books per month.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I have a couple for friends who really aren’t big readers, but I grew up in a family of readers, so I don’t get it. I read about 20-25 books a month, granted I don’t have children to take care of, but I make reading a priority. Reading relaxes me in a way that tv and moves never can. I know I’ll always find something new in every book I read…I might not always end up liking every book, but will always find something new.
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:08 pm
My husband and I both read a lot of books. I feel a little sad hearing the results of that poll.
There are so many books out there ready to transport the reader to so many wonderful places and they are missing it all
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:32 am
I’m from a rural area and most everyone I know reads books. It’s ashame if that poll is even close to representing the half of the truth.
My granddad passed his love of reading on to his children and grandchildren. We are all thankful for that!
August 23rd, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Although I read at least 15-20+ books per month, a majority of the people I know don’t read books regularly. It’s sad but true.
August 24th, 2007 at 11:59 am
I read a lot of books…probably between 3-6 per week. I know a few ladies that don’t read, but none of them would fill the ‘less educated’ class. And, really, they just don’t know what they are missing. Not only can a book be a nice diversion from a stress filled life, but a book can also be a very good conversation starter. I have 3 kids, a full time job, 2 pets, a husband and a lot of bills to pay, but for that 30 minutes to an hour before bed when I am able to get into a book (and sometimes 30 minutes on a lunch hour), I am able to enjoy a few moments of adventure, passion, and the stress that turns into a happy ending. I do think that the people at CNN are extremely mistaken, though. I am sure that the people at Barnes & Noble or Hastings Books can agree.
August 25th, 2007 at 1:58 am
My whole family reads. They don’t read as much as I do and certainly the men read different books, usually about history or sports, while the women read romance novels.
Even my 96 year old mother read until her eyesight got too bad even for large print books.
My father read science fiction and western romances when it was the old pulp magazines, and I read them when I was 10 or 11. Wish I still had them.
August 26th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I was surprised to hear that so many people did not read books. I love to read. My family teases me about it as I always have a book in my hands. I read on planes, in cars and in waiting rooms everywhere. I read at least 3 and 4 books a week depending on their size. Reading relaxes me. I also learn facts about places I have never been. Keep on writing.