One in four read no books last year
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.
The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn't read any, the usual number read was seven.
"I just get sleepy when I read," said Richard Bustos of Dallas, a habit with which millions of Americans can doubtless identify. Bustos, a 34-year-old project manager for a telecommunications company, said he had not read any books in the last year and would rather spend time in his backyard pool.
That choice by Bustos and others is reflected in book sales, which have been flat in recent years and are expected to stay that way indefinitely. Analysts attribute the listlessness to competition from the Internet and other media, the unsteady economy and a well-established industry with limited opportunities for expansion.
When the Gallup poll asked in 2005 how many books people had at least started — a similar but not directly comparable question — the typical answer was five. That was down from 10 in 1999, but close to the 1990 response of six.
In 2004, a National Endowment for the Arts report titled "Reading at Risk" found only 57 percent of American adults had read a book in 2002, a four percentage point drop in a decade. The study faulted television, movies and the Internet.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070821/...bits_ap_poll_1
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Again, my usual disclaimer about polls. THEY ALL SUCK...
But this topic is one that disturbs me. However, for those that read this story, it can be misleading in that some might consider the idea that one in four simply don't read. As demonstrated by the project manager who would rather spend time in his pool.
I enjoy reading. I enjoy the mental stimulation of reading a story and being able to mentally picture it as the story/pages move along.
There's nothing better than wrapping up in a heavy throw on a chase lounge on a rainy winter/cold (winter in Houston -) day and reading a good book.
I have two genre's of books/print that I read. Educational/professional and fiction.
Cold rainy days with a little solitude are reserved for a good fiction story.
Most of all I just enjoy reading. Be it on the internet or on paper. Its almost not understandable why someone cant find ejoyment in reading.
Originally Posted by Kranar
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