When was the last time you sat down with a good book and enjoyed a couple of hours of reading for fun, immersed in the world of international intrigue, romance, or a case of murder?
Over the last several decades, the competition for your attention has intensified. Almost a century ago, it was the radio, with networks seducing the public into “a tale well calculated to keep you in … Suspense!” Years later, television began zapping our brain cells as the nation concentrated on shows like Bewitched, Dallas, Melrose Place, and Murder, She Wrote. Today, a bombardment of options is at our fingertips – Netflix, social media, and President Donald Trump’s press conferences – to entertain and distract us from the hebetudinous nature of our daily lives and the chaos in the world.
It turns out that all of these inventions have eviscerated the ancient practice of reading for fun.
Goodbye, Reading for Fun
Researchers at the University of Florida and the University of College London surveyed more than 236,000 Americans between 2003 and 2023 to determine their daily reading habits. The research found that reading for pleasure (for reasons other than school and work) declined by 3% annually, dropping to 16% from a peak of 28% in 2004. Overall, leisure reading in the United States has decreased by 40% over the past two decades. The study's authors were also generous, as they did not limit their analysis to books but also included magazines and newspapers.
A deeper dive into the study, published in the journal iScience, revealed that while all demographics registered a decline, the sharpest decreases were observed among black Americans, low-income households, individuals with lower education levels, and rural households. Additionally, women consumed reading material recreationally more than men.
The study's co-author, Jill Sonke, described the findings of a “sustained, steady decline” in devouring the written word as "deeply concerning." "Reading has historically been a low-barrier, high-impact way to engage creatively and improve quality of life,” Sonke said. “When we lose one of the simplest tools in our public health toolkit, it’s a serious loss."
What's worse is that reading for fun with children (reading to and with, listening, and helping) has flatlined, with a noticeable dip in the last two years. “Reading with children daily is less common but has not changed over time,” the paper said.
The good news? Those who indulge in books have increased the time of their cozy tete-a-tetes. Jessica Bone, PhD, senior research fellow in statistics and epidemiology at University College London, says this could be manufacturing a polarization. "While people with higher education levels and women are still more likely to read, even among these groups, we’re seeing shifts," Bone stated. "And among those who do read, the time spent reading has increased slightly, which may suggest a polarization, where some people are reading more while many have stopped reading altogether.”
Economics of Reading
So, if the public is abandoning one of the most fantastic treats in human history, is the industry collapsing? Not necessarily. Authors and businesses are adapting to the changing landscape.
Last year, total domestic book market revenue reached $13.5 billion, representing a 7.1% increase from 2023. Hardback and paperback sales rose 7.2% and 3.5%, respectively. If nobody is reading, how is the sector surviving? As popular X user Owen Gregorian noted of similar numbers: "Must be a few people doing a lot of reading, or a whole lot of unread books. Or both.”
The 2024 best sellers? Kristin Hannah's The Women, Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Dav Pilkey's Dog Man: The Scarlett Shedder: a historical fiction novel set during the Vietnam War, a fantasy romance story, and the latest installment of the incredibly popular children's graphic novel about a half-dog, half-human police officer, respectively.
Sure, today’s options may not be on the level of Marcel Proust or Franz Kafka, but the market never considers the people’s tastes – only what they demand!
What About Audiobooks?
In recent years, digital audio has emerged as the breakout star, recording almost 27% growth. This figure is no surprise, given that many online platforms have expanded their suite of audiobooks.
Of course, the cynics would ask: Does listening to an audiobook on Spotify count as reading for fun? Forty percent of Americans, according to a recent NPR-Ipsos poll, have rejected this assertion, arguing that sitting quietly on one's sofa, on the bus, or in the neighborhood library requires a vastly different skill set than auditory comprehension.
While true, the other side of the argument is that individuals are upgrading from the “brain rot” of doom scrolling on TikTok, X, or YouTube Shorts, because hours-long audiobooks are a superior choice. At this point, with our attention spans eroding and our brains deteriorating daily, the country will settle for anything it can get. Books matter, whether they are read or heard.
