Comments on US Reading Habits

Cloud · 08-21-2007, 07:18 PM

Where You Fall in US Reading Habits

I suspect almost all of us here are readers, but according to this news story (and others like them), the US is not a nation of readers. This pretty much confounds me, since my house is always bursting at the scenes with books. Books fill my life, house, car . . . you get the idea. And I can never find a parking place at the Barnes & Noble! (But that may be the coffee . . . ). How many books do I read a year? Who the fuck knows? Maybe --- 50 to 70?

Among the interesting tidbits in the article:

Quote:

One in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year . . . At the same time, book enthusiasts abound.

Women read more than men; Democrats read more than Republicans; Southerners read a bit more than the rest of the country; seniors read more, whites read more than Blacks or Hispanics . . .

Oh yeah--I'm an old, white, Democrat-type, college-educated broad, now living in Texas . . . maybe that's why!

HungLikeJesus · 08-21-2007, 07:29 PM

Cloud,
I'm reading about the same number of books per year (but maybe not the same titles). Last year I started to keep a reading log, but stopped maintaining it after about 6 months, and I think I'd read 42 books at that point.

But a funny thing happened to me about two months ago - I lost interest in reading fiction. I just don't have any enthusiasm for it. I hope this is temporary, because I'd been reading almost constantly since the day before I was born.

Cloud · 08-21-2007, 07:34 PM

The article blames movies, the Internet and other media for the decline, and I have to agree. A few years ago, when I discovered my particular fiction obsession on the 'Net, my fiction reading went way down for several years. It went back up again, but perhaps not to its previous level. I read lots of non-fiction, too.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-21-2007, 07:40 PM

Bah, reading is so like 20th century. Hook up the electrodes.

Cloud · 08-21-2007, 07:42 PM

which reminds me . . . I want to read Neuromancer again. I read it when it first came out, which must be . . . what? 20 years ago? I want to see what my perceptions of cyberspace are now.

DanaC · 08-21-2007, 07:50 PM

HLJ, I go through phases like that from time to time. Sometimes that 'phase' can last a year or more.

HungLikeJesus · 08-21-2007, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

The article blames movies, the Internet and other media for the decline, and I have to agree. A few years ago, when I discovered my particular fiction obsession on the 'Net, my fiction reading went way down for several years. It went back up again, but perhaps not to its previous level. I read lots of non-fiction, too.

I'm blaming the Cellar.

You guys are just way too interesting.

SteveDallas · 08-22-2007, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

The Written Word -- Come on, do we really need all these fucking books? And don't get me started on the Internet.

Shawnee123 · 08-22-2007, 09:23 AM

I'm a voracious reader, always have been. I can't imagine not being into it...but some of the people i admire most in my life do not read for pleasure. Somehow, that seems flawed to me.

piercehawkeye45 · 08-22-2007, 09:39 AM

50 books a year, wow.

Over the summer (may 15th -now) I've read 9 books and working on my 10th, most of them non-fiction.

When I get back to college I will probably finish one book a semester due to an increase in homework and social life.

Stormieweather · 08-22-2007, 12:08 PM

Now that I'm working two jobs (65-80 hrs per week total), I can only manage one book a week. Previously, when I worked a normal 40 hour week, I could read 2-3 a week. When not working at all, I go through one a day. I try to choose average sized paperbacks (I can't afford hardbacks at the rate I read) of about 500 pages. Less than that and I feel like I've been teased (and wasted my money). I usually read popular fiction, although I also read non-fiction on topics that interest me. Those take me more time as I try to absorb and learn from them, rather than escape or create a mental movie.

Stormie

jester · 08-22-2007, 02:42 PM

I just skimmed over the article and don't believe it noted much about "younger age" as in 14 - 18 yr olds (boys mostly). I'm certain their numbers are down because of the computer/internet, video games and ipods.

Shawnee123 · 08-22-2007, 02:48 PM

Oh, I don't know...stickball was just as good a diversion as a video game.

Shawnee123 · 08-22-2007, 02:58 PM

At first I thought maybe that link went to some kind of calculation thing, like where you enter your answers and it tells you something about those answers. Then I thought, how in the hell would that work?
Please enter the number of books you read in a year.
Submit.
Then it goes through some big mathmathetical calculation and tells you how many books you read in a year.:p

deadbeater · 08-22-2007, 04:09 PM

I think I read about 1000-2000 pages a day--on the Internet. Tends to cramp on my book time.

08-21-2007, 07:29 PM	#2
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Cloud, I'm reading about the same number of books per year (but maybe not the same titles). Last year I started to keep a reading log, but stopped maintaining it after about 6 months, and I think I'd read 42 books at that point. But a funny thing happened to me about two months ago - I lost interest in reading fiction. I just don't have any enthusiasm for it. I hope this is temporary, because I'd been reading almost constantly since the day before I was born. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

08-21-2007, 07:34 PM	#3
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	The article blames movies, the Internet and other media for the decline, and I have to agree. A few years ago, when I discovered my particular fiction obsession on the 'Net, my fiction reading went way down for several years. It went back up again, but perhaps not to its previous level. I read lots of non-fiction, too. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

08-21-2007, 07:40 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Bah, reading is so like 20th century. Hook up the electrodes. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-21-2007, 07:42 PM	#5
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	which reminds me . . . I want to read Neuromancer again. I read it when it first came out, which must be . . . what? 20 years ago? I want to see what my perceptions of cyberspace are now. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

08-22-2007, 09:23 AM	#9
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	I'm a voracious reader, always have been. I can't imagine not being into it...but some of the people i admire most in my life do not read for pleasure. Somehow, that seems flawed to me. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

08-21-2007, 07:50 PM	#6
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	HLJ, I go through phases like that from time to time. Sometimes that 'phase' can last a year or more.

08-22-2007, 09:39 AM	#10
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	50 books a year, wow. Over the summer (may 15th -now) I've read 9 books and working on my 10th, most of them non-fiction. When I get back to college I will probably finish one book a semester due to an increase in homework and social life.

08-22-2007, 12:08 PM	#11
Stormieweather Wearing her bitch boots Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Floriduh Posts: 1,181	Now that I'm working two jobs (65-80 hrs per week total), I can only manage one book a week. Previously, when I worked a normal 40 hour week, I could read 2-3 a week. When not working at all, I go through one a day. I try to choose average sized paperbacks (I can't afford hardbacks at the rate I read) of about 500 pages. Less than that and I feel like I've been teased (and wasted my money). I usually read popular fiction, although I also read non-fiction on topics that interest me. Those take me more time as I try to absorb and learn from them, rather than escape or create a mental movie. Stormie __________________ "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi

08-22-2007, 02:42 PM	#12
jester why so serious Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,712	I just skimmed over the article and don't believe it noted much about "younger age" as in 14 - 18 yr olds (boys mostly). I'm certain their numbers are down because of the computer/internet, video games and ipods.

08-22-2007, 02:48 PM	#13
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Oh, I don't know...stickball was just as good a diversion as a video game. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

08-22-2007, 02:58 PM	#14
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	At first I thought maybe that link went to some kind of calculation thing, like where you enter your answers and it tells you something about those answers. Then I thought, how in the hell would that work? Please enter the number of books you read in a year. Submit. Then it goes through some big mathmathetical calculation and tells you how many books you read in a year.:p __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

08-22-2007, 04:09 PM	#15
deadbeater Sir Post-A-Lot Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 439	I think I read about 1000-2000 pages a day--on the Internet. Tends to cramp on my book time.

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