tags: books, AP-Ipsos poll, book reading
As you know, I am trying to learn more about your reading habits and book choices, so I was surprised to learn that one in four adults say they have read no books at all in the past year. Of those who did read, women and seniors were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices. This is according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll that was released Tuesday.
Several more findings in this poll include;
- The average person polled claimed to have read just four books in the last year. So basically, half of the respondents read more and half read fewer than that.
- Excluding those respondents who hadn't read any books at all, the typical number of books read was seven (nine books for women and five for men).
- Those who read a lot are more likely to be White Southern Democrats or liberals with college degrees who are aged 50 or above and never attend religious services.
- Those who do not read at all are politically conservative older minorities who are less educated and have lower incomes, living in rural areas and are less religious than average.
- The poll also found that the Bible and religious works were read by two-thirds in the survey, more than all other categories. Popular fiction, histories, biographies and mysteries were all cited by about half, while one in five read romance novels. Every other genre -- including politics, poetry and classical literature -- were named by fewer than five percent of readers.
- More women than men read every major category of books except for history and biography.
- Those likeliest to read religious books included older and married women, lower earners, minorities, lesser educated people, Southerners, rural residents, Republicans and conservatives.
What surprised you about these poll results? I was not surprised to learn that women and seniors are more likely to be devoted book readers, but I was surprised that so many people claimed not to have read a book at all during the past year. I was also surprised that people who live in major urban centers, such as NYC for example, did not have a greater prominence in the poll results. Anyone who has ridden the subway knows that anywhere from half to nearly all the commuters in a subway car are reading a book of some sort, which doesn't include those who are reading magazines and newspapers. On the other hand, this may not mean anything since the different percentages of readers reported in the poll are probably not statistically significant, although I have not seen the data so I can be sure of this.
How many books do you read per year? I read at least 100 books per year, in many different genres except religious books, romance novels and science fiction.
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Thanks for posting this, although it's pretty shocking. It's really sad when the baseline for a poll like this has to be 0 ("Have you read any books this year?" rather than "How many did you read this year?"), although it's a good thing they didn't interview me because I'd throw the poll way off. I haven't done an official count yet, but I know it's over 100 too, and in about another week I'm going to take a picture of all the books that I read over the summer alone.
It is disappointing that so many people don't care to read, though; given the poll results you'd think that book stores like Barnes & Noble and Borders wouldn't do enough business to survive. Still, I like to give books as gifts for birthdays/holidays/etc., although most of the time when I asked how people liked them they reply that they just haven't gotten around to it yet.
I'm a liberal with college degrees who is aged 50 or above and never attends religious services. Because I remain quite busy as a software developer, maintain two houses and try to spend quality time with my family, my reading is pretty limited. Books read this year include Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker and The God Delusion, Seth Lloyd's Programming the Universe, and at least four technical volumes related to my profession. Before I married, I used to read at least two books per week; priorities change...
I am a partially college educated - dinero or time was the issue and dinero was required for living - white male in my early thirties. I am married and we have a single child. I'm moderate to slightly conservative, but that isn't a good description of Me politically. In some respects I am an extremely liberal person. In other ways, I'm a conservative and in some cases even a 19th century politico. I am not a religious man either. I read. A fair amount at least. A crazy amount compared to the people in the poll.
Currently I reading Ward's new book Under a Green Sky. My last book was Horns and Beaks. The book before that was Opening the Borders. Prior to that was a book about annexing Mexico. Prior was a history of the Cold War. Oh heck, it's all on my blog as I finish them.
I would say about 5% of what I read are politically related. 10% of what I read is architecture/construction/home improvement related. About 40% of what I read is science related. About 35% of what I read is history related. I don't read much fiction anymore. It used to be 50%, but since I got married I don't have as much time.
This past year I would say I've read about 36 books. When I was single I was reading approximately three to four times that per year. That's not counting work related materials either.
Yeah, I saw that poll too and commented on it a little. I guess what I find surprising is that so many people were willing to admit to not having read anything. I'd personally be too ashamed. In fact if I go for more than a couple of days without cracking a decent book, I start feeling unclean.
I'm one of those annoying parallel readers too. I'm currently making my way through Pynchon (Gravity's Rainbow), a Pratchett Discworld novel and a tech book on the LAB colorspace in Photoshop.
Actually that poll doesn't line up with other (much larger and more rigorous) surveys by the National Endowment for the Arts, the US Census, the National Science Foundation, and others. I compared this poll to the others in some detail here. Basically, it's more likely that 45-60% of American adults didn't read a book in the last year.
(I've written more about those larger studies in posts on "How much do we read?" and "Who reads genre fiction?")
Moderate lefty female, college-degreed, married, no kids, and I read anywhere from 20-50 books per year as well as a variety of magazines (fashion to science). My reading is 100% non-fiction, mostly politics, sociology, biography and science with a dose of humor and travel in the mix.
I agree with those who are saying that it's nothing to brag about to admit to not reading. My former husband was always quite proud of the fact that he didn't read, and in his parents' house the closest you ever found to a book was the latest golfing magazine. Then and now, it seems like another universe to me.
Those poll results are really disturbing. Going a year without reading a book? I just plain don't understand, reading is just a default part of my life, I guess. To answer your question about our reading habits: I am a college student, I read about two books a week when classes are in session and about four a week on summer/holiday breaks, although it can vary depending on the length/density of the books.
more then a 100 books...wow. Even when I had a bunch of free time I would have never managed to read that much. Interesting poll. Since I started my family I only manage 3-5 books a year. Actually whenever I have a new book my husband and daughter look totally dismayed since they will not have my full attention all the time!
I read at least 100 books per year. Many people I know read at least 50. Heavy nonfiction or a classic or literary fiction might take me a week but I read other things at the same timd, like romance and fantasy.
I'm shocked by how surprised most people are when they learn how little people read...
Really, you must be living on college campuses or something if you don't realize how many people don't read at all.
I read, on average, between 100 and 150 books per year. I started keeping track a few years ago (YAY LibraryThing). This year, I've already read more than 150, but since I was homeschooling my son during this time, a lot of those are children's books we read together. Even so, if I count just the books I'd have read for my own enjoyment, I've read at least 80 already this year. Probably 70% fiction (mostly contemporary "literature," horror, classics and "chick lit") and 30% nonfiction of various stripes (parenting, and various cultural things I find interesting). I'm 41, female, some college (but never completed a degree), liberal, married with one child, a stay-at-home-mom living in the northeastern U.S., but native to California.
This doesn't surprise me at all. Just communiating with people is tougher with those who don't read a lot. I read quite a bit and would read more if I had time. The problem is I often get those deer in the headlights looks when I use what people call "big words". The sad thing is that the looks come from people my age (38) and younger. I read mostly older fiction (almost no new releases) with an average age of 50 years or more, non-fiction science and business management.