Article includes a bunch of interesting numbers, like that the median American reader (of any gender) reads 5 books a year. Most countries don't have these data but I'd guess this is kind of the ballpark all around. Frankly, higher than I expected, calling it a win www.vox.com/culture/3929... - ThreadSky

vajra.me • 55 days ago

Article includes a bunch of interesting numbers, like that the median American reader (of any gender) reads 5 books a year. Most countries don't have these data but I'd guess this is kind of the ballpark all around. Frankly, higher than I expected, calling it a win

https://www.vox.com/culture/392971/men-reading-fiction-statistics-fact-checked

Comments

penguin-pete.bsky.social•55 days ago

That's a heck of a lot higher than I ever heard before. Back in the 70s I remember a statistic that the average American bought just one book per year, and odds were better than half that they'd buy a recipe cookbook.

julietemckenna.bsky.social•55 days ago

I recall years ago, reading in a reputable UK newspaper article of well-supported statistics, that the book trade is sustained by the readers of 5-12 books a year, who are 90+% of readers - bearing in mind that around 50% of people routinely read no books whatsoever.

vajra.me•55 days ago

The upper range of that is much higher than I would have expected. A book a month is not bad! I genuinely expected these numbers to be like 1-2 books a year

julietemckenna.bsky.social•55 days ago

It would be very interesting to see that survey repeated, to see what might have changed. It was before the surge in digital ebook availability for a start.

julietemckenna.bsky.social•55 days ago

And digital audiobooks as well

ausir.bsky.social•55 days ago

The Polish one is done annually by the National Library

ausir.bsky.social•55 days ago

(so there’s always the yearly Debate on the state of readership in Poland when they publish their report)

ausir.bsky.social•55 days ago

I haven’t seen a median reader number, but here in Poland only 43% people have read at least 1 book in 2023 (and only 34% in 2022); 50% women and 36% men.

ausir.bsky.social•55 days ago

And only around 8% have read 7 books or more in a year

naima-online.bsky.social•55 days ago

Does this statistics include students? The compulsory purchases of students' books may make the numbers go up and not necessarily represent fairly the reading population trends.

julietemckenna.bsky.social•55 days ago

Good question. I don't recall whether or not that was mentioned. I will see if I can dig out a scan of the article. Fairly sure I made one.

vajra.me•55 days ago

in other words, everybody on here is spiders georg of books

vajra.me•55 days ago

which is not news at all of course (it's true of all bookish spaces online and off, just with different sets of books) but it's a reminder I often realize I need because when someone asks for book recs and I mention something that I think everyone knows and is probably tired of hearing about...

dedreamer.bsky.social•55 days ago

I always wonder about those numbers because it's got to be some people reading over 100 a year and the vast majority reading no books at all. I also wonder if they count audiobooks. I think a lot of people who can't read text might get into audiobooks during a long commute or as background sound

itsjanith.bsky.social•55 days ago

To be fair post Oct 7, the amount of fiction from a few "news" orgs has exponentially increased.

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