One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year- Page 2
One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
erikaamato
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/04
#25re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:33pmLOL! Exactly! I truly wish I had more time to read for fun, but I just don't. I used to be conidered a voracious reader, and prided myself on that fact, so I get defensive when informed that I'm not even a real reader anymore. By comparison, that is. :-P
#26re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:37pmI know what you mean, Erika. I have to read so many trades, travel books, 120-page dry-doodle industry studies and such for work, a lot of times the "fun" reading gets shoved to the back. That's what plane rides are for, I guess!
#27re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:41pm
Hmmm, I didn't read ym78's posts as being critical of others who don't read as much. Hell, I read maybe 1 or two books a year because my interests are elsewhere as well. I think she was just surprised to see what the averages are considering how much she reads as it's her primary interest.
I really didn't read it as if she was informing anyone that they aren't a real reader.
Updated On: 8/23/07 at 12:41 PM
erikaamato
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/04
#28re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:46pm
Calvin: Exactly! I just read 2 1/2 books on my trip to New York. One on the way there, 3/4 of one while there, then finished that one and started the next on the way back. Now the one that I started is just sitting on my nightstand, looking pitiful. lol
Patronus: Oh, I'm sure she didn't mean it that way, but she did say, "I'm having enough trouble with the idea that the average person who does read books only reads 7 in a year. I've read three times that since January." I just wanted to help her understand how that's possible.
Updated On: 8/23/07 at 12:46 PM
#29re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:48pm
I'm always amazed at people's ability read and wish I could do it. I'm an antsy enough person as it is, but when I start reading I just can't focus and have to keep getting up and down. It's a curse.
Newspapers, internet etc - I'm fine with...books give me hives. 
#30re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 12:57pmBetween working on 5 shows in various capacities, playing softball, skiing, biking, working 40+ hours a week at my day job + my freelance gigs, and having a social life, I'm amazed I managed to read 1 book last year.
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
#31re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 1:10pmI read enough books that I don't bother counting (spawn of 2 librarians) but I guess no one bothered polling me. My dad probably reads four books a week and would probably single-handedly raise the average a few notches.
Wanting life but never knowing how
#32re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 2:10pmThat's really depressing.
finebydesign
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/17/07
#33re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 3:27pm
I'm going to have to say that this is amazingly HIGH!
I would have assumed it would be lower. That is 75%!
Our literacy rate is certainly lower than that.
"You're kidding, right? Americans are brainless, uneducated idiots who would rather spend their time killing innocent animals for fun or sitting on their fat asses eating fast food and watching reality TV than reading (or learning to read, or to think)."
Do you have any idea what the rest of the world is doing? Billions of people in this world of ours have no access to books. I'm not going to defend American intelligence, but I will tell you people in this country live VERY WELL. The lifestyle you describe is a luxurious one and one many people admire. Reading does not equate intelligence. Who are you to decide that reading is culturally superior to television?
#34re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 3:27pmI certainly did not intend to imply that anyone is not a real reader. I'm sure I shouldn't have been, but I was truly shocked to see how many people reported that they had not read single book over the course of a year. And I was honestly surprised to realize just how much I do skew from the norm. I do understand that many, many people are just plain too busy to devote much time to the reading of books. I've certainly been there myself. I apologize to anyone who was offended by my post.
#35re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 4:15pmClearly those people aren't in Grad School where you have to read until your eyes fall out of your head...unless that sort of reading doesn't count. Though I don't see why it shouldn't.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#36re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 5:08pm
"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."
With the new Harry Potter book listing at $35, who can afford books? I make use of my library card.
28 books read since January. (Of course my apartment needs a good cleaning, a new paint job and some spackling).
#37re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 5:37pm
Gotham, I bought my copy for 19.99 or something like that... where is it not on sale?
Erikaamato, you learned ASL fluently since the beginning of the year? I'm impressed! I'm starting to learn French. Studying languages is fun. I started on ASL but I got bored ^^;;
Finebydesign, there's an endless number of books that are more nourishing than almost anything you'll find on television... at least more than the things most Americans watch en masse. There's a reason the rest of the world has the lazy fat American stereotype.
I average one or two books a week, but sometimes I'll take a few weeks on a book. I probably read 40 to 50 books a year. I just take books with me everywhere though so I read whenever I find time to (and I am capable of turning off the TV :P). I just finished The Ruins this morning. It was okay.
joey
#38re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 5:49pm
Honestly, I would have have guessed 2 out of 4 Americans had read no books last year.
gymdudeva
Broadway Star Joined: 1/29/07
#39re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 6:32pm
I think the term "literacy," and the various country rankings thereof, usually refers to the basic ability to read and write in a basic way, not whether you read books or not. Almost all people who never read a book are still literate.
I too thought it would be higher than one in four. I assume it will only get worse, as people are more and more attention-deficit. You cannot multitask and read a book, like you can when you are listening to music, working on the computer, watching TV, etc. And I may be wrong, but the time-is-money attitude seems to be more and more prevalent....reading does take time and does nothing to increase your property values or your stock portfolio. Artistic and intellectual persuits solely for their own sake seem to be more and more suspect and discouraged. People read to define and enrich their lives by looking through a broader lens at the human condition, but sadly, I think that many see that as an empty pursuit, and they don't understand any enrichment that is not material. Because what you are is what you own, anyway.
erikaamato
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/04
#40re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 6:37pm
yoda: Eek! I didn't mean to imply I was offended by your post. I was just defending the position of those of us who love to read, but have to do so much reading related to our work, that very little recreational reading gets done. 
Roninjoey: Good lord, no! I am not fluent in ASL by any stretch of the imagination, but I can make myself understood and carry on a conversation. I had to learn it extremely fast while working on a show in LA. (It was a co-production of Deaf West Theatre and Center Theatre Group.) It was like the immersion method, you know? Sink or swim, and all that.
#41re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 6:46pm
"I wonder how many BWW folks read no books last year"
Wonder no more!
I've tried many times but I have a severe case of ADD.I can't do anything for more than a few minutes at a time.
#42re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 6:53pm
"Clearly those people aren't in Grad School where you have to read until your eyes fall out of your head."
No, I'm not in grad school-I got my MA a long time ago.
I don't think I'm doing too badly with the little that I do read. I read what I have to and I'm certainly not uncultured. I wish I could read-I have a few books that I borrowed with good intentions but it doesn't work.
#43re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 7:15pmoy, I didn't mean to kill this thread. Please go on!
#44re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 8:03pm
Jane, that's something else we have in common (to go along with our praise of the wonderful cinema that is Die Hard).
I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but that sounds like what I run into when I try and read something that I'm not extremely into. I'm trying to make it more of a point to read, but it's a challenge.
Updated On: 8/23/07 at 08:03 PM
DG
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#45re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 8:08pm
When I sit to read a book, all else fades. I forget that the dog needs to be fed, much less myself. I give myself over to it completely, which is probably why I'm a little picky about what I surrender to.
Updated On: 8/23/07 at 08:08 PM
#46re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 9:16pm
Patronus, I have it so bad that I have a round robin life. I can't do anything for a long time, so I spend a few minutes at the computer, then I have to get up and get something to eat, then I have to sit in front of the tv for a few minutes, then I do something in the way of straightening out my apt., then I look at one piece of mail, , then play with my parrot, and then start the whole thing over. This way nothing gets done completely.
I hope you don't have it like I do! I haven't been diagnosed by anyone but myself, btw!
The last book I read was a few years ago-the one written by Carny Wilson about her loss of weight. oy!
DG-I'm sometimes able to do that with a good film. It's great!
wexy
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/19/05
#47re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 9:32pm
I do all my reading on the subway. I've been taking the trains to work for many years and have read hundreds of books. However the three years I drove to work, I probably read three books. I think that the subway is a blessing for readers. I've had great conversation with people about books on the train.
Time is of the essence and if you don't have the time to read, you can't.
DG
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#48re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/23/07 at 9:47pmWexy - my best friend shares your philosophy about using the available time, but being a driving commuter, she listens to audio books.
kellybean2
Stand-by Joined: 8/5/07
#49re: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Posted: 8/24/07 at 6:55am
Reading is fun - I was an avid reader as a child, but like many of you, life now interferes with that pursuit.
However, I do find it interesting that with the discussion here of what crap most of television is these days, we're not mentioning what crap a lot of books out there are. Reading itself is not necessarily as noble as we're all making it. What is being read is important as well.
Videos