It's the start of another university school year. The bookstore is thriving on the book purchases that students are required by professors to make.
But what about reading for fun? Does anybody do it anymore?
A recent AP-Ipsos poll finds that 25 percent of adults didn't read ANY books last year! The other 75 percent reported reading an average of seven books in 2006.
What's that? About one book every two months?
Okay, so a book is this print thing that has lots of pages, costs money, and has to be lugged around. It's not instantanous, and it's not on a screen for free.
Most college students probably read so much for school that many don't read for entertainment during their university years. Of course, if you don't read for entertainment, reading a book for school might be a painful experience...
So there might be three questions here:
1. Do you read books? How many? How often? What genre?
2. Do you read anything for entertainment? Websites, online books, comic books?
3. And if you don't read books...or much of anything for fun... why not?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
39 comments:
I used to enjoy reading, especially books on pagan spirituality; but it seems that often books are placed in the same category with horse-drawn carriages and the corset. Sometimes life get so crazy that watching 30 minutes of TV is a chore... forget a 400 page novel. Although this weekend I managed 400+ pages in a little over a day and a half. The book was sex filled so it kept my attention. Other than that to text messages and text books count?
Ad.collins 241099
I do read books. I rather enjoy reading most books. I don't read books as often as I used to however. I used to read books mostly of a fantasy genre; Robert Jordan and the likes. Lately I've begun to enjoy the works of James Clavell. Ideally when I am reading for a book it is purly for entertainment but with some historical accuracy and/or usable information in it. I like the focus to be on the story and entertainment value, but I appreciate when information is conveyed and present in the story as well. If I were to guess however, I believe two of the primary factors in the decline of books being read are time consumption and the lack of social interaction. What I mean by the former is that reading a good book usually takes a considerable amount of time; more-so to a person who doesn't frequently read. Few people are willing to set aside time for this when the movie version is an option and only take 90 minutes. The other reason that reading isn't social. It can of course be made more social through book clubs and things of that nature, however reading a book is largely something done alone. With American society being what it is, few people want to spend the hours it takes to read a book in a room by themselves. Watching a movie even has become a social activity. But books leave little room for social happenings.
I'm not surprised that 25 percent of Americans didn't read any books in 2006.
A large part American culture says to fill time with work. There's always something to do and so people's personal hobbies and interests get put on the bench.
I enjoy reading books for pleasure. Anything from mysteries to adventure. But even though life gets busy, I really make time to read Christian inspirational books through out the school semesters. When things calm down, I read more.
And though people are highly into technology these days, I like the fact that I can physically hold a book and not have go on my computer to read it. Books are more personable this way, you can write in them or do whatever.
I do think that if you read books for entertainment it will be much easier to read textbooks, it won't fill like such a chore.
And here's a thought: When the electricity goes out because of a storm, what are people going to do if everything is technology related?
I read for fun. I usually read books by Mercedes Lackey. The genre I like reading books from is mostly science fiction and fantasy. I usually read at least 10-15 books for fun each year. I usually do not read school books because they are packed with too much information and it becomes boring to read them.
I love to read and I always have but lately I haven't been reading as much as I would like to. Books are so relaxing and they take you away from everything going on around you, but finding the time to relax and read is the problem. When I do find time, I really enjoy reading mysteries because they are so intense that they make you not want to put the book down. During the summer is when I do most of my pleasure reading. No one wants to read when they get a break from school. Today's generation would much rather be playing guitar hero or surfing the internet rather then reading a good book. It's pretty sad!
I am not surprised that only a handful of people read during 2006. Nowadays, people are so illiterate about things it is ridiculous. I enjoy reading, it takes my mind off things and is very relaxing. I believe if more people read, today's society wouldn't be so barbaric and stupid. Maybe adolescents wouldn't be so fat and lazy. A very wise professor told me that if you don't like to read, then don't go to college and waste your parents' money.
I absolutely love to read books of any kind! Especially fiction books. I get an extra unnecessary dose of non-fiction reading during my months in school. This causes me to have less time to put into any extra reading for nothing but pure enjoyment. The only time I ever really have free time anymore is right before I go to bed, and by that time I'm usually too tired to comprehend what I read. I'm sure this problem is the same for lots of people. Otherwise, I would highly believe that the cause for a lack of people reading for enjoyment would be because they've discovered other forms of entertainment that they would claim as more engaging and what I've heard as, "more exciting" than just reading from page to page.
There are times that reading a book is a lot better then the internet or the television. People now are really into the internet reading and that is cool but there is a lot of distractions for someone my age or even the age group 16-25. What i'm saying is that the younger generation is a regular on the world wide web that it is nothing to them but i like to read to just relax and not have my mind wondering through the Internet.
1. Do you read books? How many? How often? What genre? Yes, i do read books, it depends on how many but it is more around 1 or 2 a month if i get that free time.
2. Do you read anything for entertainment? Websites, online books, comic books? I'm a big sport nut and i love reading breaking news on those famous sports stars.
3. And if you don't read books...or much of anything for fun... why not?
I still enjoy reading, though i do not consider myself the biggest reader. I try to read as much as I can whether its for school or not. Right now in college I don't have the most time for pleasure reading, but when I do get an extra minute I like to get away with a good book. During the summer is when I get most of my pleasure reading done. Mystery, suspense, fiction, life lesson, moral, ethical, psychological, comedy...I am into interested reading anything that helps me gain knoledge in where i'm at in my journy through life.
Reading to me is not a fun piece of entertainment. It takes too long. I would rather watch a movie or a TV show than read a book
I usually don't read unless its a new Harry Potter book. I think a big reason for the declining intrest in books is that print is getting out of style. I think people are finding tv shows to be more interesting and lately a lot of books are being made into movies. And reading a book is a lot of work as well, so overall I think that people are looking for the easy road here and that is to not read books anymore.
I have to admit that I am that student who tries to read more in the summer and makes all the promises to herself to read more and more books all year long. However, I eventually tell myself that I am too busy with school, work ,and many other daily assignments and tasks that I say to myself "Well I will read for school, that should be enough."
So I read books...kind of, maybe not one every two months, but a few a year outside of school. I would say that I am the person who reads maybe one every three months. When I do read I pick topics of interests like, books that were made into movies. The books are always better, so I try to read them before I see them. Also, I try to read books that relate to a people, not self help but self interest.
Aside from the four books a year that I randomly read or am sent by my book worm mother, I like to read entertainment articles when I work out. In a daily routine I try to read at least three articles that have high national interest. Online reading that I like to find falls under new developments or new studies in health and ideas nothing else is that interesting and is normally written better elsewhere.
Truth be told I know I should read more books I would be probably be better off personally and professionally!
I really enjoy reading. It helps keep the mind active. But it becomes more and more apparent that not many people like it anymore. Why read a book when you could watch tv or get on the internet? I really wonder if many parents read a bedtime story to their kids anymore??
"I am part of all I have read." John Kieran. For those of us who are readers we understand this statement. An educated society is critical for a democracy to flourish. Books play an important role in this. It is concerning that reading levels, as measured by standardized test scores, continues to decline among children. If they do read they are reading low culture books such as Harry Potter. They should be reading books on the environment, different cultures and learning about politics. Why are some of us readers and others are not? Did your parents read to you as children? I would be interested to know. I would revise John Kiernan's quote to read, "All that I have read is part of me." On that note, I recommend Peter Singers book titled Animal Liberation.
I do enjoy reading books, i tend to read only what interests me, mostly sports. However, being a full time student and having a part time and dealing with all the pressures that come along with this does effect how much i do read. so i can see why 25 percent adults do not read, i guess it comes down to having the time set aside to enjoy what you like to read.
I love reading books but, I do have trouble finding time to read during my busy school year. I now spend most of my time with my head in my school books rather than reading a book that I truly want to read & not just have to read for an assignment or to study.
I read about a book every few months when I'm not in a school semester. I read zero books (other than my Bible) when I'm in a school semester.
I love to read inspirational books because when I read, I want to learn something that will have an eternal impact on me.
I really don't read any books (or anything other source of media) solely for entertainment. Like I said, I like reading to gain understanding and learn something.
1. yes - between 6 and 12 a year - one year, I read around 40! (mostly paperbacks) A little bit of everything but sci fi and fantasy make up a good part.
2. yes, lots - All of the above.
3. I read to know issues and concepts more fully than spoken words can teach. Verbal learning is the most basic way we learn but the written word doesn't change and can be re-referenced better in my mind if I have seen the words with my own eyes. The need for books will always be with us as long as we need to know about our past or take flights of fancy or learn about the world.
I really do not read many books, between class baeball and homework there is not much time.I think some people read to relax while, I do anything else to distract my mind. When I do read it is mostly about sports and what is happening currently in the world. It is basically impossible to write abook about what happens everyday, and staying on top of things happening faily, is what I am interested in.
Books are my obsession. There is no real open wall space in my bedroom, only crammed bookshelves, and most of the floor is taken up by stacks of books as well. Even when I'm in school I read, though sometimes that does make me put off homework and assignments that may actually get done otherwise. Right now I technically have three books on the go, the shortest of which is almost 900 pages.
The books I read vary from fantasy and historical fiction to biographies and short stories, as long as the writing is good or the plot is well thought out I can get absorbed in pretty much anything. Books are like little worlds in and of themselves, and they're worlds you can carry around and slip into for a few minutes whenever you have the time, and somehow nothing can really come close to that feel and smell of ink on good paper.
I never enjoyed reading books, I actually hated reading books and especially text books. Last summer I had a really boring job and I forced myself to read a book. I ended up reading three books over the summer. The books I read were mystery books and I haven't been able to get into any other type of books. Now that school has started I have not read any books and do not want to. School work and studying can get very tiring and overwhelming and when I don't have to read or study for a class it is the last thing I want to do. Maybe this summer I will continue to read it just depends. I think that new technology and the spread of the internet is taking reading out of our culture. I would rather watch a movie or tv show and get a whole story within an hour instead of reading a long book that will take more time. Books used to be a lot more popular when there was less technology, but at the same time I think it just depends on the person. If someone can find something that they enjoy reading about then it makes all the difference.
Reading is actually one of my hobbies. I usually read a book or two a month. Though last year, I read over 8 books to include the Heart of Darkness, The Stranger, The House on Mango Street,The Color Purple, and The Bluest Eye (I listed my favorites). Currently I am reading How the Garcia Girls lost their Accent.I enjoy books that discuss social issues, racial issues, and protest, I also like books that reflect my culture such as the one I am reading now and The house on Mango Street. I must be honest, I am also guilty of loving tabloids. I know they are nearly the lowest form of media, but I am drawn to the celebrities like a moth to a flame.
Honestly, I don't read books for fun at all. Of the books that I have read, I have enjoyed them, but it just isn't something that is thrilling and fun to me. I think the biggest reason my generation doesn't read many books is because of all the other exciting thing to do anymore. First off, there is movies. This takes a lot away because of the simple fact that when there is a good book, chances are that it will become a movie someday. And there are not many people in my generation who don't love real pictures of people moving with real action and real drama in a good story. There is also a big blame on video games. What fun is reading an action gangster book, when you can have a virtual simulation where you are the gangster in a story. The simple fact is that people in my generation like moving, realistic, and to see/do, rather than read words on a page. The next step is jsut to figure out a way to put text books into movie form. (I'm kind of kidding, but it may be something to consider).
Well I am not really a reader but I do enjoy reading a magizane every once in a while. I might read about zero books a year and about 10 magizanes. The magizanes I read is to see whats hot and new in the world today. I do get on the internt a lot so that consist of a of reading. The reason I do not like reading because it puts me to sleep and I never remember what I read.
I think the reason for the decline in book reading is the age we live in. Everything is technologically driven. Between, emails, i.m., gaming systems, iPods, television, work, and possibly school, who has time to read for entertainment anymore? People discuss things that are current and relevant. Like it or not, reading just isn't one of those things anymore.
Personally, I enjoy reading. However, with all the reading required for college, I just don't have time to read for my personal enjoyment. In fact, I barely have time to read all my required coursework. About the only extra reading I engage in is online news sources, which I am also required to know about for a class I'm taking ironically enough.
When I do have time to read, which usually on breaks from school, I prefer fiction to non-fiction and autobiographies. I guess that's partly because reading is an escape from reality for me as well. I don't want to read about it when its something I can walk out my own door and experience for myself.
This makes me really sad. I love books and it breaks my heart that readership is down. I think that it is because everything has to be electrinic or audio because people are to busy to actualy sit diwm and real books. I don't think that it is because you have to lug it around. To answer the questions, I do read books, just more durong school breaks then school years. I always read for entertainment when I read on my own, and I pose that third question to others.
I can definitely say that I used to read a lot of books when I had spare time a few years ago. However, I don't anymore. Not only do I not read books, like I would actually like to again, I don't have the kind of spare time that I used to. When I started college I was in a relationship that I had started in high school and that had actually slowed my reading down by a lot because we were getting serious and becoming more and more inseparable. However, that's not the only thing to blame. There's also the fact that I didn't have a part-time job, homework was not as plentiful, but of course, there has always been school during the day. Now I find that three years later, I'm still in the same relationship, I have a job, too much homework, and since I'm not much of a morning person I will never get up any earlier than I need to for school to be able to read for fun. If anything the only thing that I must always read every month is my Cosmopolitan magazine, which intellectually doesn't benefit me at all, but at least it's something.
I do read an amount of books, and I read them almost every night before I go to bed. When people ask about the type of books I read, I get timid because most of the books I own are astrology, numerology, and psychology. I have mainly Astrology books and I have been reading about the subject for years. I also read about Astrology pretty much every where I go. Online, magazines, and news papers are always used for learning more about the subject. I also indulge in a guilty pleasure called Cosmopolitan because we all know we can not live with out that!
That figure (25%) actually makes me sad, these people really dont know what they are missing.
I have atleast one book in my car, backpack, laptop case, and cubby at work so if i have a free moment i can read. Growing up my family didn't have a lot of money so the library was a free form of entertainment heaven for me.
Being in college and working i can only read two to three books a week, but in the summer and at semester break i read more than a book a day. I love FBI thrillers, Corporate Spy stories, Grrl Genius Guides, and i just finished The Lovely Bones (soon to be a movie).
Aside from books I do read Blogs and spend a consideral amount of time on Wikipedia reading for pure fun and knowledge. Magazine reading is also a delight for me becuase i cannot buy then but if i am given one i read it cover to cover immediatly.
I am genuinly sad for the people that dont find entertainment in reading.
I feel that books are still important in today's society. They are easy to just open up and read without waiting for them to download. Books can be taken anywhere compared to ebooks which have to be downloaded into a reader and then you have until the battery runs out to read the content. The reader most often can be hard to use and confusing. Books can be annotated easily which makes for better understanding and note-taking.
I can honestly say I still read books as often as I can, but I tend to enjoy reading blogs as well. I also enjoy reading newspapers or magazines. Reading helps me to understand what other writers have to say and the techniques they use. This helps me to be a better writer myself.
I myself dont read that many books. I find them very boreing and not that many books can keep my attention that long. I do read much online, being articles, blogs, or short stories. These are all material that I know that I would be interested in. I feel books are so long to consume and it is hard to stay motivated in reading a book.
I myself don't really read books for enjoyment. I actually can't remember the last time I sat down and read a book that I might be interested in. It's been a few years. I read some articles and news papers online but not all the time for entertainment. Some times I do read them for my own knowledge and interest but most of the time it is for a class or assignment. My boyfriend just recently bought me a book so I plan on reading that because it is something that seems interesting to me. If something isn't interesting like a book i have to read for class i hate doing it and even sometimes won't. I really can't explain why I dont read books. I guess these days there are just more interesting media to enjoy and that makes you forget about books.
I understand that in college students my age reading is no longer a main hobby. However, I still do tons of reading. I collect anne rice novels and read all of the time. I do have to admit that I dont read as much as I used to with all of the different social networking sites to keep me busy but I havent completely abandoned reading all together. I do know that most of my close peers dont read so i guess the assumption is quite correct when believing that my younger generation has givin up on reading and has completely focused their attention on the internet and tv.
I am certainly not surprised by the low statistics in readers. It is disappointing that people don’t read books anymore. Young people are too busy reading text messages and emails on myspace.com.
I agree that college students read too many text books and lack time for enjoyment reading. I agree that people, in general, lack time but it is important to make time to snuggle up with a good book.
I love to read books as often as possible. When not doing homework or writing papers, I could read a book in a week or less. Since I am enrolled in college courses, I only read four to five self-help or self-improvement books per year (Purpose Drive, Cure for Common Life and Captivating, a Love story by Ronald Thomas) I will be reading, “Your best life now,” by Joel Osteen over Christmas break. I have read the entire Bible and am reading it again for a second time. I subscribe to a couple of magazines and read only the articles that catch my attention. I enjoy reading interesting articles in the Chieftain and like to keep up with politics and local/world news.
I hope that young people attempt to read more in the future for their own benefit.
I can't concentrate on a book long enough to get through more than five pages. My phone starts ringing or I get a text message and I loose all focus. In general I think people just don't have extra time to read and we all just go straight to the internet. I personally do not have the patience. I can't even read my school books. If I want to fall asleep, I read a book. A book has to be really good in order for me to stay awake and really get the meaning of the book. I try to read books and they are usually books about different countries and places. Sadly, I read about one full book a year.
Joann Babbitt
I absolutely love to read for pleasure, unfortunetely when I am in school I don't have much time to read for pleasure because I am so busy reading my school books or researching. Even though I enjoy reading, I find it very difficult to read many of my text books because some of them are just so dry. I think that in my four years of college I have only had maybe a handfull of books that I actually enjoyed reading, and that is because they were for my criminology classes and the readings included the types of books that I enjoy reading anyway.
When I do get a chance to read, which is usually during Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and Spring break I love to read mysteries, thrillers, and also true crime stories.
I feel that there is nothing like reading a book. It takes you away from all of the worries you have and nothing can compare to a good book.
Nikki A
MCCNM 101@9:30
I think the primary reason that books are on such a decline is because as a society we are alot more interactive when it comes to entertainment. Also, we have more of a "hurry up" mentality. And I see the decline in books to become even more significant because of the fact that they make computers and videogames for even toddlers now. Books wont be able to keep up with electronic forms of media.
Marcus Hunter- MCCNM 101
no one does with all the new technology out there books are outdated. i hate reading its just not my thing when i can watche a very intertaining movie i just dont see why you would read. the future of books does not look good.With ondemand TV, internet and video games and the busy life style we live The life of the book is on its way out,
i think students put off reading unless they absolutely have too, i know this because i am guilty for doing that on certain occasions. me personally dont find reading enjoyable at all. its just one of my things i dont like doing. now that things can be done through e-books or on the internet, you wont see alot of people reading a book when they can listen to it on their ipod or in their car.
I read books for the fun if it. Not necessiarly all the time but I do read an occasional book. I think that now there is so much technology that a book seems boring compared to the video games and mp3 players and other stuff. Kids link books to school so having to do more work than necessary isnt what they want to do.
Post a Comment