Reading Falls Off The Hobby List

A joint study from University College London and the University of Florida found that 40% fewer Americans read for pleasure today than two decades ago — sparking fears the pastime is losing cultural relevance.

Why It Hurts: Reading isn’t just entertainment — it boosts vocabulary, imagination, mental health, empathy, and much more. If reading continues to fall out of favor, America risks losing some of the soft skills that lead to better interpersonal relationships.

Between The Covers: When was the last time you silenced your phone, shut off the TV, and curled up with a good book?

• In 2004, 28% of Americans did so. By 2023, that number dropped to 16%, according to data analyzed from the annual American Time Use Survey.
• That decline is striking considering “pleasure reading” included not only books but also magazines, newspapers, and audiobooks. Talk about broad.
• And there’s a sharp divide between those who read and those who don’t — highly educated people are twice as likely to pick up a book, while high-income earners are 1.5 times more likely. That can probably be attributed to those demographics having more free time on their hands… and the gap only continues to widen.
• Most concerning of all, over 20% of respondents had a child under nine, yet only 2% said they read with them — hinting at a generational decline.

Last Chapter: While the researchers didn’t pinpoint exactly why books are collecting dust on shelves (a trend growing since the 1940s), it’s clear that Americans simply have more recreational options (hint: lots of screens and social media). These days, books seem relegated to little more than a good Zoom background.

That’s a shame because book clubs could be an important antidote to our loneliness epidemic. A 2022 study found that discussing works of fiction with friends led to better mental-health outcomes and better socialization. No wonder every female celebrity is starting one these days.

Next Edition: Given the rise of BookTok, the expansion of Barnes & Noble, and Gen Z’s fascination with analog, perhaps we’re on the brink of a reading rebound.