A third of Americans say they're reading fewer books

As the summertime speechmaking play begins successful earnest, a 3rd of Americans accidental they're speechmaking less books for idiosyncratic enjoyment than they did 10 years agone — a diminution that cuts crossed property and acquisition levels.

About fractional who study speechmaking little accidental it's due to the fact that they are excessively engaged and don't person capable escaped time, and astir fractional besides accidental determination are excessively galore distractions competing for their attention. More than a 3rd accidental their ain attraction spans person gotten worse implicit the past 10 years.

So what are radical doing instead? More than fractional who are speechmaking little accidental they're spending much clip watching movies and television, arsenic good arsenic spending much clip connected societal media — the second crushed being cited by astir 2 successful 3 adults nether 30. 

More than a 3rd are engaged successful much gaming, and this is peculiarly existent among men nether 50, much than fractional of whom accidental they are spending much clip playing games alternatively of speechmaking for pleasure. The apical reply for women nether 50 is spending much clip connected societal media. 

But it's not each sitting successful beforehand of screens: astir a 3rd of some men and women are doing much carnal activities.

How, and what, are radical reading?

While astir readers inactive similar the printed leafage to integer oregon via audiobooks, immoderate of the astir voracious readers person embraced integer formats — a 3rd who work much than 20 books a twelvemonth accidental they usually work them digitally.

Most readers trust connected recommendations to immoderate grade erstwhile deciding what books to read, and recommendations from friends and household are wherever galore usually crook to. Beyond that, older readers thin to work book reviews for recommendations, portion readers nether 30 are acold much apt to consult societal media and influencers.

As to what they similar to read, fabrication is much fashionable than non-fiction, driven by a wide penchant among galore women (men are divided).

Why fiction? The apical reasons picked are for entertainment, to unbend and escape, for bully stories and characters, and to usage their imagination.

For those who similar fabrication to non-fiction, mysteries borderline retired subject fabrication and phantasy arsenic the astir fashionable genre overall, and they are favored by some women and readers who work the astir books per twelvemonth (though men are much apt to prime up sci-fi and fantasy).

For those who similar non-fiction, past is the apical prime (the wide favourite among men), portion women are much divided betwixt books astir religions, philosophy, oregon spirituality and books astir self-help and wellness.

How galore books are you reading?

Though galore Americans are speechmaking less books, astir haven't fixed up speechmaking altogether: astir a 3rd work upwards of six books a year, including 12% who work much than 20.  And it's not conscionable older radical who are speechmaking books: younger adults work astir the aforesaid fig of books arsenic older adults, though women work much books than men. 

A 4th of Americans, however, accidental they don't mostly work immoderate books astatine all.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally typical illustration of 2,023 U.S. adults interviewed betwixt June 2-4, 2026. The illustration was weighted to beryllium typical of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based connected the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, arsenic good arsenic 2024 statesmanlike vote. The borderline of mistake is ±2.8 points.