Reading on the Rise!

I recently came across a press release by the National Endowment for the Arts that reveals some exciting news: the number of readers in America is increasing, especially amongst young adults. You can find the article here.

It seems pretty clear, to me anyways, that authors such as J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, who have both written a bestselling series that bookstores often have to struggle to keep a quantity in stock, have probably contributed the most to this rising readership in young adults. Additionally, it seems as though being an avid reader as a young adult has lost some of the nerdy stigma that used to come with it. To be sure, there are still teens who scoff at reading, and I see some of them in the bookstore when they reluctantly buy a book for a class they're taking. A young man was at the checkout line the other day and I saw he had a copy of The Great Gatsby in his hand. I nodded towards his hand and commented that it was a great story, to which he replied: "It's for class."

Since there was a long period of decrease in readership before this survey, spanning twenty years from 1982-2002, this sudden increase seems to be a rather sharp contrast, and it is difficult not to conclude that part of this (from 2007 to 2008, in particular) is undoubtedly caused by the sour economy. People seem to have cut back the most on the more costly entertainment sources, while continuing to purchase books, cds, and dvds, which are significantly cheaper. As an example, your average date (let's go with the typical dinner-and-a-movie arrangement) can cost $70 or more, depending on your requirements for the evening. The two movie tickets alone are at least $20, not to mention the popcorn and sodas. That being said, however, I would not say that there has been a boom in this area of entertainment, but it has not suffered as badly.

Although it is likely that the economy has played a part in this trend, I am hoping that a genuine interest in reading has spurred this the most. It would be wonderful to see a dramatic increase in American literacy, education, and readership, and I look forward to the day where almost everyone reads and does so willingly.

The Habitual Media Retail Stalker

Thanks Steve for twisting my arm on this...

...and, yes, it is the middle of summer, and yes I am socially dysfunctional because, as usual, I'm reading five books in a quasi concurrent fashion, and I am an habitual media retail stalker as I constantly purchase more books than I need, but with my reading habits in a state of perpetual flux, it's become a necessity. People always ask me how I find the time, not to read five books, but to read at least one, and are always surprised at my response, that it's easy. The answer is simple: I don't watch appointment controlled programmed television;the more mindless garbage, that passes for TV these days (or has it always been that way, and we don't see it because we look at the past with rose colored glasses), you eliminate from daily viewing, the longer hours you have to use to indulge the comfort of text. It's not to say I don't watch shows, I do, I happen to view them at my own leisure through my DVR, or Netflix. I also limit my time on the phone, and don't spend useless hours hanging out in bars. It's mind boggling the amount of hours an average person spends in a week, and are used up on these aforementioned activities. Think of it...

Anyway, sorry for the digression, and back to this summers reading menu. Right now, I'm invested in "The God Delusion," by Richard Dawkins, "Freethinkers," by Susan Jacoby, "The Fabric of the Cosmos," by Brian Green, "The Murder of Ivan Vavilov," by Pete Pringle, and just finishing up 'A Nation of Wimps," by Hara Marano. Fun and exiting, eh? Well, I guess the letters of my DNA are GEEK instead of GTAC...

The weakest of the quintet, and one I thought would be richer is A Nation of Wimps. The premise appears solid: today's youth lack a strong backbone because of over-parenting by mom and dad, but although Ms. Estroff presents strong examples, she seems to meander and stray, spending too much time on administrative and co-ed collegiate problems, from the theme she sets forth at the begininng. All in all, the book gave me some insight into various social problems faced by one segment of society, but I expected more.

In contrast, Susan Jacoby's Freethinkers offers an illumination on the history of American secularism, how it shaped the birth of this country, and the battles that have been fought against attacks by a variety of fundamentalist religious groups. It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe that our government was founded on the basis of religion, when the driving forces belonged to free state government without influence from the tyranny of any church, and a capitalist market that allowed any man, no matter of social standing at birth, to ascend the societal ladder. It's a must read, for anyone interested in history, or looking for interesting commentary on human reason. Plus, if it piques your interest, Ms. Jacoby's "An Age of American Unreason," a New York Times best seller is more than worth the time.

More insights forthcoming...

- J. Rinaldo