Editorial: A literary decline

Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 | 6:55 a.m.

A new survey says that as electronic media dominate mainstream entertainment, the number of Americans who read for pleasure is rapidly declining.

Less than half of the nation's adults now read literary novels, short stories, poetry and plays, and the number of U.S. adults who read books of any type has declined by 7 percent since 1992, the new National Endowment for the Arts study says.

And despite the popularity of "Harry Potter" and other book series, young people aren't reading as much as they used to either, the study says. Only 30 percent of 13-year-olds in 2004 said they read for fun.

The findings, which the U.S. Census Bureau compiled at the NEA's request, suggest that America's public culture has become "almost entirely commercial- and novelty-driven," NEA Chairman Dana Gioia told USA Today.

Of special concern, Gioia said, is the continuing decline in reading for pleasure among college-educated young adults. Historically, college educations produced lifelong readers. But "we're no longer producing readers," Gioia said. "We're producing B.A.s, M.A.s and Ph.D.s."

Americans' lives have become increasingly busy because of work and family obligations. But the survey suggests that, just as likely, reading has failed to effectively compete with TV, video games and the Internet.

And why does this shift from the printed word matter? The study says there is a strong correlation between those who read literary material and those who are actively involved in civic action, charity work and other activities that improve their communities. Democracy works best when guided by a well-read citizenry.

Without a reading resurgence, the NEA predicts that in 50 years - about one generation from now - curling up with a good book could be little more than a quaint image from the past. As many Americans start their holiday gift shopping Friday, it might not be a bad idea to consider buying someone a good book for Christmas.

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