Americans are reading fewer books: The reasons behind the decrease

It even happens to professionals: the reading slump.

YouTube and social media personalities popular on BookTube or BookTok sometimes get tired of reading—or perhaps, more accurately, tired of reading so much. For the average reader, a reading slump can be easy to fall into, especially when books just aren’t engaging enough to keep going. The feeling of defeat that comes with putting down a book can sometimes discourage us from picking up another. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Still, choosing a new book can be tough when the world—especially the internet—is full of distractions. Why read a novel when I could doomscroll through my social media feeds for hours? In today’s attention economy, reading remains an idyllic and aspirational pastime, one that fewer people seem to find time for.

Why aren’t Americans reading?

A recent poll from Ipsos and NPR compared reading trends between the general population and self-identified readers (those who have read at least one book in the past year). Respondents were asked what kept them from reading, and across both groups, the results were similar. About a quarter said their work life prevented them from picking up a book, while nearly thirty percent reported preferring other forms of entertainment—like watching TV, movies, or playing video games—over reading.

Some people are reading more...

The NPR/Ipsos poll found that just over half of the general public reported reading less now than they did a few years ago. Interestingly, though, readers are consuming more books—whether physical, digital, or audio. Among both groups, however, they report that reading is not a low priority for them, an indicator that many may not have time to read or may be getting caught up with their phones, leaving them little time to hit the books. Over two-thirds of both groups also rejected the claim that reading was a boring activity. The top answer among both groups was that their other life activities did not leave them enough time to read.

Where are readers finding their books?

A quarter of readers reported finding inspiration for their next book on social media, including TikTok. With so many book-focused content creators out there, you are sure to find someone, or a few accounts, with a similar taste to you.

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