Reading for pleasure on an average day declined from 26% in 2003 to 16% in 2023. A clear gender gap exists: 18.6% of women read for pleasure in 2023 versus 13.7% of men. People with postgraduate degrees and those over age 66 are more likely to read for pleasure. The reading measure included books, magazines, newspapers, audiobooks, and e-readers, which made the decline unexpected to researchers. Limited leisure time and competition for attention in the modern attention economy are likely reducing time spent on books.
By the numbers: 26% of those surveyed read for pleasure on an average day back in 2003. By 2023, the number had fallen 10 points to 16%. Between the lines: There's a consistent gender gap - 18.6% of women read for pleasure in 2023 compared to 13.7% for men. Those with postgraduate degrees are more likely to be readers, as are people over age 66.
Between the lines: There's a consistent gender gap - 18.6% of women read for pleasure in 2023 compared to 13.7% for men. Those with postgraduate degrees are more likely to be readers, as are people over age 66. The intrigue: The researchers were somewhat surprised because the data defined reading to include books, magazines, newspapers, audiobooks and e-readers. The bottom line: People only have so much leisure time, the researchers note. And in this "attention economy," books are taking a hit.
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