Why don't Americans read?

[Fran]

I'm not sure .... I have American relatives who read as widely as I do & I have American relatives who consider it a point of honour that they 'never read a book in their life'.

I find it interesting how many immediately blame schools & teachers though .... if a child grows up in a home where they never saw a book or saw a parent or carer read a book or had a story read to them and were never taken to a book shop much less a library it is the exceptional child who will then take to books and reading when they get to school. The damage is done long before they get to the school gate.

On an optimistic note though, reading is a very private occupation & a lot of people who are big readers don't advertise the fact and may even deny it when asked ... this I believe is particularly true of boys and some men who are afraid of being ridiculed or of it not being considered macho. I know a couple of boys who read but hide their books for fear of being slagged off by their mates.

[Muso]

Reading patterns will reflect technology ..so shorter and sharper message as I have developed by using interview techniques the amazing people book series.

[RuqeeD]

I'm not sure .... I have American relatives who read as widely as I do & I have American relatives who consider it a point of honour that they 'never read a book in their life'.

I find it interesting how many immediately blame schools & teachers though .... if a child grows up in a home where they never saw a book or saw a parent or carer read a book or had a story read to them and were never taken to a book shop much less a library it is the exceptional child who will then take to books and reading when they get to school. The damage is done long before they get to the school gate.

On an optimistic note though, reading is a very private occupation & a lot of people who are big readers don't advertise the fact and may even deny it when asked ... this I believe is particularly true of boys and some men who are afraid of being ridiculed or of it not being considered macho. I know a couple of boys who read but hide their books for fear of being slagged off by their mates.

That is very true which is why a lot of surveys on this matter can be skewed and doesn't show the full reality of the situation, sometimes making the situation seem worse than it is.

[Mel Carriere]

Cuz we stoopid.
We've got too many other "easier" things to do...ten zillion channels of tv, for starters. And everybody's gotta have the newest thing...I thought "we" might be reading more often now that e-readers are "the thing", but I suspect that everyone's just downloading "entertainment" "magazines". Keep it up, yahoos, you're contributing to my paycheck!
I just read "The Affluent Society" again. Can ya tell?
~~"Tral"

I agree with your take on E-readers. I'm guilty of that exact thing, and I read a lot. I had a Kindle that was loaded with books, and all I did was play solitaire and Majong on it. I guess it was a blessing that it broke, and I went back to regular books.

[Maud Fitch]

I agree with your take on E-readers. I'm guilty of that exact thing, and I read a lot. I had a Kindle that was loaded with books, and all I did was play solitaire and Majong on it. I guess it was a blessing that it broke, and I went back to regular books.

LOL your comment put a smile on my face.

[Jackosaurus]

They do. They are called gossip magazines. haha

[Tralala]

They do. They are called gossip magazines. haha

That's right! Everybody's gotta know what celebs are up to...if Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen get married, I'll buy another house!

[Shadow_Steph]

We do read but, I know part of the issue for some Americans my sister for example she rather watch Harry Potter movies then spend the time reading the books.

Also as others said the school system kills your love for reading, growing up I hate reading cause school forced me to read books I found not interesting. Reading became more a something I had to do rather then wanted to do.

[Fran]

They do. They are called gossip magazines. haha

That's right! Everybody's gotta know what celebs are up to...if Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen get married, I'll buy another house!

WHO?

[Bighuey]

Mail order catalouges are big time reading with Americans too.

[Shadow_Steph]

Mail order catalouges are big time reading with Americans too.

I never read a catalogue in my life, that's a disrespectful stereotype.

For the record last year I read 22 books, so some of us Americans do read.

[Bighuey]

Thats true, some of us do read. Ive read many books in the last year, probably more than 22 but the younger generation dosent read like they used to. We may be a dying breed. Catalouges and things like that may be disrespectful, but sadly, its true.

[Ant]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

Well I think a lot of it has to do with attitudes towards certain things, wether its reading, the right to carry guns, other countries...their cultures and their beliefs. I certainly would not want to paint all americans with the same brush, I have many friends myself in the States, but in your own post you say "come from places where they still sing God Bless the Queen", For starters its God Save Our Queen, and why wouldn't we sing it, it's our national anthem, and I reckon the majority of our country still support the monarchy, it's just the way you put it I suppose, like we must be backward for still singing it. I know you mean no malice, my American friends come out with stuff like this all the time and they don't think that they might be offending you.

[Mel Carriere]

I just took a gander at the top posting list of this forum. It seems that no Americans are in the top ten. Does this mean that us Yanks don't read, or that we just don't post? The two front runners are Irish, and the other significant posters come from places where they still sing 'God Bless the Queen.' I would be interested in learning how people from other English speaking lands perceive us Americans. I realize we are not a country noted for its towering intellects, but it is rather shameful we can't crack the top ten in book readers on this forum. What are the thoughts of the world at large about American reading, and about our culture in general? Tell the truth, I won't be offended.

Well I think a lot of it has to do with attitudes towards certain things, wether its reading, the right to carry guns, other countries...their cultures and their beliefs. I certainly would not want to paint all americans with the same brush, I have many friends myself in the States, but in your own post you say "come from places where they still sing God Bless the Queen", For starters its God Save Our Queen, and why wouldn't we sing it, it's our national anthem, and I reckon the majority of our country still support the monarchy, it's just the way you put it I suppose, like we must be backward for still singing it. I know you mean no malice, my American friends come out with stuff like this all the time and they don't think that they might be offending you.

I meant no offense. I love the Brits, they are our best friends in the world, along with the Aussies, I think, and no offense to the Kiwis and the Canucks, and I am mortified that I screwed up the name of the song. I was in a hurry. I applaud you for your anthem, and I don't think you are backward at all for singing it. I know a lot of Americans, such as myself, that would give their lives for your right to sing it.

My main point was simply to pinpoint why you folks across the pond seem to read more than we do. If anything is backward, it is my own culture.

[WebKat]

I read 1-2 books per week plus the audio book I have going in the car for my work commute. My son reads at least 1 book per week if not more. I'd say plenty of Americans read. The ones that don't are just crazycakes.