What exactly is an avid reader? Well, let’s come at it this way. The think tank known as The Pew Research Center contends that the typical American read or listened to five (5) books in 2021. The average for all adults was twelve (12) books in 2021. What does this mean? Well, it means those other adults are reading a lot of books. They may be small in number, but they make up what we call avid readers.
In this technological age, it would seem probable that digital formats for reading would be the favorite. However, only about 30% of Americans prefer digital over print. Around a third of Americans read in both formats. Approximately another third only read print books.
I mention these statistics because to an older American like myself, it seems more likely that the younger generation would be devouring digital books, having grown up in the digital age. With Kindle Unlimited and such, it is so easy to access books, particularly fiction.
However, the National Endowment for the Arts, has discovered that twice the number of seventeen-year-olds since the turn of the century no longer read for pleasure! They seem to be distracting themselves with surfing the internet, video games, and streaming services. Consequently, when they arrive in college, they have not acquired basic writing skills so the quality of writing among college-age young people has declined.
Research by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development indicates that children who read for pleasure, independent readers, were more successful in testing and comprehension, which led to higher levels of general knowledge than their peers.
An interesting tidbit, according to recent surveys, is that the favorite categories of reading for avid readers are these: Historical fiction, Crime and mystery, Food and wine, Biography and autobiography, Popular fiction, Literary fiction.
BOTTOM LINE is not that all avid readers are successful. It is difficult, however, to find highly successful people who do not read more than 5 books of some kind in a year! Being successful can call for knowing where to find the knowledge you need (usually books); being able to external consider (walk in the other person’s shoes), which is gained through experiences shared in books; having a more global view, which develops as well by exploring other viewpoints through reading.
The true bottom line is that avid readers are more inclined toward success in life, whether you’re talking business or quality of life.
Be sure to subscribe to the Sweet & Sassy blog, so you never miss out on any of our posts!
In this technological age, it would seem probable that digital formats for reading would be the favorite. However, only about 30% of Americans prefer digital over print. Around a third of Americans read in both formats. Approximately another third only read print books.
I mention these statistics because to an older American like myself, it seems more likely that the younger generation would be devouring digital books, having grown up in the digital age. With Kindle Unlimited and such, it is so easy to access books, particularly fiction.
However, the National Endowment for the Arts, has discovered that twice the number of seventeen-year-olds since the turn of the century no longer read for pleasure! They seem to be distracting themselves with surfing the internet, video games, and streaming services. Consequently, when they arrive in college, they have not acquired basic writing skills so the quality of writing among college-age young people has declined.
Research by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development indicates that children who read for pleasure, independent readers, were more successful in testing and comprehension, which led to higher levels of general knowledge than their peers.
An interesting tidbit, according to recent surveys, is that the favorite categories of reading for avid readers are these: Historical fiction, Crime and mystery, Food and wine, Biography and autobiography, Popular fiction, Literary fiction.
BOTTOM LINE is not that all avid readers are successful. It is difficult, however, to find highly successful people who do not read more than 5 books of some kind in a year! Being successful can call for knowing where to find the knowledge you need (usually books); being able to external consider (walk in the other person’s shoes), which is gained through experiences shared in books; having a more global view, which develops as well by exploring other viewpoints through reading.
The true bottom line is that avid readers are more inclined toward success in life, whether you’re talking business or quality of life.
Be sure to subscribe to the Sweet & Sassy blog, so you never miss out on any of our posts!
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