To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence. Executive Summary. Research Report #47

National Endowment for the Arts

In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts published "Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America." This detailed study showed that Americans in almost every demographic group were reading fiction, poetry, and drama--and books in general--at significantly lower rates than 10 or 20 years earlier. The declines were steepest among young adults. More recent findings attest to the diminished role of voluntary reading in American life. These new statistics come from a variety of reliable sources, including large, nationally representative studies conducted by other federal agencies. Brought together for the first time, the data prompt three unsettling conclusions: (1) Americans are spending less time reading; (2) Reading comprehension skills are eroding; and (3) These declines have serious civic, social, cultural, and economic implications. (Contains 30 tables, 6 figures, and 12 footnotes.) [The following individuals contributed to this report: Sarah Sullivan, Bonnie Nichols, Tom Bradshaw, Kelli Rogowski, and Mark Bauerlein.]