How many books do Americans read, and how do they go about choosing what to read?
Answers to those questions and a whole lot more can be found in a recently released study from myvision.org exploring the literary habits of 923 Americans ranging in age from 18 to 84, with the average age at 39.
The study found that 93 percent of Americans have read at least one book so far in 2022. On average, Americans have read five books this year. Almost 1 in 6 have gone above and beyond and have read more than 20 books.
The most popular genre people are drawn to is fiction. More than half have read a fiction book this year, while nearly 2 in 5 have gone for fantasy and mystery stories. About 1 in 3 have read a science fiction book, and 1 in 4 have gravitated toward nonfiction books about history, true crime, or self-help.
More than half of readers choose which books to read based on a recommendation from someone like a family member, friend, or even teacher, but sometimes people like to leave their next read to chance. Forty-six admit they randomly pick out books to read at a library or bookstore. Others turn to a book list or social media to figure out their next literary adventure.
Others are inspired to pick up a book after first watching it portrayed as a TV show or a movie, with recent examples including Where the Crawdads Sing or Bridgerton. Nearly 1 in 6 said movies or TV shows influence what they read.
While 36 percent of Americans buy books from local bookstores, the majority (65 percent) have bought books from brand-name stores like Barnes & Noble and Amazon. About 1 in 3 Americans have shopped for books at a reused bookstore, and 40 percent mainly borrow books from the library.
In this era where electronics is king, more than 70 percent still prefer paper books over eBooks; however, nearly 9 in 10 (86 percent) Americans have read an eBook. By gender, 74 percent of women prefer paper books compared to 68 percent of men.
On average, Americans have bought about four physical books, spending an average of $73. People who purchased eBooks have also bought an average of four books, but it has cost them a lot less. People spent an average of $47 on eBooks.
One of the main reasons people buy eBooks is because of the cost. Fifty-six percent of Americans listed the less expensive price as a top reason for buying eBooks, but another big motivator is convenience. While 71 percent of Americans acknowledged that eReaders made it harder to support local bookstores, 75 percent add that eReaders are more convenient than physical books.
As for those who bought paper books this year, the majority (82 percent) said they buy physical books because they prefer them over eBooks. More than 2 in 5 also said they buy paper books to help grow a collection. Meanwhile, 24 percent like to share the book with others after reading it, and 20 percent give books as gifts.
Almost 3 in 5 Americans own an eReader, and the top ones they use are Kindles (64 percent) and iPads (31 percent). Nearly 1 in 6 bought their eReader during a Black Friday or Cyber Monday sale, and others are hoping to buy one during the 2022 holiday sales.
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans would read more if they had the time, and 92 percent of adults wish kids would read more too.
Methodology
In October 2022, myvision.org surveyed 923 Americans to get their feedback about reading and book preferences. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 84 with an average age of 39. Forty-eight percent were male, 49 percent female, 2 percent nonbinary, and 1 percent transgender.
View the original study here.
