Reading At Risk: 10 Key Findings

1. The percentage of adult Americans reading literature has dropped
dramatically over the past 20 years.

2. The decline in literary reading parallels a decline in total book
reading.

3. The rate of decline in literary reading is accelerating.

4. Women read more literature than men do, but literary reading by both groups is declining at significant rates.

5. Literary reading is declining among whites, African Americans, and Hispanics.

6. Literary reading is declining among all education levels.

7. Literary reading is declining among all age groups.

8. The steepest decline in literary reading is in the youngest age groups.

9. The decline in literary reading foreshadows an erosion in cultural and civic
participation.

10. The decline in reading is due to increased participation in a variety of electronic media, including the Internet, video games, and portable digital devices.

National Endowment for the Arts
webmgr@arts.endow.gov