40% of British adults didn’t read a book last year
Poll: 40% of British adults didn’t read a book last year
Total Members Polled: 242
Discussion
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/06/new-...
Apparently 40% of Brits haven’t read or listened to a book in the last 12 months. I would have guessed a higher percentage.
I used to read avidly but in recent years it has dropped significantly. I do have to read a lot at work though (last couple of years included lots of stuff that could kill from boredom at 50 paces - Danish tax and business law anyone?!?)
How about yourselves? Do you read many novels? Do you count audiobooks as having read a book?
Do you think it matters if we don’t read novels?
Mods: please don’t move this to the books subsection as it would be good to get responses from people that don’t read! Also don’t move to NP&E as many avoid it.
Apparently 40% of Brits haven’t read or listened to a book in the last 12 months. I would have guessed a higher percentage.
I used to read avidly but in recent years it has dropped significantly. I do have to read a lot at work though (last couple of years included lots of stuff that could kill from boredom at 50 paces - Danish tax and business law anyone?!?)
How about yourselves? Do you read many novels? Do you count audiobooks as having read a book?
Do you think it matters if we don’t read novels?
Mods: please don’t move this to the books subsection as it would be good to get responses from people that don’t read! Also don’t move to NP&E as many avoid it.
I've never been much of a book reader apart from study books at university. I can't stand fiction and can only read non fiction. I know a lad who writes a lot of successful true crime books as well as some biographies so I sometimes get gifted one of his books for Christmas. In truth, I only ever read on summer holidays where I do get bored. I'm not one for sun bathing or lounging by the pool so I read one or two books per year. I've got Bob Mortimers second book lying around but not had a chance to read it yet. Probably one for the summer holiday.
My mother on the other hand had more books than our local library. She could get up at 6am and read an entire book by the time I got out of bed. Ironic that she was not particularly intelligent despite her reading and I was always quite academic despite not being a regular reader.
My mother on the other hand had more books than our local library. She could get up at 6am and read an entire book by the time I got out of bed. Ironic that she was not particularly intelligent despite her reading and I was always quite academic despite not being a regular reader.
The thread title is different to the poll question.
I've read plenty of books, but the older I've got, the more I find fiction uninvolving. So I've read no fictional books and watched few films or TV shows for several years.
I know its me or more accurately blokes of my age group as my mates are much the same. we'd rather view documentaries or YouTube videos which are predominantly non-fiction.
I've read plenty of books, but the older I've got, the more I find fiction uninvolving. So I've read no fictional books and watched few films or TV shows for several years.
I know its me or more accurately blokes of my age group as my mates are much the same. we'd rather view documentaries or YouTube videos which are predominantly non-fiction.
toon10 said:
My mother on the other hand had more books than our local library. She could get up at 6am and read an entire book by the time I got out of bed. Ironic that she was not particularly intelligent despite her reading and I was always quite academic despite not being a regular reader.
Probably worth pointing out that being academically capable and being intelligent aren't necessarily the same thing.I think it's an irrelevant question or point. There are many other forms of media to read or ways to learn about things that doesn't involve reading a book. Social media, forums (PistonHeads), YouTube etc. Nowadays, you only need to read books if you want to get deep into a topic or specialism.
Probably a book a week or so currently. Fiction, biographies, history, automotive or whatever catches my eye. This year so far the Harlen Coben Myron Bolitar series mainly with Michael Caine - Don't Look Back, Matthew Perry, Rave New World, Moby - Then it Fell Apart in between with Hot Rod 75 yrs, So-Cal Speed Shop, Graffiti New York, The fate of the Sleeping Beauties & Zen and the art of M/C maintenance on the to be read pile.
I read every night before sleep, it helps calm my brain and in doing so I have read a lot of different books (largely fiction) in the last 12 months.
Just one series I recently went through (and it isn't finished) was 25 volumes.
I honestly do not know what I would do if I had to stop reading.
Just one series I recently went through (and it isn't finished) was 25 volumes.
I honestly do not know what I would do if I had to stop reading.
). That would have been 46 years ago. I only ever read the novels I had to for school work never choosen to read one.I have read books, fiction and non-fiction, from a young age. I continue to do so. My wife and I both read and own a lot of books, as do some of our friends and families.
I really enjoy being immersed in a book and really enjoy learning things.
When I was a lad in the early 1990s, one of my school friends told me that,
only half-jokingly,
"Your family are posh, you have books"
I really enjoy being immersed in a book and really enjoy learning things.
When I was a lad in the early 1990s, one of my school friends told me that,
only half-jokingly,
"Your family are posh, you have books"
MC Bodge said:
When I was a lad in the early 1990s, one of my school friends told me that,
only half-jokingly,
"Your family are posh, you have books"
Definition of middle class - bookcase larger than TV only half-jokingly,
"Your family are posh, you have books"
All my books are still in boxes from when I moved house - I'm not at home much these days. I've just had a bookcase delivered so I can unpack them, but it didn't fit through the bloody front door so I'm going to have to spend time disassembling the thing to get it inside.
It’s a Boomer past time. Maybe some Gen X crossover. The internet provides more short form content and distraction than anyone could consume. Couple that with diminished attention spans then understand why novels are becoming niche as opposed to mainstream.
Who reads a physical paper or novel on the train anymore?
We are a nation of phone strokers in a world of phone strokers.
Who reads a physical paper or novel on the train anymore?
We are a nation of phone strokers in a world of phone strokers.
Audio books here - so that me and Mrs Get can both listen at the same time (twice the enjoyment). Both fiction and non fiction. Mostly listened to in the car. (Highlands are a big place!)
Used to read a fair amount, but audio sharing with another brings a new level of enjoyment.
32 books last year.
200+ audio books since downloading the app.
Used to read a fair amount, but audio sharing with another brings a new level of enjoyment.
32 books last year.
200+ audio books since downloading the app.
I've always been a bookworm and have always loved books and reading of a wide variety of genres.
I had a three long train journeys over the past month and worked my way through several books on Kindle on my tablet.
Apart from that I don't read as much as I did and that's down to the mobile phone really. Used to read a lot before bed but I'll do stuff on my phone instead now.
I had a three long train journeys over the past month and worked my way through several books on Kindle on my tablet.
Apart from that I don't read as much as I did and that's down to the mobile phone really. Used to read a lot before bed but I'll do stuff on my phone instead now.
I’m all for novels.
I enjoy the craft of a well written novel where you can imagine a different time or place, taken there purely by the power of the writing. I tend to read obscure ones if only for the pleasure of something a bit different.
I can’t think of anything worse than reading non-fiction books. But that’s because I’m a lawyer and spend my days reading and writing dull stuff. I’m not sufficiently interested in any one topic to turn it into actual or pseudo academic research and pop-psychology ideas can be summarised in a couple of lines and often don’t need to be turned into whole books.
I enjoy the craft of a well written novel where you can imagine a different time or place, taken there purely by the power of the writing. I tend to read obscure ones if only for the pleasure of something a bit different.
I can’t think of anything worse than reading non-fiction books. But that’s because I’m a lawyer and spend my days reading and writing dull stuff. I’m not sufficiently interested in any one topic to turn it into actual or pseudo academic research and pop-psychology ideas can be summarised in a couple of lines and often don’t need to be turned into whole books.
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