Hatrack River Forum: Sad, sad statistics

This is topic Sad, sad statistics in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=017957

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

http://www.humorwriters.org/startlingstats.html

I'm floored. Just....floored. All of them are depressing, but this one:

quote:
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.

Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :

That is really sad. But I think I made up for at least 1/3 of them! [Big Grin]

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

I have always taught kids who don't love reading, because it is very difficult for them. They love to listen to stories and novels, but they tend to read comics and magazines. I don't really mind that they read non-books, I am just glad they are reading at all.

I would be really interested to see a comparison between people's reading habits now, and those from years ago. Did previous generations really read more, I wonder?

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

I have my doubts about these stats. If I had more time and interest, I'd look into how they were gathered.

Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :

It would seem that the Jenkins group is either a finacial consultant group, or an

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

I hope the stats are wrong, Kayla. Please, tell me they are!

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

i'll never get published *Starts a mafia*

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

It's been mentioned by much better people than I, but this is a good time to remind everyone that any serious writer also subscribes to those magazines that she submits, too. Print media in general is doing badly, and fiction in print specifically needs all the money it can get.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Don't worry Synethesia, at least you can spell "suspense". [Grumble]

Some expert! And she calls herself an editor!

Posted by newfoundlogic (Member # 3907) on :

I'm not suprised.

Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :

I'm not surprised, either. The US has long been moving towards a post-literate society. Most people tend to learn just enough for a job, then stop. Sad.

Posted by odouls268 (Member # 2145) on :

hogwash. i buy books all the time. ive got them evening out shelves, propping up NASCAR designer plates, holding open doors, there's even one with nice smooth pages on the bathroom. Cmon people, TP is expensive.

Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :

D*oh! I can't believe I screwed up that post! It was supposed to finsh like this. . .

or an independent book publisher.

I wonder, if it is the independent book publisher, if that is just statistics about people buying independent books. I can't believe there are people out there that never read!

Posted by Dragon (Member # 3670) on :

[Angst]

OMG, that's horible!