“Total book reading is declining significantly, although not at the rate of literary reading.”

If you were reading depressing literature, you’d stop too. 🙂

Women read more literature than men, the report says.

Yes, we’re saps. And we like the old stuff, more safety and security there.

Survey says: the more educated a person is the more likely they are to read.

Er, yes. Because most of us have jobs that require us to read. Not everyone of course. Dr. K reads about a book every three years. But he also reads his technical journals and that’s not in the mix of reading studied by the NEA either.

“Literary readers are more likely than non-literary readers to perform volunteer and charity work, visit art museums, attend performing arts events, and attend sporting events.”

Wow! Okay. Now I know why they want you to be reading literature. You contribute to the national economy more.

“A 1999 study showed that the average American child lives in a household with 2.9 televisions, 1.8 VCRs, 3.1 radios, 2.1 CD players, 1.4 video game players, and 1 computer.”

Here we go. My children live in a house with 1 television. 1 VCR. 1 DVD. 2 radios. 2 video game players and 6 computers.

Do you see anything in that list about books? My kids also live in a house with 5000 books. And we go to volunteer at the library once a week.

There it is. My review of the NEA’s poorly constructed survey of reading. If they’re going to look at reading, they should look at all reading that is not a requirement for work or school. That includes blogs, emails, letters, magazines, newspapers, and other online reading pit stops.