The Countries that Read the Most
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This is data collected to show which countries read the most per week.[/caption]
How much time do you take out of your week to read? Do you only set aside a few minutes, a few hours, or spend all night reading the many books on your bookshelves? The amount of time a person sets aside for reading is entirely dependent on the individual and their lifestyle. We have to take into consideration how much the individual reader has for free time and for reading. Are they overloaded with work and responsibilities? Do they have to commute to work? Are there other forms of entertainment that the person would rather participate in? What do books mean for them? In my own life, I have very little time to read, with school, work, clubs, and internships, even though I am a classified bookworm. While we can look at the individual and how much they read, which for an American individual is reportedly around five hours a week, we can also look at the nations, and their citizens, as a whole and how much they read. Looking at nations and the people who live there as an entire population allows us to view the culture behind reading and the importance, or lack thereof, that is placed on books. Does America promote reading, whether it is bedtime stories, reading assignments, or simply reading for pleasure? Do certain countries value other cultural forms of entertainment, like watching movies or spending time with family, over reading and books?
While, it isn’t surprising that the average amount a country reads is completely different from another country on the other side of the world, it is surprising to see which country reads the most and which country reads the least.
If you enjoy reading as much as I do, you might want to move to someplace like India or Thailand, where you are surrounded with fellow bookworms and readers. With an average of ten hours and forty-two minutes, India takes the cake at having the most hours of reading per week per citizen. Thailand is only an hour behind with nine hours and twenty-four minutes of reading per week. Why is it that India and Thailand are the top ranking readers out of the thirty different countries around the world who were surveyed? Is it because they cultivate a reading culture among their citizens? Or do more people on average read more, consequently making the average higher?
Surprisingly, the United States is pretty far down on the list. Ranked at twenty-third, the United States is half that of India, with an average of five hours and forty-two minutes of reading per week per person. While Americans were trailing behind on the reading list, the United States was ranked sixth in watching television and nineteenth in using the Internet for recreational purposes. My question is why is the United States so far down on the reading list, but so high among other forms of entertainment? Is it because at such a young age American children are taught to despise reading, more specifically assigned reading? Or, is it something completely different? Do Americans lack the time it takes to commit to reading, so they turn to passive forms of entertainment?
No matter the reason why one country reads more than another, whether it is because of an important placement on reading or perhaps because of something else, it is still interesting to observe. What is more interesting will be to see the change in the amount of national reading. With the passing of years, will trends change among countries? Will India still remain the safe haven for book lovers, or will the culture of another country change completely to create a new winner? Will the United States continue its hold on the twenty-third rank, or will it rise in the ranks with each new Kindle purchase or trip to the bookstore?
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