How Many Books Have You Read?

Two different surveys of book reading trends show conflicting results. Recently, both Pew Research Center and Gallup asked Americans aged 18 or older how many books they had read in the past 12 months.

Pew's results showed no change in the number of books read: "Americans read an average (mean) of roughly 14 books during the previous 12 months...identical to 2011." 

Gallup's results showed a decline in the number of books read: "Americans say they read an average of 12.6 books during the past year, a smaller number than Gallup has measured in any prior survey."

What explains the discrepancy? The difference may be due to the way each organization posed the question...

• Gallup respondents were asked the following: "During the past year, about how many books did you read, either all or part of the way through?" 
• Pew respondents were asked, "During the past 12 months, about how many books did you read either all or part of the way through? Please include any print, electronic, or audiobooks you may have read or listened to."

The difference in the survey results is likely due to Pew's inclusion of audiobooks in the wording of its question, reminding respondents to count books they had listened as well as those they had read. According to Pew's survey, 31 percent of adults listened to an audiobook in the past 12 months, up from 27 percent in 2019. Some of this reading may have been missed by Gallup's question, which perhaps explains the decline in Gallup's number. 

Source: Demo Memo analysis of Pew Research Center's Three-in-Ten Americans Now Read E-Books and Gallup's Americans Reading Fewer Books than in Past