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October 13, 2025 21 mins

Americans are reading less for pleasure these days.

That’s according to research from the University of Florida and University College London. And it’s not a little dip - we’re talking a 40% drop in daily leisure reading for people 15 and older over the past two decades. 

This shift is especially prevalent for specific groups, like Black Americans, people with lower incomes, and people in rural areas.  

We dug deeper into the findings from this study... and took a closer look at Seattle's reading habits. 

Guest:

  • Jill Sonke, co-director of the EpiArts Lab at the University of Florida.

  • Brooke Bosley, co-founder of the Black Futures Book Club.

  • Spencer Ruchti, author events manager for Third Place Books.

Related stories: 

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