Entwarnung? Neue Studie zum Lesen und dem Stellenwert des Buchs
Summary
Berit Glanz discusses a new University of Basel study on reading habits in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, which finds that while the total number of readers is stable, society is sharply divided between avid readers and a 23% non-reading segment. The research debunks myths about youth disinterest, showing young people prefer print books, and highlights that childhood read-alouds are the strongest predictor of adult reading behavior. Glanz critiques the study's underestimation of social media's role in book discovery and notes that crime and thriller genres dominate preferences across al…
Topics discussed
Introduction to the Basel reading study
Context: The perceived crisis of reading
Key findings: The split between readers and non-readers
Defining heavy readers and the 11-hour threshold
Age trends: Young people and print books
Gender and education as reading predictors
The role of childhood reading aloud
Policy implications and the Lesestart program
BookTok and social media's role in reading
Critique of social media data in the study
Favorite genres: Crime, thrillers, and romance
The cultural status of the book
Conclusion and where to find the paper
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