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Reading Habits and Its Statistics


I was updating my Living Social Visual Bookshelf on Facebook earlier today; adding up new books and giving reviews for few. Some of my books collections:

Book Collection
In between adding up my currently reading book (Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell) and adding up the my review on my last week book (Man and Boy by Tony Parsons), I remember the survey that I did few years back during my English class activities. I did a simple survey on how many books that my colleagues read in a year, which medium of literature that they preferred, types of book and do they really enjoy reading or just read because they have too. I have been trying to look for the exact statistics from the survey, but I can’t find it. Nevertheless, I still remember roughly the results of it:


1. Almost 70% of them only read 1 or 2 books in a year (not educational books)
2. More than half prefer to read online newspaper and printed magazines (fashion, technology and entertainment), but not printed or electronic books
3. Types of books that they really enjoy is comics
4. And they prefer playing online games, shopping and hanging out with friends than spending their leisure time reading (reading is never been considered as any of their top 3 leisure activities)

The most mind boggling problem for me is the fact that these future engineers, business persons and young leaders are spending more of their precious time by reading and gossiping about artists (unfortunately I am one of them too, as you can see in my guilty pleasure blog) about new and latest gadgets rather than learning and understanding about the economics, politics and basically knowing nothing about what is happening around themselves.

Most of them are rarely finish reading even a single book in a year with many excuses converging to satisfy their endless craving for online gaming and socializing with their friends. Others blame the high price of books in the market in Malaysia (most of the books here range about RM30 – RM50 while others can reach out to hundreds of Ringgits). Even though I am on board with them by saying; reading limits your ability to socialize with your friends (that are not too keen of reading), I always manage to find a spare time for my books. I usually read them before I go sleep and when the internet connection is really slow crawling.

Some of the interesting reading and literacy statistic in Malaysia (Malaysia Reading Profile Survey 1996):

1. Malaysian that are able to read = 93%
2. Reading habit = 87%
3. Only 29% Malaysians use the library
4. 22% develop their reading ability via TV/Video medium

Education Index
Malaysia is ranked number 89 over 179 with 91.9% of Literacy Rate as included in United Nation Development Program Report 2009, which is below Japan, South Korea, USA, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. More countries can be found here.

Meanwhile, in United State, some of the reading, literacy and education statistics are (source):

1. The average student learns about 3,000 words per year in the early school years (8 words per day)
2. 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems
3. 44 million adults in the U.S. can't read well enough to read a simple story to a child
4. More than 20 percent of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level - far below the level needed to earn a living wage
5. 15% of all 4th graders read no faster than 74 words per minute, a pace at which it would be difficult to keep track of ideas as they are developing within the sentence and across the page
6. 15% of all 4th graders read no faster than 74 words per minute, a pace at which it would be difficult to keep track of ideas as they are developing within the sentence and across the page
7. 46% of American adults cannot understand the label on their prescription medicine.
Dyslexia affects one ot of every five children - ten million in America alone

Book Quotation
These data and statistics certainly put on view of the danger our society today will be facing if reading habit continues to deteriorate in the future. If the books are too expensive, borrow from your friends. If you cannot find the suitable time to read, do it while you are waiting (instead of twittering others) or if you are really busy, make an effort to read a couple of pages a day before you sleep. Hopefully, the world will discover the beauty of words again.

Question for The Day
Do you enjoy reading book? Any favorite? How many books you read in a year? Oh and don't forget to join the poll "How Many Books Do You Read in A Year" too (on top right of this page)



First THREE Commenters:

(Whoever won the most First Commenter contests will be featured at the end of the month!)

+ Zuls from Zul's Effort [dot] net +
+ Mariuca from Mariuca's Perfume Gallery +
+ Monica from Turn-u-Off +

Bluecrystaldude


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20 comments:

zuls said...

I enjoy reading books.. :)  


I like variety of books especially on self development , financial planning 

Mariuca said...

chop

Mariuca said...

*DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*

Mariuca said...

I have a whole bunch of books that I've bought but tak habis baca lagi Haaziq lol.. :-[ :-[ :-[

Mariuca said...

Too many things to do, and too little time... must catch up on my reading soon! *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* :-D :-D

Monica said...

:* :* :*

Monica said...

wow u have sooooo many books, Haaziq! 8-) 8-)

zuls said...

Usually when I got a new book . I'll do a speed reading and after that just keep it. I read it again once I have a need to read.   

Lin O said...

Do i like to read books? Hell I do! I've been reading since I was 11, started off with the all too innocent Enid Blytons, moved on to a bunch of Diana Wynne Jones, then switched to Malay romance novels and now favouring various different things from all sorts of authors!

You know, price might've been an issue once before (it made me stop reading for a while too), but I gotta hand it to ya, where there's a will, there's a way. Libraries are stocked with free books, and like you said, ppl can alwys switch with their friends and stuffs. Price is just a factor placed to cover the guilt of spending money on clothings rather than books. Btw, there's this snazzy bookstore in Amcorp Mall, PJ (just in case you haven't alrdy heard of them) called BookXcess and they're all about cheap books! Price is no longer an excuse. ;D

oh yea, I'm currently starting Wuthering Heights. Ever read it?


ps: I know I sound like the biggest nerd on the planet. lolz.

Monica said...

i bought 6 books a few months ago but all stayed untouched :-[ :-[ :-[

Monica said...

i enjoy reading fashion magazines! :-P :-P

Bluecrystaldude said...

Congrats! You're the first FC Zul!

Bluecrystaldude said...

I usually read it once only (except for books that I enjoy so much - Tuesday With Morrie and Harry Potter series fall in that category). After that I usually lend the books to family and friends :)

faisal admar said...

wow i like that... wear the old coat and buy the new book.

i got a bunch of books with me... bought them at book fair last year. not yet finish them but will do it slowly... lately kinda busy with the tudung thingy haha.

forcing myself to finish dark material series.

btw, man n boy looks cool. is it good?

Shemah said...

I looove reading, Haaziq. I have ever since I've learned to read at the age of 3. My dream house will definitely have to have a vast library filled with books of all genres.. I love reading them all. I like Mitch Albom and I love Paulo Coelho. I recently finished reading To Kill A Mockingbird.. again. The problem about reading, for me is, I tend to shut out the world and won't stop reading until I'm done. And as a mother and a wife, I bet my family hates it when I start reading! LOL!

I read lots of fiction more than non-fiction or biographies. Although, one of my favorite biographies are "A Measure of a Man" by Sidney Poitier. Amazing.. :)

How many books I read in a year??? Hmm.. roughly 2-3 books per month. Although in kk I used to borrow books from a book store on a weekly basis. Ever since I became a mom and a wife, reading has definitely taken a backseat. But the books aren't necessarily new books.. some books I read repeatedly. Like The Alchemist.

and yes, man and boy is a really good book although i read it back when i was in college, I think. it was a while. I kept up with man and wife. then another series by tony parsons. then i haven't continued.

It's great ur spreading awareness on reading, Haaziq! That's a great thing you're doing here. :D

zuls said...

thanks for the linky love, got a link in a ool blog give me a good feeling :D 

Rizal said...

Tahniah zuls for being the first :-D woot woot!

Rizal said...

i couldnt hardly put Harry Potter.  Haha.  Spent 2 days straight to finish em.

Winggordiummm Leviaaaoosa.. Haha

Rizal said...

I love to read books.  I still have a couple of books that i havent even started yet. 

Going to a bookstore feels like shopping for me. He heee. 

Design books are a bit expensive ranging from rm90 - rm200 and rm150 is where i put my limit.

But for rm20-rm50, there are wonders of book titles.  For the last 3 years too, i ve taken Bahasa Malaysia books into my collection.

I still believe that reading books is essential if one wants to expand their thinking cap.  Reading books is obviously more significant than reading blogs  : ).  Blogs just give you the tip of the iceberg.  The real deal is on that thick reading materials.  Heheeee :-D

Now speaking of books, it reminds me to that song of
"Adik adik dan kawan-kawan,
Membacalah buku pelajaran, suratkhabar dan buuukuuuu ceritaaaa..
untuk faeeeeeddaahhh kita bersaaammmm..."

Haha i dont know if you ever recall this song.

Happy Reading.

juLia d Bubbles said...

Yayyy! reading is good. am so sad that my i hav to many book collections since i was a kid, that i need to sell/give away some of it. i wish to have my own library when i own a house soon. *pray*

anyways, i just registered with Goodreads.com jom!!

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