How and what do Switzerland, Austria, and Germany read?
Who actually still reads books? More people than you might think, but by no means everyone. A study by the universities of Basel and Zurich surveyed over 6,400 people in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. Here are the answers to the most important questions about reading.
Today I am interviewing myself: These are the questions that interested me most in the study.
How much do the Swiss read – and our German-speaking neighbors?
In short: Reading is unevenly distributed. A few read a great deal, a broad middle group reads occasionally, and a large portion reads no books at all. The largest group (38 percent) reads for one to two hours per week. Just under a quarter spend no time with books in a typical week. There are also outliers on the high end, but they are few: 4 percent of respondents, or 228 people, read for eleven or more hours per week.
And how many books is that per year?
The most common amount is between three and five books. After that, the numbers drop off significantly: only about 400 people read between 21 and 49 books. And just 211 people read 50 or more books. 15 percent did not read a single book last year.
Why do we pick up a book – and why not?
People read primarily for their own well-being: the majority read to switch off or for entertainment. This is followed by time for oneself and further education. What keeps people from reading is primarily time: 45 percent cite a lack of time. Far behind that are a lack of interest, other priorities, and digital media. Concentration problems, effort, and lack of access play almost no role.
What influence does being read to in childhood have?
A major one. Of those who were frequently read to as children, only 8 percent do not read at all today. Of those who were never read to, 27 percent do not read, which is more than three times as often.
Does the e-book dominate?
No. The printed book is ahead in all age groups. It is strongest among the younger generation: 71 percent of this group reach for a printed book often or very often, about 8 percentage points more than in the older groups. While younger people use e-books more than the oldest group, almost half never read an e-book. The age difference is most pronounced with audiobooks: among 18- to 39-year-olds, about a fifth listen to audiobooks often or very often, while among those over 60, it is about 7 percent.
How do women and men differ?
Women read more regularly than men. 29 percent of men do not read at all in a typical week, compared to 17 percent of women.
And age?
The youngest read the least often not at all (17 percent). The share then rises to 26 percent among 50- to 59-year-olds and then drops slightly. In middle age, therefore, the book disappears from everyday life most frequently.
Which genres are most popular?
Crime novels and thrillers. 39 percent read them often or very often, and this is true in almost all groups. The only exception is the 18- to 29-year-olds, for whom romance novels and New Adult are just ahead. These are followed by romance novels/New Adult, fantasy, contemporary literary novels, and historical novels. Among non-fiction books, guidebooks lead ahead of biographies and historical non-fiction.
Do women and men read differently?
Yes, gender shapes taste more strongly than any other characteristic. 26 percent of women read romance novels and New Adult, but only 5 percent of men. Crime novels, thrillers, and contemporary literary novels are also more popular with women. Men, on the other hand, reach more frequently for science fiction, political non-fiction, and historical non-fiction.
Does one read differently depending on age?
Yes, this can be seen particularly in the genres. Younger people read more romance novels, New Adult, fantasy, and science fiction than the oldest group. Crime novels and thrillers go in the other direction; they peak among middle-aged readers. Biographies, guidebooks, and historical novels are read about as often by the youngest and oldest groups.
Does education play a role?
The study shows the sharpest dividing line in education. With higher education, significantly more is read:
- Of the respondents with a low or medium level of education, 27 percent each do not read at all in a typical week; among those with high education, it is 15 percent.
- 48 percent of the highly educated read for three or more hours per week, while in the other two groups it is 35 to 36 percent.
- The bookshelves also look different: 10 percent of respondents with a low level of education own not a single book, while among the highly educated it is 1 percent.
- Surprisingly: 51 percent of the highly educated cite a lack of time (low education: 40 percent). A lack of interest, on the other hand, is more frequent among those with a low level of education (26 versus 16 percent).
Do many respondents own books at home?
The largest group has up to 50 books on their shelf. 15 percent each have up to 10 books or up to 200 books. 407 people (6 percent) own over 501 books. Only 5 percent own not a single book.
Where do respondents buy their books?
Most frequently in large bookstore chains. Amazon follows closely behind, then the local bookstore and other online providers. The local bookstore is equally popular in all age groups, so it is not a place only for older readers. And about three out of ten respondents receive books as gifts or borrow them from friends and acquaintances.
How do the Swiss read in comparison to neighboring countries?
Switzerland performs slightly better in reading than its neighbors:
- Fewer non-readers: 18 percent in Switzerland do not read at all weekly (Austria: 21, Germany: 23 percent). 11 percent did not read a book last year (Austria: 13, Germany: 16 percent).
- Moderate readers: 44 percent read for one to two hours per week (Austria: 42, Germany: 36 percent).
- Paper ahead: 51 percent reach for a printed book very often (Germany: 46 percent). Only 5 percent never do so; in Germany, it is 10 percent.
- Cosmopolitan: 52 percent like to read books that deal with other countries and cultures (Germany and Austria: 39 percent each). The authors of the study attribute this to the country's multilingualism.
- Smaller libraries: 12 percent of respondents in Switzerland own more than 200 books (Germany: 15, Austria: 19 percent)
Book lover and loud laugher. I've always got a novel in my bag – and yes, it's always a physical one. From Taylor Jenkins Reid to Kristin Hannah, from biographies to sci-fi and fantasy: if you're looking to dive into the world of books, I've got you covered.
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