Even though they sit at the well-spring of a globe-spanning media industry that lays bare their smallest hopes and fears, Americans still have the capacity to surprise us. Today’s surprise? This fascinating study, commissioned by Random House, executed by Zogby International. It is packed with all kinds of intriguing tidbits about that most understudied species, The Reading American. Want to know what percentage of American Democrats vs. American Republicans go to an independent bookstores? (40% vs. 26%) Have you always wondered whether “American Dream Materialists” or “American Dream Spiritualist” bought more hardcover books? (hint: it’s a 5 point spread, and higher than you’d think!) Care to speculate on the percentage of Americans who plan to buy an eReader? It’s all there.
The other surprise? The whole thing is out there in public for your reading pleasure. In an industry where privately commissioned research tends to stay safely tucked away, our hats go off to Random House and Zogby for letting this see the light of day.
The Reading and Book Buying Habits of Americans (PDF)—Random House/Zogby [via TeleRead]
BookNet Canada is a non-profit organization that develops technology, standards, and education to serve the Canadian book industry. Founded in 2002 to address systemic challenges in the industry, BookNet Canada supports publishing companies, booksellers, wholesalers, distributors, sales agents, industry associations, literary agents, media, and libraries across the country.