The Decline of Reading in America (And Why It Should Scare You)

This article accompanies the full episode of This with Krish, embedded below. Watch or listen while you read for a deeper, long‑form conversation on literacy, reading, family, and freedom.

A Personal Wake‑Up Call: 52 Books in One Year

Last year, I made a decision that surprised even me.

I committed to reading one book a week.

Not summaries. Not headlines. Not audiobooks playing in the background while I multitasked. Real books. Pages. Chapters. Covers that close.

By the end of the year, I had read 52 books.

That was 52 more books than I read the year before.

This wasn’t about becoming an intellectual or checking off a productivity box. It was about reclaiming something I felt slipping away: attention, depth, and clarity. And what started as a personal challenge quickly became a lens through which I could no longer ignore a much larger issue — the decline of reading and literacy in America.

The Night That Changed How I Saw Literacy

About ten years ago, when my wife and I were living in Atlanta, we were invited — last minute — to a formal gala fundraiser. We didn’t know much about the event, but we said yes. If we’re being honest, the appeal was dressing up and getting out for the night.

As the evening unfolded, we realized the event wasn’t just a fundraiser. It was hosted by a literacy guild, and the stories being shared were staggering.

Speaker after speaker highlighted a reality most Americans rarely confront: millions of adults in the United States struggle with basic reading skills. Not advanced comprehension — basic, functional literacy.

Many adults can sign their name but struggle to read a lease, understand a prescription label, complete official forms, or read to their own children.

That night planted a seed. Literacy isn’t loud. It doesn’t trend. But its absence quietly limits opportunity, independence, and dignity.

The Numbers We Can’t Ignore

The data surrounding literacy and reading in America paints a troubling picture:

Roughly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. has low literacy skills
An estimated 43 million adults struggle with basic reading comprehension
National reading scores for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders have declined in recent years
Reading for pleasure among Americans has dropped sharply over the last two decades
Teenagers average single‑digit minutes per day reading outside of school

Key Resources:

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): https://nces.ed.gov/
U.S. Department of Education – Adult Literacy: https://www.ed.gov/literacy
OECD Literacy Data (PIAAC): https://www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/

These aren’t abstract statistics. Literacy impacts employment, health outcomes, civic participation, and economic mobility. When literacy declines, inequality expands.

A Quiet Moment That Spoke Volumes

Years ago, we were invited to our neighbors’ home for lunch. When I walked in, the first thing I noticed wasn’t the food — it was the books.

Books everywhere. Shelves. Tables. Corners. A home designed around reading.

I remember thinking, “I wish I had time to read.”

That sentence stuck with me. Because what I was really saying was, I admire this — but I don’t live this way.

That moment helped me realize something important: reading is rarely about time; it’s about priority.

Why Reading Feels Different Now

When you read consistently, something shifts.

Your mind slows down — in a good way. You become less reactive. You finish thoughts instead of skimming them.

Reading trains patience.

I’ve noticed that some of the most effective leaders, thinkers, and communicators I know are deeply well‑read. You can hear it in how they speak, how they pause, how they process complexity instead of rushing to judgment.

This is why reading is so closely tied to:

Critical thinking
Discernment
Leadership
Emotional regulation
Long‑term decision‑making

Reading doesn’t just make you more informed. It makes you harder to manipulate.

The Power of Physical Books

There is something uniquely powerful about a physical book.

A book has weight. Presence. Progress you can see and feel.

It doesn’t vibrate. It doesn’t interrupt you. It doesn’t pull you into a thousand competing directions.

A physical book asks for your attention — and rewards it.

This is why we intentionally created a reading room in our home. Not for aesthetics, but for culture. A visible signal that reading matters here.

Reading and Family Culture

Children don’t do what we say — they imitate what we do.

When kids see adults reading, reading becomes normal. When they don’t, screens fill the gap.

In our home, reading is visible. And it shows.

Our kids interrupt us with books in hand. They associate reading with connection, attention, and warmth.

We also read the children’s Bible together in the evenings — not perfectly, not every night — but consistently enough to matter. Faith itself is a reading faith. Scripture requires attention, reflection, and depth.