Most of my friends, family and anyone who has been to my house know that I have an almost unhealthy obsession with books. Books help me make sense of my own life and the world, and I find them to be beautiful, comforting objects. And I’ll admit, I sometimes judge people by what they do (or do not) read.

Apparently, our brethren across the pond value books so much that they tend to lie about their reading habits.

I doubt the same study would hold true in the States. I can see Americans lying about how much money they make, how much stuff they have, but not how many Faulkner novels they put away this year. For whatever reason - the proliferation of new media(s), social networks, an ever increasing material culture, fear of self-reflection, the rise of compelling narrative-driven television - reading in the US is falling out of favor.

I don’t hear people in the US lying about what they read. I do hear a lot of people saying, reading? You mean, like, reading books?