These [David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Robert Plant] weren’t icons reading because it was virtuous. They read because it was essential—like breathing, like music, like love. When literature was considered transgressive, moralists couldn’t stop people from buying dangerous books. Now that books are considered virtuous and educational, nobody wants them. — Staci Wilson

A few weeks ago, I was trying to decide what to do with the information that 41% of Americans didn’t read any books in 2025. And the information that at 124 for the year (plus 64 shorts/novellas and 5 I couldn’t finish), I read more than 97% of the country. Reading to me is like breathing and I am grateful for the privileges of being childfree and only working one job that allow me to while away the hours lost in pages, learning about new places and different points of view (even if yes, most of what I read is white lady thrillers).

I don’t have any brilliant words of my own to share on the subject (yes, I really should read more non-fiction), but I did appreciate today’s newsletter from Staci Wilson about why she continues to write even as the rate of reading is declining. I especially like her points on how not reading affects critical thinking given, well *waves arms at general state of the world*, and the reminder that while George Orwell was afraid of book burning, Aldous Huxley was afraid no one would need to burn books because no one would be reading them. *shiver*

Read the whole thing here, and I’ll catch you at the library. (Or, yes, more likely, on Libby.)