The benefits of reading for pleasure have been well-documented over the years. But, according to a newly released study, the number of people who partake in the pastime has plummeted and disparities racial disparities when it comes to rates of reading have deepened.

The study, which was published recently in iScience, examined cross-sectional data from 236,270 Americans collected over a 20 year span, from January 2003 to December 2023 (excluding 2020, as data collection was paused due to the pandemic). The research included analyzing surveys from those 15 and older about their daily habits.

Researchers found that reading rates are way down, but not for everyone. Those who read for pleasure are doing so for longer intervals. At the start of the data collection in 20023, leisure readers re

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