How much do Italians read? The following image shows a comparison of the countries in Europe where citizens spend the most time reading.
How many books do Italians read in a year?
More than half of Italians (60%) do not read books. On the other hand, 18% of Italians read 1-3 books per year and 16% read 4-11. Finally, we find the "avid readers" (12+ books), who represent 6% of the population.
Italians read more books of the following genres:
- Rose/love;
- Detective/Mystery;
- Religious/inspirational/self-help;
- Fantasy (Source: PXR Italy analysis based on data aggregated from 6 research studies in publishing, published between 2019 and 2021).
In Italy, are more men or more women reading?
46% of women read, compared to 36% of men. However, from 2009 to 2020, the number of women readers (-6%) decreased more than the number of men readers (-2%).
North, Central, South and Islands: where do we find the largest number of readers?
Nearly half of the population of Northern Italy (without distinction between West and East) read at least one book during 2019: similar results can be traced in the Center, while in the South and Islands there are significantly lower shares of readers.
In what age group do you find the largest number of readers?
More than half of young people (18-24 years old) read at least one book a year. As shown in the chart, many Italians abandon the hobby of reading as they get older.
What about you, how many books do you read?
