Why are we reading less?

According to a study, 30% of Bulgarians do not read books or anything else at all. The findings are based on data collected from 2006 to 2022, and the research was conducted by a team of sociologists, cultural experts, literary scholars, anthropologists, educators, and psychologists.

The study shows that people are increasingly focusing less on serious readings and more on content from social media. Experts suggest, however, that the data may have changed since 2022.

Some people view reading as an escape from reality, while others aren't fond of this escape and therefore fall into the group of 30% who don't read at all. There are also several other groups.

"One group that claims to read actively is between 20-25%, but the truly active readers within this group are around 10%. The number of people reading Bulgarian literature is even smaller. There is another group that reads relatively often, and another that reads several times a year. A third group reads less than a few times a year, and between 30-35% simply do not read anything," said Prof. Alexander Kyosev, a cultural scholar and scientific leader of the research team.

According to the data, among the 10% of active readers, those who read Bulgarian literature are even fewer.

"The audience interested in contemporary Bulgarian literature is unlikely to exceed 60-70,000 people. This is from a total of about 350,000 people who actively read fiction," commented Prof. Kyosev.

Publishing industry observations indicate an unprecedented attitude toward Bulgarian authors and literature.

"For the first time, we have Bulgarian authors at the top of the rankings. It seems that Bulgarians have finally awakened and started wanting to see a part of themselves in what they read. It's no longer enough for them to read what Dan Brown or Stephen King has to say," said Zahari Karabashliev, writer and editor-in-chief of a publishing house.

Besides providing pleasure, reading also has a positive effect on our brains.

"The brain, in general, contains about 100 billion neurons and nerve cells, but with 10,000 billion connections between them. Reading does not increase the number of neurons or cells, but it helps to increase the number of connections. When a disease starts, whether it's Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or a cerebrovascular disease, the first thing that happens is a decrease in the number of connections. Reading can protect us and help slow down the progression of such diseases," said Acad. Lachezar Traikov, head of the Department of Neurology at the "Alexandrovska" University Hospital.

According to the study, the groups that read very little are Bulgarian Roma, Bulgarian Turks, the elderly and people who live in small settlements.