Does the Average Gamer Read?

[JustKim]

I read constantly, but I don't normally read fiction. Most fantasy fiction and especially gaming fantasy fiction I don't consider worth the paper it's printed on. Between absorbing all the RPG products I buy, reading for school and keeping up with my own interests, I have no time to read that sort of thing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've been repeatedly shocked by the number of gamers here who have said they've never read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Robert E. Howard's Conan stories. And I've read a number of stats saying that most modern Americans don't read any books for pleasure. So, no, I don't think the average gamer reads.

Of course, the book industry is simultaneously doing better and better.

I think the gloom and doom stuff is overblown. I know very few people who don't read, and I know people from all walks of life.

 

[haakon1]

What mean "read"?

-- Meepo

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

In my experience, the average gamer reads Fantasy books. Unlike me.

Through junior high, high school, and college that was true for me; I read Fantasy and Sci Fi almost exclusively (excluding any reading for school from consideration). However, after college, my reading branched off into other areas. These days, I still read fantasy (rarely any sci fi), but I also read a lot of history and poetry. Oh, and programming books. Job and hobby -- gotta keep current.

I also get a lot of pleasure from reading gaming books, even if I don't use them in my game.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I've only gamed with one guy that didn't read, at all. He was really weird aside from that, though.

 

[Nalfeshnee]

Id say no... even though i am a vracious reader and writer. thoug hi think many roleplayers (and many people in general) do not read as much as they should, especially teenagers and young adults.

Most RPers i know are heavy readers though, and the ones my group tends to dislike are those who do not read mych. no disrespect to them or anything, but i do think that the creativity needed to roleplay is the same creativity that carries the urge to read. i think that makes sense

 

[player 2]

I find that I have less time to read my books now that I have children and I am staying home with them. There are only so many times I can read Sandra Boynton, Dr Suess, and I Spy! I try to steal moments whenever I can, but I am glad that my husband and I are showing our daughter the joys of reading. She is 5 and would stay up all night reading if we let her. We are very happy to have that problem with her and we hope this "habit" stays with her her whole life!

 

[Fishbone]

The average gamer has always been a reader. At the very least they're reading the game books, which is more reading than the majority of adults do. I believe something like less than 40 percent of all adults read for literary/pleasure purposes and I recall many of my friends sayings that they never read, they've only read a handful of novels in their life outside of class assignments, etc. The rate of adult reading for fun has been freefalling for about 2 decades and I believe that rate to be even lower amongst teenagers and people in their early 20s.

 

[Tetsubo]

Speaking only for myself, yes I do read as a passtime. In fact I have read (something) everyday since I was five years old. My Mother tells me that when I was six I ran out of books in the house so I started reading the dictionary. You would think I'd be a better speller...

That being said... I no longer read novels. I noticed one day that I had been reading nothing but non-fiction for almost two solid years. I just had no further interest in fiction. I had read *so* many novels that I found the genre dull. Now I read non-fiction exclusively. I do still read the occasional comic book but mostly for the art. I enjoy reading gaming books and to some extent consider them "meta-fiction", sort of a fiction toolkit I can play with in my head...

 

[Tetsubo]

Of course, the book industry is simultaneously doing better and better.

I think the gloom and doom stuff is overblown. I know very few people who don't read, and I know people from all walks of life.

I think that may reflect your social circle more than anything. I work in a factory. I am surrounded by people that haven't cracked a book since High School. Many of them don't even *own* any books. I've given such people books out of pity for their children...

But among my circle of friends reading is very common. Gamers and non-gamers alike. One of my friends is going for her MFA in poetry and my wife is a professional writer.

But the "common" man... they are often not big readers...