The Lost Art of Reading in America

As a professor at Amherst College, I’ve spent two decades teaching humanities and social sciences with the assumption that students would engage with assigned readings. But recent interactions have left me questioning this premise. Students now ask to skim dense texts rather than discuss them, leaving me wondering if I’m fighting a trend that began before they entered my classroom.

The shift in reading habits isn’t confined to Amherst or high school English classes. A 2024-25 survey of 1,250 teachers found an average assignment of just 2.81 full books per year – down from four in the early 2000s. The decline is significant: some students now read only excerpts or no complete books at all.

This phenomenon isn’t limited to teenagers; adults are also struggling with reading. According to a 2024 study, nearly half of American adults reported not reading a single book in the past year – down from 55% just over a decade ago. The National Endowment for the Arts has documented this trend, which mirrors declining literacy skills: in 2025, 32% of 12th graders scored below basic reading levels, up from 24% in 2002.

The roots of this crisis run deep. For centuries, American education emphasized reading as a fundamental skill. Thomas Jefferson relied on his extensive library to navigate the world. But today’s students face a K-12 system that has incrementally abandoned comprehensive reading requirements. They arrive at college woefully unprepared for academic demands.

Some might argue that this is merely an adaptation to changing times – that our students are overwhelmed or busy. However, I believe this shift in reading habits reflects a more profound issue: the devaluation of intellectual rigor. When we no longer expect students to engage with long, complex texts, we’re not just sacrificing their academic preparedness; we’re also undermining the very purpose of higher education.

The consequences are far-reaching. As literacy skills falter and critical thinking wanes, our society risks losing its capacity for nuanced understanding and informed decision-making. We’re already seeing this play out in politics, where misinformed opinions and simplistic soundbites have become the norm.

To combat this trend, we must confront the root causes: a K-12 system that has abandoned comprehensive literacy requirements and an academic culture that prioritizes efficiency over intellectual depth. Colleges like Amherst should consider reviving preparatory reading programs – similar to those pioneered by institutions like the University of Wisconsin and the University of Chicago.

One such initiative is underway at my college: a short course called “Why Read?” aimed at rekindling students’ passion for sustained engagement with complex texts. However, this effort won’t solve the problem on its own; it’s just a starting point. We need to fundamentally reimagine our approach to reading and literacy in American education.

The future of higher education hangs precariously in the balance. If we fail to address this crisis, we risk sacrificing not only the intellectual vigor of our students but also the very foundations of informed citizenship. The time has come to reclaim the lost art of reading – for ourselves, for our students, and for the future of America itself.