More people are reading physical books this summer

Published 3 July 2024 at 15.23

Cultural news. Reading books is considered attractive – and more and more people are choosing to read real physical books.

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A new survey from Verian Sifo on behalf of Adlibris shows that 7 out of 10 Swedes consider reading to be an attractive interest. It is most attractive if others read the same genre that we ourselves like to read.

Fittingly, more and more people seem to be prioritizing reading in the run-up to the summer of 2024 compared to previous years. Almost 4 out of 5 Swedes (77 percent) state that they themselves intend to read a physical book this summer, which is an increase from 2023, when the figure was 69 percent.

For Swedes, it is not just about read books, it is also important to talk about what they have read. Two out of three Swedes (66 percent) answer that they like to discuss books with their partner or a person they are dating or interested in.

– That reading comes with many advantages is nothing new, but it is fun to see how books in particular can also have a positive impact on how attractive we are perceived by others. What is important to remember is that the survey also shows that it does not matter what you read, the main thing is that you read, says Taru Raita, category manager for non-fiction and fiction at Adlibris, in a press release.

More than one in two Swedes (53 percent) answer that they would be more attracted to a person who highlights reading as an interest.

When asked which genre is perceived to be most attractive for others to read, the largest proportion of Swedes (43 percent) answer that the genre does not matter. If we have to choose, men say that “Facts: Society & Politics” (23 percent) is the genre that it is most attractive to see others reading, while women instead answer “Novels” (26 percent). We therefore like to see that others read books that we ourselves enjoy, as the survey shows that men and women themselves read these respective genres to a significantly greater extent than the opposite sex.

Common is, ironically enough, that “Romance” is the genre that ranks at the very bottom of the list of which genres attract the Swedes.

To impress those around you, taking the book with you to the park seems to be the right tactic, the beach or to pass the time when you're on the go. More than 7 out of 10 (73 per cent) Swedes think that it is more attractive to see a person reading a book than scrolling on a mobile phone.