The U.S. Bureau of the Census conducted a study on the amount of literary reading (as opposed to electronic) in America. They bottom line is that reading has declined across all age and social categories, and that this decline has accelerated within the last several years. “Reading is not a timeless, universal capability. Advanced literacy is a specific intellectual skill and social habit…” For the comments of chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts board, Dana Goia, see here.