By what is now read in this or that country, one can judge about the cultural level of the nation. It seemed that the time had long ago passed when Russia was considered the most reading country in the world. But for us, not all is lost. VTsIOM reported the latest research: Russians today read 1.5 books a month. This result is close to the data of the 1990s, when the books that were read changed each other twice a month. These studies also contain information about what the Russians are reading now. An interesting fact: the number and range of books read does not coincide with the lists of the best-selling. So, Rospechat reports, the first place on sales is still held by D. Dontsov, closely followed by A. Marinina, T. Polyakova, B. Akunin, T. Ustinova, A. Bushkov. However, the most readable are not these authors, but the science fiction writers. Young people (a group of 14 to 28 years) prefer novels about vampires, mystical and "bloody" stories. Such books, said the representatives of the younger generation, help to relieve the stress accumulated during the day. Older people report that they are now reading Azimov, Lem, Bradbury and Strugatsky. Girls prefer ironic detectives, romance novels and romantic adventures. Polls conducted among students convincingly showed that now they read both "Angelica", "Twilight", and Dontsova. But ... The most popular answer to the question what is being read in Russia, the students gave an unexpected answer: Dostoevsky. It turns out that today it is considered fashionable to read classical literature, to understand classical music, to study oriental culture and dead languages. Of course, the interests of young people (as well as of the adult generation) are diverse, and not everyone can say that Pushkin or Leskov, Bulgakov or Herzen are now reading. However, reading and understanding Russian classics today is becoming fashionable, and this is a very good trend. 6% of the population prefers memoirs, 13% - historical novels. Among the foreign most read books are now: Joan Rowling and Conan Doyle, Dumas and Coelho, Kafka and Hemingway.
What do foreigners prefer?
In Germany, the most widely read Russian author is P. Dashkova. On average, it sells about a million copies a year. Her detectives about the life of modern Russia, the inhabitants of Germany consider illustrations to the real Russian reality. In the same country, the books of A. Glukhovsky, which gives a recipe for survival in the post-capitalist world, are sold well. Harry Shteyngard, who works in a genre based on the intersection of classical Russian satire with American humor, is especially successful in the UK and the US. There he even received several prestigious awards.
Paper or electronic?
Conducted social surveys suggest that the fashion for reading books with a new force began to develop also because now you can read any book without visiting the library. The appearance of tablets, e-books and other gadgets allows you to access any book without leaving your home. This is important for pensioners (as the most reading category), employees who find the opportunity to read at work, and young people who do not like going to libraries.