27 Incredible Reading Facts that Change Everything

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published October 10, 2025

Reading a book reduces stress, reduces muscle tension, and lowers a person's heart rate._[9]
People who read regularly across their lifespan show increased mental capacity as they aged._[9]
One in five adults in the U.S. suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. Scientists suggest bibliotherapy or treatment through the use of books for patients with anxiety and depression._[9]
In 1820, only 12% of the people in the world could read and write. Currently, 86% of the world's population over 15 are literate._[13]

Enheduanna was also a priestess of the moon god Nanna in Sumer

The earliest known author in history is a woman, an Akkadian princess and High Priestess Enheduanna. She composed temple hymns around 2300 BC._[11]
An estimated 85% of juveniles who encounter the juvenile system are functionally illiterate._[16]
Children who do not read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than better readers._[16]
The value of books was so high during the middle ages that people had to chain books to the shelves._[14]
Steven Bloomberg stole 23,000 rare books from 268 libraries, at a value of $20 million._[12]
People who steal books are called bilbilocleptomanes._[12]
The three best-selling books in the world are the Bible, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, and the Harry Potter series._[17]
The earliest written texts were meant to be read out loud. Words were written in a continuous stream, meant to be sorted out by the reader._[11]
People in the United States read an average of 10 minutes or less per day._[5]
The longest sentence ever written is found in Jonathan Coe's novel "The Rotters' Club," with 13,955 words. The longest proper sentence is considered to be from William Faulkner's novel Absalom, Absalom! at 1,287 words._[10]

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.

- George R.R. Martin

The average person can read about 230 words per minute. However, geniuses typically read much faster. For example, Napoleon could read about 2,000 words per minute._[16]
While reading in low light can lead to eye strain, it won't cause a decline in vision._[7]
Reading can help people become more empathetic and increase self-awareness. Reading fiction, in particular, can help one's understanding of others and improve relationships._[9]

Reading expands your worlds and imaginations

The average American reads about 12.6 books per year._[6]
People who regularly read have 20% slower cognitive decline as they age._[8]
Reading for just six minutes can reduce stress byt 68%, which is more than taking a walk or listening to music._[8]
The largest library in the world is the Library of Congress, which has over 38 million books._[3]
The first European book published on a printing press using moveable meta l type was the Gutenberg Bible on February 23, 1455 CE, creating the "Gutenberg Revolution." Before this, all Western manuscripts were hand-copied, which could take years._[4]

Children who read get a head start on life

Children who read 20 minutes a day are exposed to nearly 2 million words a year._[5]
In Japan, some libraries have book cafes where you can read for free and sip coffee--the perfect combination._[1]
The world's largest book weighs 3,306 pounds (1,500kg) and is 16.40ft X 26.44ft). Title "This is the Prophet Mohamed," the book features the lifetime achievements of Islam's prophet and the influence of Islam around the world._[15]
Reading for pleasure has fallen 40% over the last two decades. While social media gets well over 2 hours daily, Americans spend less than 1% of their day reading books._[2]
Reading for pleasure has dropped over 40% over the last two decades. While Americans spend well over 2 hours daily on social media, they spend less than 1% of the day reading books._[5]