What 2014 taught us about reading
Before we close the book on 2014, let's recap the year's reading news. Human beings have been reading for roughly 5,000 years, give or take a century or two, but that doesn't mean there's nothing left to learn about how and why we do it.
This year's developments delve into everything from speed reading to the redemptive power of books, along with a story about e-readers that may just keep you up at night.
Speed-reading technology take readers to breakneck speeds
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Spritz came on the scene in 2014 and claims it can get you reading at speeds of up to 700 words per minute. (The average reading speed is 220 words per minute.)
The technology, available on your phone, tablet or computer, flashes one word of content at a time.
— "How To Read a 223-Page Novel In Just 77 Minutes" by Jim Edwards, Business Insider
Great literature can change your personality
What you read can transform your brain. University of Toronto researchers Keith Oatley and Maja Djikic explore recent studies, including their own, that show how an artistic piece of literature actually changes readers' personality traits: "A great deal has been written about art, but only recently has research begun in earnest about what goes on in the mind and brain when reading literature."
— "How Reading Transforms Us" by Keith Oatley and Maja Djikic,The New York Times
Your e-reader is keeping you up at night
If you like to read before bed, great. If you like to e-read before bed, that could be trouble.
Researchers say that reading on a tablet device can not only make it harder for you to fall asleep, but can compromise your quality of sleep in general.
"Many people read things to help them fall asleep," says one researcher. "They probably don't realize that this technology is actually making them less likely to feel sleepy."
— "For A Deeper Sleep, Forgo The E-Reader Before Bed" by Colin Dwyer, NPR
E-reading may be an inferior way to process information
The e-reader keeps taking hits, even as e-book sales soar.
Recent studies suggest that while print books and e-books contain the same information, our brains may not be processing it the same way. The Takeway explores the difference between the "deep reading" that happens on paper and the "non-linear reading" that takes place on screens.
— "Your paper brain and your Kindle brain aren't the same thing" from PRI's The Takeaway
The power of poetry is confirmed
If literature is good for the brain, poetry may be the best of all.
In a study that validates English teachers everywhere, researchers at the University of Exeter explored poetry's profound effect on the brain. The results show reading poetry can increase introspection and stimulate the part of the brain linked to memory.
— "Why We Should All Be Reading More Poetry" by Gabe Bergado, Mic.com
Judge rules books can be essential to rehabilitation
In 2013, the U.K.'s Ministry of Justice enacted a ban on sending books to prisoners. They defended the practice by saying access to any books not available in the prison library would be dependent on prisoners' behavior.
Many prominent authors, including Philip Pullman and Ian Rankin, came out against the ban, and it was struck down this December. The judge said in his ruling "that it was strange to treat books as a privilege when they could be essential to a prisoner's rehabilitation."
— "U.K. court rules prison book ban is unlawful" by Alan Travis, The Guardian
Scientific study says no one is reading scientific studies
In a recap of 2014 that's packed with studies, it feels only right to study the studies themselves.
Smithsonian Magazine's Rose Eveleth dives into a question that has long troubled academics: Is anybody actually reading their articles?
With more than 1.8 million academic papers published each year, that's an incredible amount of writing that might just be going unread. According to one study, "half of academic papers are read only by their authors and journal editors."
— "Academics Write Papers Arguing Over How Many People Read (And Cite) Their Papers" by Rose Eveleth, Smithsonian Magazine