[patrickt]

First, a definition. Readers is like drinkers. I have a glass of wine once or twice a month but I don't call myself a drinker. I would also not call someone who reads a book a year a reader.

With that in mind, and no hard numbers given, what percentage of the population would you consider readers?

When I get on a plane I look around to check out how many readers are on board. It's sometimes one, me, and sometimes three or four. Never more. Look around the terminal in an airport and see how many people are actually reading a book. I see far more people watching the televisions which are in all terminals now.

I know people who buy books for people to see but they don't really read them. Someone picked up a book on my bosses desk and opened it and we all heard the new-book crackle. The boss stuttered and said, "My working copy of that book is at home." Sure, it was.

I would say that no more than 10% of the people in the U.S. are readers. What number would you guess?