“…Yet, for all the fear of reading’s demise, books have survived similar challenges before. Over the last 50 years, books have had to contend with television, then cable, VCRs, DVDs, PCs, laptops, iPods, iPhones and iPads. [I'd add radio, sports, family obligations....--MC.] Despite all these diversions, Americans spend a larger share of their budgets on books today than they did in 1960….”
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/opinion/26wed4.html