Aims to shed new light on the issue of literacy in America, providing a social history that broadens the definition of literacy, considering who was reading what, under what circumstances and for what purposes. The book assesses trends in Americans' reading abilities and reading habits.

This is a statistical study designed to analyze the trend of illiteracy in the United States and its present relation to sex, age, urban and rural environment, race and nationality, and school systems, together with its quantitative effect on the selected factors of birth-rate, infant mortality, early age of marriage, size of family, mobility, suicide, and urbanization. Originally published in 1930. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.