A new study finds that more than 50 percent of American adults read a work of fiction in the past year. The survey's questions did not specify where they read it, even though common sense tells us that with Internet access now commonplace, some of that reading must be happening online. Gioia, a 58-year-old poet, credits librarians instead:

Mr. Gioia said that Internet reading was included in the 2008 data, although the phrasing of the central question had not changed since 1982. But he said he did not think that more reading online was the primary reason for the increase in literary reading rates overall.

Instead he attributed the increase in literary reading to community-based programs like the “Big Read,” Oprah Winfrey’s book club, the huge popularity of book series like “Harry Potter” and Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight,” as well as the individual efforts of teachers, librarians, parents and civic leaders to create “a buzz around literature that’s getting people to read more in whatever medium.”

Gioia's been downplaying the role of the Internet in promoting reading for years, even as far-sighted educators — even librarians! — have been incorporating it into their lesson plans. And the Internet has restored reading and writing (if not fancy poetry) as a normal everyday activity for millions. There's some good news for them, and others who dare to dream that the heavily textual medium of the Internet might actually promote literacy: Gioia is resigning his post later this month.

Apparently not: "'I just get sleepy when I read,' said Richard Bustos of Dallas, Texas, a habit with which millions of Americans can doubtless identify." Also, "'Fiction just doesn't interest me," said Bob Ryan, 41, who works for a construction company in Guntersville, Alabama. 'If I'm going to get a story, I'll get a movie.'"

However, according to trade organization Book Industry Study Group, about 3.1 billion books were sold last year worldwide. So either everyone else on the planet is smarter than Americans or there is a giant castle somewhere in the Midwest built out of copies of, like, French Women Don't Get Fat.

Where You Fall In A Poll of US Readers [AP]

We hear Putnam is all jazzed for their latest Sue Grafton release, Y is for Y Is This Series Not Over Yet, Bitches. Kidding, it's actually called T is for Trespass and yes, they actually are jazzed. Sad. Over at Hyperion, they're proud to be releasing David Halberstam's last book. It's about the Korean war and it's 80,000 pages long. Merry Christmas, Grandpas and Old Dads!

Little, Brown promises that the new Onion book will be the most offensive yet. Oooh. And Lucky Bones author Alice Sebold's latest, The Almost Moon, should please the book club ladies. Other than that, though, we're looking at some pretty slender pickings from the big five houses. Maybe this is a sign that the written word is becoming irrelevant and within the next five years the only use for written communication will be when we IM directly into each others' brains.