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Book snobbery in Britain

A third of British adults have lied about reading a book to appear more intelligent, according to a new survey. The poll conducted by the Museums, Libraries and Archive Council (MLA) revealed that a cunning 33% of adults have confessed to reading challenging literature to appear well read, when in fact they haven’t a clue what the book is about.

The book we all lie about reading is the bestselling Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien. The epic trilogy took 11 years to complete and 14% of those who started the book with good intentions never managed to finish it. One in twenty men who took part in the poll said they would lie about reading Harry Potter to give the illusion they’re in touch with the latest trends, and almost half of respondents said that reading classic titles like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice makes you appear more intelligent.

John Dolan, Head of Library Policy at the MLA Council, said: “It’s fascinating to see that so many people are trying to impress others with the books they haven’t actually read. “Talking about books and literature is an obvious conversation starter and certain authors and titles often get strangers chatting. Some titles do have a certain kudos and it’s often nice to drop into conversation our knowledge of well-known writers and books.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .