Fiction reading is a popular leisure activity associated with a variety of pleasurable experiences, including suspense, narrative transportation, and--as indicated by recent empirical studies--also flow. In the context of fiction reading, flow--generally defined as a pleasurable state of mind experienced during an optimally stimulating…

Reports on a survey of 32 adult fiction readers and their attitudes toward the kind of reading that they enjoy. (AEA)

Discusses a research project that is producing articulate responses from children about their responses to reading, presents a transcript of an interview with a 14-year-old boy regarding his responses to fiction, discusses various stages of response to reading, and outlines classroom implications of studies of reading responses. (GT)

This book draws on extensive demographic information to present a portrait of the nation's reading habits. Research offers the following observations and facts: reading of serious contemporary literature is the pastime of a distinct minority; the proportion of Americans who read serious literature is between 7 and 12% and contemporary fiction,…

Presents a study comparing the elements children report enjoying in a book and the elements teachers believe children enjoy. Concludes that a great discrepancy exists between the two groups, as children reported they liked books offering excitement, suspense, and action, while teachers believed children pay more attention to characters. (JC)