Poll Reveals Most People Lie About Reading Books

A nationwide poll conducted by the Council of Literary Dishonesty has uncovered that 64% of Americans admit to lying about reading books they never actually opened. Popular titles include �War and Peace,� �The Power of Now,� and whatever Oprah just recommended. In New York, one man confessed he carries a copy of �Sapiens� everywhere but has only skimmed the introduction, while proudly displaying the book on his Zoom background. Sociologists call this the �Shelf Esteem Effect,� where people buy books not to consume them but to project sophistication to strangers and dating apps. Bookstores, aware of the trend, now advertise �intellectual d�cor bundles,� which include classics in matching colors for Instagram-worthy shelves. Critics argue the phenomenon reflects a culture obsessed with appearances over substance, though Americans insist the lie is harmless. �I may not read,� said one respondent, �but I definitely look well-read.� -- Bohiney Magazne bohiney.com