Does Anybody Read Books Anymore?

Some social commentators mourn the loss of literacy in our culture. "People don't read books anymore—they're too busy sending tweets and posting comments." Others point out that social media like Twitter and Facebook are an indicator that people are reading more than ever—they're just reading different things.

There are even hopeful indicators that people are still reading books, like the fact that today more Americans hold library cards than ever before. That fact tells me what writers know a...