Just more than half of American adults have read at least one novel, poem, play or short story in the past year, according to story that ran earlier this week in the New York Times.

The article cites a 2008 National Endowment for the Arts survey, which found that 50.2 percent of American Adults had read at least one work of fiction in the preceding year. The last time the survey was conducted, in 2002, 46.7 percent of adults admitted to having read at least one novel, short story, poem or play.

Why the increase? The article suggests several theories: Maybe it was the addictive Harry Potter series and its vampire cousins, the Twilight books. Perhaps it was Oprah, her book club, and its many imitators. Whatever the case, you can read the full story here. If that makes you yearn to read some fiction, check out our Flyover Fiction series here.