Alix Earle’s claim that she has never read a book sparked a debate about Gen Z’s reading habits. But is there really a literary crisis?

The Girl who has never read a book

Is it possible to have never read a book by the age of 25? That’s definitely true for social media personality and podcaster Alix Earle. In an interview that quickly went viral, she claims that she has never read a book in her entire life, except maybe Dr. Seuss, referring to a children’s book. A statement that left many people wondering how that could even be possible, given that Earle graduated from university and built her own business. That someone with access to, and years of involvement in, the education system claims never to have read a book is surprising, to say the least.

Many people know Alix Earle from her TikTok “Get Ready With Me“ videos, her podcast Hot Mess, or her Netflix show Earle Meets World. Now, she has also been introduced to a whole new audience as “the girl who has never read a book.” Some even see as an accomplishment to have made it through life without ever having to read one.

But why has her statement caused so much outrage online, and how did one comment spark such a big debate?

It seems that Alix Earle has become the personification of a stereotype and narrative that Generation Z has been caught up in: a supposed literary crisis. Meaning that young people are reading less and less. As with every generation before them, younger people seem destined to be blamed for society’s problems, or at least to become the first targets of criticism whenever something is perceived to be going wrong. Gen Z, in particular, is often portrayed as a generation that has lost touch with the world around them and lacks the skills that previous generations supposedly possessed. Alix Earle admitting that she has never read a book seems to support that narrative. But is that really the case? To find out, it is worth taking a closer look at Gen Z’s reading habits.

How much does this Generation actually read?

The numbers tell a very different story from the commonly perpetuated narrative of this generation. Recent research suggests that Gen Z is reading more than many people might think. According to data published by researchers in The Conversation in 2025, 66% of Gen Z identify as readers. That’s 14% more than in 2022. Moreover, 65% had read at least one print book in the previous twelve months, up from 59% in 2022. Other studies, including research published by Cambridge University Press, have also found that Gen Z has been reading more.

The picture looks similar in Germany. According to Statista Consumer Insights, 45% of Gen Z regularly read printed books, with young people actually reading more than Baby Boomers. Unsurprisingly, the younger generation also leads when it comes to e-books and audiobooks.

So why does it still feel like there is a crisis and one keeps hearing about that young people don’t read anymore? 

Part of the answer may lie in how reading is measured. As the Conversation also writes: reading today looks different from what it used to, and some long-standing studies aren’t designed to capture how Gen Z reads: across different formats, switching between print, e-books and audiobooks, and using platforms such as Wattpad, Substack and many more. Add manga, graphic novels, online essays, newsletters, and long-form articles to the mix, and reading becomes much more than the classic paperback. 

In other words, Gen Z shows us that reading isn’t dying. It’s changing

The Conversation

And it no longer happens only on paper.

Social media has also played a role in making reading popular again. TikTok and Instagram, but specifically BookTok on TikTok, have created spaces and communities where people share recommendations, discuss their favourite books, and encourage others to start reading. And despite the growing role of social media in the world of books, traditional bookstores are far from disappearing. In fact, the opposite seems to be happening. The American Booksellers Association reports a 70 per cent increase in independent bookstores over the past five years. 

Maybe Alix Earle’s comment is, in fact, less proof of a literary crisis than a reminder to rethink what reading looks like today. After all, she might simply not have found the right book yet.

Featured Images: Foto von cottonbro studio