What were the reasons for a virtual reading mania in the 17^th and 18^th centuries?

The reasons for a virtual reading mania in the 17^th and 18^th centuries are discussed below-

• The low production cost of books has created a reading public so that people can easily afford books. Multiple copies can be produced and meet the increasing demands of the public.

• A new culture of reading was adopted where sacred texts ballads and folk tales was published in order to connect with the common people. Thus reading was no more restricted to the elites.

• By the end of the eighteenth century, in some parts of Europe literacy rates were as high as 60 to 80 per cent. As literacy and schools spread in European countries, there was a virtual reading mania.

• New forms of popular literature appeared in print, targeting new audiences. Booksellers employed pedlars who roamed around villages, carrying little books for sale. There were almanacs or ritual calendars, along with ballads and folktales.