Reading culture in many African societies is on a downward spiral READING culture varies in a number of ways across African societies,but what is generally perceived about Africans is that they are not noted for frequently reading books,magazines,newspapers or any literary materials-even in their leisure time. This is summed up in a popular adage,which says that whenever you want to hide something from an African,you should just write it in a book. But is this perception really true that Africans are people who lack a good reading culture? Reading culture in many African societies is on a number of ways across African societies, but what is generally perceived about Africans is that they are not noted for frequently reading books, magazines, newspapers or any literary materials-even in their leisure time. This is summed up in a popular adage, which says that whenever you want to hide something from an African, you should just write it in a book. But is this perception really true that Africans are people who lack a good reading culture?