What factors lead to the reading mania in 17th and 18th century in Europe?

Answer 1

Through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries literacy rates went up in most parts of Europe. Churches of different denominations set up schools in villages, carrying literacy to peasants and artisans. 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

Answer 2

The proliferation of printed material due to the invention of the printing press, the rise of literacy rates among the population, and the expansion of libraries and reading societies all contributed to the reading mania in 17th and 18th century Europe. Additionally, the Enlightenment movement emphasized the importance of knowledge and critical thinking, further driving the desire for reading and self-education.