Read them and weep: We take to the streets to uncover Britain's book habits

Sarah Bokete, 17, student

"I love sci-fi. If I really like a book I've read at the library I'll get my auntie to buy it for my collection"

Abdul Seidu, 17, student

"I'd like an e-book; it would be more environmentally friendly then buying books"

Edie Preece, 9

"I've borrowed Shocking Shooting by Michael Coleman from the library. It's about a football team called Angels FC. I'm really enjoying it"

Thurston Preece, 9

"I'm reading Diary of a Trainee Rock God by Jonathan Meres, about a kid who wants to become a rock star; it mentions lots of my favourite bands"

Richard Harrison, 72, semi-retired

"I don't buy books; I come to Borders in the afternoons to read. I have to choose things that are easy to put down and pick back up – like John Mortimer's short stories"

Shevaun Haviland, 36 account director

"There's enough misery in everyday life, so I love to buy uplifting, escapist books like Life of Pi, which is what I'm reading now"

Adrian Shankar, 25, cricketer, Lancashire Cricket Club

"I don't buy many books, I exchange with friends. I've just swapped State of Africa, by Martin Meredith, for The Scramble for Africa,by Thomas Pakenham"

Clive Biden, 57, artist

"You don't choose a book, a book chooses you"

Louise Biden, 53, businesswoman

"Non-fiction helps you grow. It's far better to browse in a bookshop then buy online – books talk to you"

Daniel Saether, 23, student

"The cover of a book sells it to me"

Anthony Cherrie, 26 musician

"There's something cool about books. It's like CDs – you want to have a real copy you can hold, rather than something you downloaded"

Eddie Blagbrough, 21 fashion photography student

"I've just downloaded a book called Reading Sex and the City to my laptop for uni. It's a lot more convenient then going into the library"

Mark Pollock, 32 motivational speaker

"I've been blind for 10 years, so I download audio books from Audible.com. It's been the biggest change in my life since I got a computer – incredibly empowering"

Nathalie Castano, 21 student

"I've just read Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being. I loved it. I buy my books on Play.com"

Jane Esterson, 51, freelance journalist

"I do a book group. The last one we read was Half of a Yellow Sun. Everyone says it's fantastic but I couldn't get through it, so I just told them: 'I can't make it this week' "

Andrew Esterson, 8

"Mum gets audio tapes for the car – I like The Time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer. It's really funny"

Vera Stanlay, 8, retired

"I find books relaxing. I'm reading Amanda Quick at the moment"

Jasmine, 7

"I like Harry Potter"

Zak, 10

"I like reading stuff about made-up monsters"

Helen Gelbier, 36, mother

"I can't bear any of the Harry Potter stuff – I only go for factual things that I can relate to"