Lol, Farkas...
The many new books exclusive to Skyrim that suggest the literacy rate is less than adequate.
Also, do you really think guards read? They can't even identify if you're harbinger or a whelp of the companions.
Besides, all Nords do is drink and fight, the only real source of major literature is the college of Winterhold.
There's no book shops in Skyrim.
The only book like this is http://www.imperial-library.info/content/alduin-real
One can't look at a single book, and use it to judge the whole race.
If you want to get nit picky, Cyrodiil only had 2. They had more books for sale, but hey, you say less than five is bad, so....
Not siding with the OP here, but Cyrodiil actually had 4 book stores.
But you are right that the general stores in Skyrim have books aplently.