What are you reading?

[gremcint]

A book, now fuck off.


god how I want to say that to people.

[Andara Bledin]

I always take the opportunity to espouse my love (or not) of the author/work in question.

Considering how much of a motormouth I can be, they either get interested (Victory! I'm getting someone else to read something!) or they realize they don't really want me to be chattering at them and the bugger off (Victory! I can get back to my reading!).

Win-Win.

^-.-^

[AdminAssistant]

That happens sometimes when my friends and I meet up at McAlister's for study/writing sessions. One time we sat talking with the waiter for about 5 minutes about what we were studying. If someone's genuinely interested in the subject matter, it can be a nice conversation.

On the other hand, since my reading is all academic blahdy blah, people are just as likely to say, "Why are you reading that?" or "What does that mean?"

[DrFaroohk]

I always want to be like that whenever someone asks me a dumb question like what I'm doing. Especially when its someone who asks it in an annoying way, like with an attitude or something. Or if its a question they could easily answer themselves.


"You see this squeegy in my left hand? You see the bottle of Windex in my right? You see the ladder I'm standing on? You see the big window in front of me? Just what in the fuck do you think I'm doing!?!?!?"

[Sableonblonde]

I hate that too. I am a private person...way too private. If I am on the bus, or in some other public place and reading, I don't like anyone to even be able to see which book I'm reading. If someone asks me, I don't answer - I just raise the book up so they can read the cover, and then after a few seconds put it down and keep reading.

[gremcint]

it's more something like I've put myself in nonsocial mode and want to focus on reading, then someone comes along and interrupts me. It's kind of like someone wearing headphones and you trying to talk to them on the bus, if they wanted to talk to you they probably would take off the headphones.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I got into the habit of bringing my serial killer books to read just so people would be frightened off after asking that question. Now, they don't ask, which suits me fine.

[IDrinkaRum]

I like Lace's idea of serial killer books.

Or you can get the most outrageous book you have in your collection and bring that with you while reading "out in public".

Right now I'm reading Segalogy: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Segal No one has asked me about the book since I've started pulling this out to read.

[McDreidel09]

I've only ever done something like this once, but it didn't really annoy the person.

It was at Okfest for Belegarth and I went to a poker tournament with a friend I haven't seen in a long time. While the guys were waiting for the others to show up, one of the older gentlemen (who happened to be the park owner) was reading a book by Bernard Cornwell. I haven't run into many people who knew about Cornwell.

"I love Bernard Cornwell! How is the book?"

He looked up and seemed rather excited that someone else knew about him. He talked to me about the book and then we talked about his other books, which then led on to another author. He was pretty impressed that a 19 year old was so interested in reading.

[blas87]

Anything I read (and I don't read much), I don't take out in public because all the harpy hippies will start barking up the wrong tree with me.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I did once have a brilliant conversation with a girl on public transport after she asked me what I was reading. It was a Harry Potter book and we talked about how much we both loved the series til my stop. XD

[smileyeagle1021]

Oh, please can I say that to my fiance, please
Okay, so something similar.
His question is "so what's on Facebook"
The answer I so want to give, "status updates, lots and lots of status updates"
I love him dearly, but we have most of our friends in common (at least the ones we actually talk to)... if he wants to know he can look it up just as easily himself.

^I know, it's bad, but even the best of couples have those pet peeves that just grrr

[jackfaire]

This question is annoying to me because it feels like all of the non readers, from when we were kids, have become readers and now who and what your reading has become an intellectual pissing contest.

[LexiaFira]

makes me think of this
NSFW (language) but funny

and how most fights over what ya reading/eating/doing/thinking etc begin

[wolfie]

While the guys were waiting for the others to show up, one of the older gentlemen (who happened to be the park owner) was reading a book by Bernard Cornwell. I haven't run into many people who knew about Cornwell.

"I love Bernard Cornwell! How is the book?"

He looked up and seemed rather excited that someone else knew about him. He talked to me about the book and then we talked about his other books, which then led on to another author. He was pretty impressed that a 19 year old was so interested in reading.

Was the book from the Sharpe series, or one of his other books? Just be glad the older guy wasn't annoyed - he'd probably have arranged for a big Irish guy to blow you away with a 7 barrel volley gun made by Mr. Knock in London.