It's Musing Monday , and this week's question is:
We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you?
I LOVE talking to people about books, so if I see someone with a book in their hands, or browsing in a bookshop, I’ll often comment or ask about the book. However, it is important to be mindful of the person’s privacy. If they are absorbed in a book, do they really want you to interrupt them to chat about the story? My rule of thumb is that if the person makes eye contact, I’ll try an opening comment and see if they want to chat, but if their nose is firmly buried and their eyes are not leaving the page, I’ll take it as a sign that they just want to read.
As for talking to strangers – well, yes, my mum taught me that, too. But talking to a fellow booklover doesn’t feel like talking to a stranger. And, as a reviewer, teacher, and author, it’s my job to talk about books – so I do it.
I LOVE talking to people about books, so if I see someone with a book in their hands, or browsing in a bookshop, I’ll often comment or ask about the book. However, it is important to be mindful of the person’s privacy. If they are absorbed in a book, do they really want you to interrupt them to chat about the story? My rule of thumb is that if the person makes eye contact, I’ll try an opening comment and see if they want to chat, but if their nose is firmly buried and their eyes are not leaving the page, I’ll take it as a sign that they just want to read.
As for talking to strangers – well, yes, my mum taught me that, too. But talking to a fellow booklover doesn’t feel like talking to a stranger. And, as a reviewer, teacher, and author, it’s my job to talk about books – so I do it.
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