Does it bother you when people see you reading and ask, “What are you reading?”
I can come on here and ramble on forever about the books that I’ve read. But if a waiter asks what I’m reading I panic and have no idea how to answer. It may be because I fancy myself looking like a respectable middle aged woman sitting quietly in a restaurant who is about to have to start a conversation with “Well, there is this witch and this werewolf….” It may be because I’m just an introvert. Maybe I just have too much to say to be able to sum it up in a sentence and I don’t know what they really want to know anyway. Just being polite? Honestly want an answer?
I usually blank on the title of the book and have to check.
Even if I do manage a coherent answer people don’t know what to do with that information. What if I had answered that was I reading a book about the strategy of giving legal personhood to places such as rivers in order to protect them from pollution or development? That’s getting me a blank stare. Now it is awkward for everyone.
This is why we shouldn’t talk to people in public. Introverts have the right idea!
It isn’t much better with people who know you. I usually just say, “A book” to see if they are actually wanting to engage. (I read on my iPad most of the time so they can’t tell if I’m reading a book or doing something else. It is only a 90% snarky reply.)
If they want an answer I usually say the title and genre. That is generally enough to have them follow up with a comment about me being odd. I’m fine with that. Then we can move on.
Am I the only horrible person who hears, “What are you reading?” like nails on a chalkboard? Are you all better spreaders of the good news of books who sprinkle tidbits about their reading around like fairy dust?
