Okay, so I've decided to pick up another regular post. Conversation Starters - anytime I read an interesting book, see a cool movie, or hear a provoking new clip I will bring my thoughts to our lovely round table here.
This, my premier post, is on Broken Up Over Books and Boys: Is Reading the Wrong Stuff a Deal Breaker?
Here is an attached article for the New York Times called
"It’s Not You, It’s Your Books"
By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: March 30, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/books/review/Donadio-t.html?_r=1&8bu&emc=bub1&oref=slogin
Basically, what if you date someone who doesn't read, or only lifts his eyes for nutrition labels, and the backs of cereal boxes? Are there any books that would mark a guy as a no-go? I'd have to say, I'd be pretty sore to hear that someone considers The Da Vinci Code one of the best books ever, or lists The Bible as one of their all time faves (true or not, thats not something you should put on your facebook or myspace page. Show a little respect and keep your religious reads out of cheap pop culture meeting places). I'm not saying that guys have to read our divine Ms. Austen, but a little culture doesn't hurt anyone. I'll even settle for someone who keeps their eye on newspapers and decent nonfiction. So... now I throw it out to you. Thoughts? Would you break up over bad lit?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Something to Talk About: It's Not You, It's Your Taste in Books
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5 comments:
DITTO DA VINCI CODE! lol. it was an interesting read, but i'm so over it at this point.
I could definitly date people who arent readers. but could i be in a serious relationship with a non-reader? maybe. but would we end up getting married? I don't know, it just seems like there would be this whole part of me that they wouldnt understand at all and i certainly wouldnt understand how they don't ever read at all. i mean, i guess they don't have to be as voracious a reader as i am, but it would be a plus! i think mostly i just cant imagine being with a non-reader in the end, because my ideal man would really be very academic so reading just seems to come with the territory.
is it a crime that i want a house that is absolutely FILLED with old dusty books? is it so bad that I love the idea of me and my future husband lying in bed at night reading our seperate books together? who will put the book down first and leave the other one responsible for turning out the light? probably me - so what?! i want that to be my future! it will be like a lifelong mini book club of two.
also in my ideal world, my future husband would just read EVERYTHING. magazines (of all sorts), novels, non-fiction, the newspaper. i want to marry a reader dammit! and if he wears glasses, of the thick-rimmed variety, while he's reading so be it!
but that's just me.
ok, so i realized that that was a very long comment, but all very general. so after rereading your post i will post some specific answers to your questions.
i also would settle for someone who just reads the newspaper. staying afloat on current issues in some form seems to be a must for me the more i think about it (but as we are aware from my last comment it wouldnt be my ideal lol.)
books that would be a huge turnoff - the bible, as bad as that sounds. they could like it academically etc, but yeah. ew - the left behind series. just dont read religious things ha ha. but there really aren't too many books or genres i couldnt accept. comic books, sci-fi, mysteries - while none of them are my bag i would accept and encourage them in someone i was dating. "just as long as they read" is my thing apparently.
i guess when it really comes down to it - i really just want to be with someone who is extremely curious and interested in our world. if they dont satisfy that interest through reading i guess that's fine.
I don't know about an absolute deal breaker. I don't think any one factor like that he doesn't read should disqualify him form consideration. Unless of course that factor really effected you like he smokes or something. It would be a definite difference between us though. Especially if he didn't like the amount of time you dedicated to reading. He'd have to be understanding of your reading and you'd have to be understanding of his not reading. I agree with Amy though that it would be okay if he read some different types of books. I think the image of you reading a jane austen novel while he reads his Lord of the Rings spin off book is pretty amusing and darlin'. In today's world though I think disqualifying someone for not being a reader is going to severly shorten your list of possibilities. Damn modern age of television! Just kidding, I like a good tv show just as much as the next gal (as you know).
I just have to toss out there that I kinda love that, while my dad doesn't read often because of work and because he reads slowly, he ends up reading weird Jane Austen spin off fiction that my mom puts in his hands. How goofy is that? And lord knows that they ARE that couple that stay up late, my mom turning out the light when she's done. I can't help wanting it myself. (Though I'd settle for Mr. newspaper/nonfiction because there is something pretty masculine about it--like the article says, more women than men read fiction anyways.)
On the other hand - this has to work both ways and I'll admit that I still haven't read that Tom Clancy book that Will gave to me to read. (how long has it been now?? Um... yeah. He really loves that). I need to work on being open minded to things that aren't my bag, or else not judge the non-readers.
P.S. - Guess what Amy! - as a random gift Will bought me (and himself) one of those "very short introductions" books (he got me "free will" and he got himself "The Cold War"). And he didn't even know they were on the book club list! Think we can add him as a brief salon member for that month?? Haha. Anyways--they're sold at the UGA bookstore now, apparently. So we need to go get 'em for the Salon.
I would TOTALLY accept the idea of marrying a man who reads the newspaper and nonfiction. it just seems so masculine. mmmm hot.
that cracks me up about the short introduction books. we need to go to the uga bookstore this weekend and get them! and he can totally join the bookclub for that month! i don't know how much i want to hear about the cold war but whatever! actually that could be really interesting.
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