Writer Kia Abdullah had the idea for this post, which is something we may lose in the e-book era: seeing what strangers are reading and possibly striking up a conversation.
Kia writes:
…So I saw a person reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides on the train and I just had to talk to them about the book (something I’ve never done before). If you haven’t done something like this already, it might make a good You Tell Me (i.e. what book would make you talk to a stranger). I don’t think it’s always necessarily your favourite book, but one that you may have read recently or that is largely unread by your circle of friends and acquaintances.
Is there a book you’re so passionate about that you’d strike up a conversation with someone you saw reading it?
Jakob Barnard says
Any Wheel of Time book. Have to know if it was their first time reading the series, or on their zillion re-read.
Sandersons new The Way of Kings. Such a large scope that many different discussions could result.
Danielle says
I thought I was going to be so original by saying House of Leaves…until I saw that like 50 other people mentioned the same book. Sigh.
Originality aside, reading House of Leaves makes you feel like you've survived something horrific—not because the book is bad, but because it's strange and unsettling. When you find out other people have read it you just have to swap war stories. You measured your living room after reading it? Oh my god, so did I!
exploringeliza says
Atlas Shrugged, We the People, or The Fountainhead. Or any of Ayn Rand's books of essays. Always ripe for conversation, that woman.
Girlfriends Book Club says
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Anonymous says
I so admire all of you who have your pick of strangers reading books. I cannot think of the last time I saw someone reading a book in public.
Aoife.Troxel says
You know, I might strike up a conversation with anyone reading a book I have read, particularly if I hated it or loved it.
But only if they looked friendly 🙂
Sierra McConnell says
I guess I'm one of those weird people that just don't want to be bothered if I'm reading. But people do often do that, even though I'm polite enough that I raise the book to show them what I'm reading and hold it so they can read the blurb.
If they don't get the point by then, a long suffering sigh should do it.
If not, I'm blunt.
Becky Wallace says
I have a really bad habit of striking up a conversation with everyone…and sometimes their pets and children.
But any book that I haven't read that looks interesting would be a worthy conversation starter.
Other than that, anything Dostoyevsky. (HAHA! SO far I'm original. So far)
Andi Newton says
Without a doubt, I'd want to chat with anyone I saw reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. At the same time, I'd hate to drag someone away from what I know is a fantastic story, so I probably wouldn't bother anyone who was actively reading at the time. If he or she was just sitting there holding Neverwhere, though, I'd definitely have to strike up a conversation.
@Jenn Marie: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a brilliant book! The way everything comes together in the end — things that I thought were unnecessary and peripheral at first — was just so well done.
Mojito Maven says
The Witches by Roald Dahl.
Because anyone that reads the awesomesauce that is roald dahl is someone i'd like to know!
Eleven Eleven says
The whole world asked about Frankenstein when I carried it around. They all said they had always wanted to read it, but had never quite gotten to it. I told them to skip the first hundred pages if they ever did.
If somebody else were carrying it, I'd probably ask them if they survived the beginning and got to the good stuff yet.
nova says
I was thiiiiis close to asking somebody what they thought of that book A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, but I guess I mostly wanted to ruin any illusion that it was a purely non-fiction story, not talk about the book. Mean, huh?
Rltch says
Two books I would stop and discuss if I saw a stranger reading one:
"The Ignored" by Bentley Little
"The Art Of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein
ryan field says
I probably wouldn't talk to a complete stranger about a book. And if one talked to me I'd probably just smile and move on.
As for discussing books with people I know, I do this all the time with e-books and print books.
But not with strangers.
The Invisible Writer says
The book that would do it for me right now is "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt – but I'm a nerd. It's possibly the only econ. book anyone need read!
Oh and David Glen Larsen – You can count me as an Atlas Shrugged read who is a Libertarian (though I read the book in '07 and became the big "L" afterwards). Not a Tea Partier though.
Fiction, though – "Hunger Games" and "Book Thief" might do it!
Holly Ruggiero, Southpaw says
I haven't but I've had several people approach me to ask about a book I've been reading.
hannah says
Any book I've read.
But I'm outgoing. 🙂
Maya says
"Anonymous said…
I so admire all of you who have your pick of strangers reading books. I cannot think of the last time I saw someone reading a book in public.
September 29, 2010 11:31 AM"
@Anon: Have you never been on a plane or public transit? Or perhaps, a park on a sunny day?
Kat Sheridan says
I know this will sound unpardonably rude, but I read a book in public precisely so I DON'T have to talk to strangers. There's nothing more annoying than being on a plane, dying to dive into my latest book, and be trapped for five hours with someone who wants to chat. Or sitting alone in a restaurant, wishing only to enjoy a cold drink, a hot dinner, and light reading, and being accosted by a stranger.
The ONLY time I want someone to mention a book I'm reading is if they actually wrote it. In which case I would say something polite, ask for an autograph, and resume reading. Le sigh.
T. Anne says
I fantasize about finding someone who is actually reading a book I've read. I've yet to come across this situation BUT I always look to see what book people are reading out and about.
Speaking of which, what book are you reading right now Nathan? I would love to know!
Nathan Bransford says
t. anne-
I'm between books actually, need to decide what I'm going to read next.
Ted says
FISKADORO by Denis Johnson. I read it 15 years ago and it's like a weird evocative dream I still remember well. Don't know anyone else who's read it.
WritersBlockNZ says
I don't think I've ever stopped to talk to a stranger when I saw them reading a book, but when I was on a plane over to Europe, someone stopped to ask me about a Dean Koontz book I was reading (and it turned out we were both big fans). Also when the final Harry Potter book came out I don't think anyone was safe reading that in public.
Ulysses says
"Constructing Explosive Devices for Fun and Profit."
Admittedly, the stranger I would talk to would more likely be a police officer than the person reading it, but still…
Mira says
Reesha – absolutely! If I saw anyone reading Nathan's book in public, there is no way I could resist talking to them.
Anonymous says
American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld, because I think she's awesome.
Sara Murphy says
Anything written by my friends or Clan of the Cave Bear.
Jennifer Foushee says
In addition to HUNGER GAMES (obviously), I'd say THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD or anything else by Zora Neale Hurston or BELOVED by Toni Morrison. Oooh, or BREATH, EYES, MEMORY by Edwidge Danticat. Those are favorites – wouldn't be able to resist!
Shelli says
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. My all-time favorite, most inspiring book I've ever read. I'd recommend it to anyone, too.
Kathy says
My experience was on the opposite end: I was reading THE FOUNTAINHEAD on the subway and a man said, "That's a great book. Howard Roark is my hero." I looked up and saw it was the man who plays Todd Manning on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. I was too flustered to speak. (he's a hottie!)
Becca says
Probably A Clockwork Orange would make me need to start a conversation. Either that or Looking For Alaska
Melody says
I want to meet someone reading THE THIEF, THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA, THE KING OF ATTOLIA, or A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS so badly! I would strike up a conversation with that stranger no problem!
wonderer says
Anything by Sarah Monette, my new favourite (but not well known) fantasy author.
Tim Riley says
Great question. Anything by Micheal Chabon, Jonathan Tropper, or Cormac McCarthy
abc says
The History of Love. It is a pound my heart with my fist book for me. Like Winona Ryder when she talked about Before Night Falls at the Oscars many years back. Does anyone remember that? It was kind of embarrassing, actually.
Um, anyway, that is the book.
In other news, John, I have also read House of Leaves. I liked it–kinda, sorta–but I did want to bitch slap it a few times.
Kristin Laughtin says
SPIN, by Robert Charles Wilson. And I'm one of those who doesn't usually bug other readers because I hated it when people interrupted my reading on the bus!
attackfish says
I have twice had people strike up conversations with me based on what I'm reading (I tend not to notice what others are reading, because I', unobservant) once was horrifying, and once was wonderful, and both happened close to each other.
The horrifying one happened when I was reading Harry Potter 5 on a plane. It had just come out, and I was devouring it, and I was trapped in my chair, because my leg was broken, and my crutches had already been stowed away. The man who sat next to me was a right wing Christian, who believed Harry Potter was from the devil, and proceeded to lecture me for the next five hours on the evils of witchcraft and fantasy literature. I was fourteen, and a socially awkward, retiring fourteen, and he was middle aged. he used my unwillingness to be disrespectful of adults to disrespect me.
The next time someone struck up a conversation with me based on what I was reading was a few months later, and I had just started high school. The person doing the striking up was a sophomore, and the book was A Wizard of Earthsea. She and I became instant best friends and have remained so since.
Christauna Asay says
Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. The complex and scary protagonist always makes me want to ask, "Do you like John Cleaver?"
Amy Rost says
Any Terry Practchett novel, because his talent is underappreciated and I know few people who've read his books.
Jil says
I'm tempted to talk to anyone who is reading so long as there's an opportune moment, when they look up or something. I might be scared off by a grumpy looking person but anyone in the gym or in a waiting room is fair game.
If they're reading a romance or a book with a cheap looking cover I'm not interested and if they are an interesting looking person and the book they're reading turns out to be trash it can be disappointing.
adam.purple says
Why, my unpublished one. Once it's published, of course.
Ermo says
Hmmmm…. I'd probably do it for Freaknomics because that thing is a converation starter in itself.
The other one would be Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Fantastic, ridiculously long book that I've never heard of anyone else reading.
Del says
I had a fun experience on the train just a few weeks ago. I sat down, whipped out my paperback copy of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and then happened to notice that the person directly across from me was reading the hardback version. We caught each other's eyes, smiled, and each made some sort of comment about how popular the books were. The woman who was sitting on my left chuckled and then revealed she was reading the third in the series on her ereader. We all shared about a minute’s worth of conversation about the series and then delved back into our respective reads.
Turns out, I didn’t care for the book, but I love that moment.
Anjali says
I've done it with Middlesex and House of Sand and Fog.
Heidi says
The Bible. Jane Eyre. Something unusual, or something I'd been meaning to read.
J. T. Shea says
Nathan between books!? I thought you'd always have at least a dozen on the go at any given moment.
Mystery Robin says
Any Amelia Peabody book by Elizabeth Peters. I feel a special bond with anyone reading them. 🙂
Also, probably Bittersweet or Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist, because I know her, and her books are fabulous. 🙂
Stephanie McGee says
I can't say that there is. But I did have it happen to me one time in college. I was reading a Tamora Pierce novel that had just come out and a guy next to me at the bus stop started talking to me because of it. He was a fan of hers as well. We chatted until my bus came.
Carradee says
…Um, I strike up conversations with strangers anyway, though I'm more likely to if they're reading something. Even if it's a book I didn't much care for.
I once noticed that the lady behind me in line to check out at B&N had two books in a UF series I'd read; I mentioned that I liked them, but I liked another author more. The lady left line to go find those books.
Livia says
Funny, I was going to say Tamora Pierce, and then saw Stephanie's comment