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Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about social reading…
How much of your reading do you share with others (outside of blogging?) Do you belong to a book or library club? Do you trade books with friends? Do you tell others what you’re reading?
Outside of blogging? Well, not much. Which sort of explains the blogging, as I think it does for a number of book bloggers. I know I have the article saved somewhere, but the figures about the number of Americans who take part in recreational reading are sad. So, really, unless you are lucky, most of the people you know will not share your
I have one co-worker who is a big reader and we do exchange some books, but our tastes are rather different. Now, I do have family members that read and to a degree we trade books. My aunt is a big reader and I give her books...my niece, Bandit's mom, is a reader but is far away in the Sunshine State. But when she is home we have exchanged some books and I recently sent her the new Spark book that I had read, since she is a fan.
Then there is my sister-in-law. She is a huge reader. Once upon a time, we exchanged many books. But..then she bought a Kindle. Yes, she went to the Dark Side. And as I may have mentioned, one of my BIG issues with e-readers is the inability to loan out your books in some way. I had a brief hope that was going to change with the B&N nook...but it seems that is not really true. One loan for 14 days of each book...forever. Just Silly.
A book club sounds like a lovely idea. I am not sure it would be in reality, but in my imagination, it seems nice. I picture civilized discussions over tea and scones. Or beer and onion dip. Hot chocolate and cookies. There would have to be snacks I think.
But I have never sought one out. I am not really sure where one would find a book club in the area...a note on the bulletin board at the library? Does my library have some sort of club? I don't really know. And I guess I don't really seek it out because, blogging aside, I have always thought of reading as a rather solitary occupation.
Just me and my mind and my imaginary friends, the characters created by my heroes, authors. At heart, I am a solitary soul...just me, a big pile of books and my imaginary kitty Kitty. Who does not read.
My daugher recently told me I'd better not get a kindle because then I could not give her my books when I am finished!
ReplyDeleteI have a few friends that may read a book or two a year who look at me like I am from outer-space when they find out how many I read in a year!
right on both points...the Evil Kindle issue on lending and the odd looks readers get. we have to remember reading 1-2 books a year is the majority of people.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. I have a few friends and family members who are avid readers but they don't want to talk about books the way I do.
ReplyDeleteimaginary friends are just as nice as real ones--sometimes better. We always have treats at our book club meeting. The lady hosting for the month picks the book and the snack. This month we had homemade salsa and chips. she also made a very yummy carrot cake :) When I hosted we read about Beatrix Potter and had an English Tea. I've found the Book club to be very fun.
ReplyDeletehello there! dropping here!
ReplyDeleteI have to be careful about talking books TOO much to my friends, but I do have probably at least a dozen who are almost as phanatical as me. They don't blog, but they are always reading. I did just join a book club a few months ago, and it is nice. Maybe not as rewarding as I had hoped, but nice.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you ... I thought I was pretty alone in my love of books (save my family who lived far away) until I started blogging about them! Now I seem like an amateur! It is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAnd any book club I would be in would HAVE to have snacks!
This is a really interesting topic of discussion. I just have to wonder how reading ever really became social, seeing as it's something very personal. Even reading for clubs or aloud, it's typically not a shared experience but rather a change within the reader. Blogging isn't exactly social reading either - it's a form of expressing opinions (like any blog), but geared specifically towards one topic. Hm.
ReplyDeleteSandy, can one talk TOO much about books? when you see the glazed over look in other people's eyes, you realize that you can..lol
ReplyDeleteJenners...when you start blogging, you come to know many share your obsessions!
Anon. Child, yes, it is odd! Even when I now write about books, I realize that my opinions are very personal..I would not be surprised if fights break out at book clubs!