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What Do Your Non-Reader Friends Think of Your Reading?
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I have one or two friends that read-- more that do not, including my wife. My mom reads, but what I read compared to what she reads is almost the exact opposite.My mom is more into 'pop-culture' of writing-- John Grisham, etc. Not that I am into deep literature, but I don't like Grisham. Anyway...
1)One friend will make comments about what I am reading...the rest just look at me.
2)I don't think I have ever been mocked for reading, or if it did happen, I, either, wasn't there or wasn't paying attention-- then they just look at me.
3)The one friend that makes the comments about what I am reading has recently begun to read more-- everyone else just looks at me.
Larry wrote: "Just don't fall asleep and drop it."
Which is why I wouldn't read in the bath. I wouldn't fall asleep and drop it, but I would end up dropping it anyway
Angie wrote: "Someone on another community I'm in recently commented how they think that if they find someone with the same taste in music and other things, they're a keeper.
Immediately, I thought, "NOO! I wan..."
I don't want someone who is exactly like me, its the differences that make life interesting. Not that they should be an exact opposite tho
Gus wrote: "Flora wrote, So I've just come to accept that there will be no reading at bedtime, I guess hes worth the sacrifice ;)
I guess that depends if you're trying to read while...you know...doing the ho..."
lol, no, that has nothing to do with. I will always put the book down for that >:) thats just our time and I feel like I'm ignoring him if I try to read at bedtime
Ah, but bathtub time is relaxing time and not falling-asleep time. But now that you point it out, I see the connection.
lol @ Mary.I've never been a bedtime reader for some reason. I guess you could say that I used to be a strict follower of "don't do things in bed because you'll condition yourself to fall asleep while doing those activities."
And then I wake up because I smacked myself in the face with the book as I dozed off - and then of course, I do it again!
Wait....what's wrong with reading during sexytime??? Sometimes when I'm not in the mood I'll let my husband do his thing anyway, as long as I don't have to put my book down. That way we're both happy.
I have a hard time sleeping if I haven't read. I better be good and drunk if I'm going to try such a thing.
Someone on another community I'm in recently commented how they think that if they find someone with the same taste in music and other things, they're a keeper.I'm sorry. You're not allowed to date other communities. We're going steady.
:)
Someone on another community I'm in recently commented how they think that if they find someone with the same taste in music and other things, they're a keeper.Immediately, I thought, "NOO! I want him/her to enjoy my Jamyang Norbu but if we have the exact same books, whose copy are we going to sell or box up? I write in mine so I want my copy to stay on the shelf!"
I don't think I could be with someone who wasn't a reader. That's where I put my foot down.
Flora wrote, So I've just come to accept that there will be no reading at bedtime, I guess hes worth the sacrifice ;) I guess that depends if you're trying to read while...you know...doing the horizontal rumba?
I know what you mean. Some men prefer to fall asleep after the nookie. I prefer to read, even if it's just for a few minutes.
Jo wrote: "My husband is a non-reader...I can't tell you the number of times that he interrupts me with nonsense conversation or turns the television on and then leaves the room. I love the man but can not r..."
I know exactly what you mean. My bf is the exact reason I quit trying to read at bed time. I love him dearly, but its so annoying when he won't let me read. So I've just come to accept that there will be no reading at bedtime, I guess hes worth the sacrifice ;)
My husband is a non-reader...I can't tell you the number of times that he interrupts me with nonsense conversation or turns the television on and then leaves the room. I love the man but can not read when there are distractions in the room. I can't seem to make him understand the pleasure I get when I "travel" in a really great story
about number two. Would you count this mocking: During a class of mine someone that was in my grade was talking about the SAT's and and asked me how I did then make a comment about how i probably got a perfect, when I asked why he would say that he said it was because I read a lot and usually people who read a lot are smart.Oh and I think it's cool how you all welcome all the new comers!
1. Do your non-reader friends ever comments on your books/reading habit?
Yes, in tones of uneasy disbelief, followed by unsolicited excuses for why they don't read. From this I have learned primarily that children are a black hole which sucks all time and energy into the void., leaving just enough life-force to operate the remote control for the TV so that one doesn't miss the latest episode of Desperate Housewives,
2. Have you ever been mocked for reading?
Yes, by my teenaged stepsons, followed by the Ritual Complaint of "I'm bored", to which I smugly reply "Really? I'm not!" as I turn the page.
3. Have you ever converted non-readers into reading, you literature cult recruiter, you?
I did, once, but that person has yet to return the books I loaned to her so I won't be doing THAT again.
My non reading friends are often commenting on my reading. Most are amazed that I read so much, but there is one that just doesn't understand it. She doesn't read and can't figue out why anybody would want to. I have managed to convert a couple over the years, but thats generaly not been the norm.
1 & 2. People are usually in disbelief that I enjoy reading. They also act all ashamed when they tell me what they've been reading (or haven't been reading). Most people haven't heard of some of my favorite authors (Raymond Carver, Thomas Pynchon), and they ask me questions about why I like them. Guys tend to tease me about reading Jane Austen. um and a lot of times, when I'm reading a book at the pool/beach/cafe & a guy tries to hit on me, he asks if I'm an English teacher.3. When I finish reading a book, I mail the book on to a friend who I think will enjoy it. People usually try to convince me to watch a movie over reading a book though, which is bizarre.
1. My husband teases me a lot even though he is a reader. Mostly because I read a lot of pop-fiction that I end up not liking while he sticks with non-fiction. Damn near all my friends are novel readers.2. I got teased a lot in high school because I ALWAYS had a book and it was often a large one. I also read a lot of the books from other English classes that I missed out on. So a couple of times I helped other kids with their homework and they were always surprised when they realized I had a different teacher. It was pretty funny.
I have been getting into a lot of debates with my room mate lately that end up with us making fun of each others' reading choices. He likes long, detailed fantasy novels and I like short stories. We get pretty snarky but it's all in fun.
3. I don't think I have.
Delilahhh wrote: "1. Do your non-reader friends ever comments on your books/reading habit?
Yes, my friends think its strange for somebody to like reading. :) I think it mainly consists of the way you were introduc..."
Isn't it? But even though, the normality if most things are "sad", and I want to be happy, so hurray for straying!
1. Do your non-reader friends ever comments on your books/reading habit?
Yes, my friends think its strange for somebody to like reading. :) I think it mainly consists of the way you were introduced to reading. I think many people don't like reading simply because they struggle with it. My mom introduced me to reading when i was a little girl, and by this i mean, she read to me every night. She read both easy and difficult books, and i loved the time i got to spend with her and the fantastic stories that filled my mind with wonder and magic.
2. Have you ever been mocked for reading?
Not so much, maybe just been called a nerd every now and then.....haha
3. Have you ever converted non-readers into reading, you literature cult recruiter, you?
haha no :)
Oh Blanca, even at our school,reading is not very popular.... It makes me sad.... :( Go book club!!!! ha!
Blanca, I think your experience is probably not the norm but very exceptional in your case. It's great that you see it so positively and seem to take all the positive out of it instead of focusing on the negative. Good for you!
1. Do your non-reader friends ever comments on your books/reading habit?
Yup, all the time. Things like "Why do you read so much?" and "Holy cow! You finished that already?". I mostly get incredulous looks because I always have another new book with me, and because that's usually all I ask for when Bdays & Christmas comes around.
2. Have you ever been mocked for reading?
Yea, sorta. Especially if people know me and they see that I have one paranormal fantasy book, one bizarre horror book, one book on quantum physics and one on global consciousness, they poke fun at my strange & divergent taste in literature. I always say it's better than watching the boob-tube.
3. Have you ever converted non-readers into reading, you literature cult recruiter, you?
Well, does my 8 yr old count? This year she's warped into light-speed with her reading, and we've begun reading actual novels together (Yes, Harry Potter is on the list, as well as Eragon and A Wrinkle in Time). It also helps that her new 2nd grade teacher has them reading at least 15 mins every night, so we usually get some good reading in together.
I'm also excited that she is getting into writing stories. We just purchased her a new writing notebook and she is busy drawing characters and ideas in it. She rattled off ideas to me for 45 minutes tonight, and some of them are pretty darn good. I'm so proud! :)
1. Do your non-reader friends ever comments on your books/reading habit?
Ilive with a non reader, but everyone else I know is a reader.
2. Have you ever been mocked for reading?
Only gently.
3. Have you ever converted non-readers into reading, you literature cult recruiter, you?
My big coup was getting my non-reader to read the Harry Potter books, which she loved. Every now and then she will pick up something to read, but mostly not.
My niece is turning three in February, and when I go to Africa this winter I plan on bringing her books, even though theirs is a non reading family. Or Breyer horses. Or both. Hmm...
Totally, as is influenced by many events in an individual's life, and/or an individuals perspective.
There are also college age kids who aren't ready to be in college yet. Maturity shows up at different times for different people.
Thank you!
Anyway, there is more than a hand full of kids who are NOT ready to be placed in a college classroom but somehow end up being in one, and it's either because their parents force them or they do it for the hell of it. They're honestly just taking up someone else's opportunity. As for childhood being ripped from them, as I said to me it's just a passing phase and some of my friends do feel that way, and it truly does depend on the individual. However, there are many situations in which kids rather spread their wings than stay improsined by a sense of dependance, in which case this program helps them very, very much. I completely agree with you though.
Blanca wrote: "What's YOUR outlook on teenagers in a college class? "Haha-- I went to college with some college-aged students who treated the classes as if they were nothing. I was one of maybe 4 or 5 students who had even attempted to finish all the books in literature course, and they would often not even bother reading the 10 pages the professor would tell us, ahead of time, that we would be focusing on.
Incidentally, there was a teenage girl in that class. She deserved to be there, based on her intellectual intelligence (she was very smart) but unfortunately, she was not mentally or emotionally ready to be in a college class, with people college-aged. Whether this was just because she was a teenager or maybe she suffered from a social disorder on top of things, I don't know, but I felt genuinely sorry for her a lot of the time.
When I was in elementary school, there were 2 students and myself who ended up being handed a lot of free time in kindergarten, first, and second grade, mainly because we would have pop spelling quizzes and anyone who scored an A wouldn't have to spend class time studying or retaking the quiz. The other girl was put on a fast track, and ended up being a freshmen in college when we were freshmen in high school. She was put in a women's college for her safety and I don't think she finished-- I heard through the grapevine that she absolutely hated it, and felt that her childhood had been taken from her, since her parents were the one pushing her to do better and better, against her will.
That said, I was also friends with kids in high school who would take only the required high school classes and take electives at the local community college. They all loved it, but I ended up not being their friends after a while because they grew huge egos and thought they were better than the kids who decided to not attempt college courses.
So really, I think it depends on the individual. :)
This happened just last night, and my friend and I spoke of it and we just felt so good. We attend an early college high school, where we obtain both our Associate degree in the career of our choice, as well as our high school diploma. Even though we missed out on a regular high school experienced, we experienced far more, and got exposed to a more REAL environment, which would be a college class. A lot of older people in our college classes don't seem to concur with this, saying it isn't fair or that we're not mature enough to be able to handle it, but we prove them wrong and the after feeling is rather special. Yes we have matured way faster, but we find this to be a good thing because we are now aware of the things we have to manage when we grow up, because you never stay a teenager. It's awesome and we're so proud of it! Lol
:-)
What's YOUR outlook on teenagers in a college class?
This happened just last night, and my friend and I spoke of it and we just felt so good. We attend an early college high school, where we obtain both our Associate degree in the career of our choice, as well as our high school diploma. Even though we missed out on a regular high school experienced, we experienced far more, and got exposed to a more REAL environment, which would be a college class. A lot of older people in our college classes don't seem to concur with this, saying it isn't fair or that we're not mature enough to be able to handle it, but we prove them wrong and the after feeling is rather special. Yes we have matured way faster, but we find this to be a good thing because we are now aware of the things we have to manage when we grow up, because you never stay a teenager. It's awesome and we're so proud of it! Lol
:-)
What's YOUR outlook on teenagers in a college class?
