What Books Would Make You Feel An Affinity And Repulsion Upon Seeing A Stranger Reading Them? (10/26/25)

[Marc]

You see a stranger in public reading...

What is one book they could be reading that would make you feel positive (attraction, an affinity, etc.) towards them?

What is one book they could be reading that would make you feel negative (dislike, repulsion, etc.)?

The only caveat: You yourself must have read whatever books you pick for these answers.

[Emmeline]

Why the caveat? I feel like that's not how bias works!

My mom was talking to someone selling cushion covers or something similar once and was considering buying one, until she saw the woman was reading a book by Margaret Thatcher...

[Stacia]

That's a hard question as peopke read for various reasons and you don't know how they are reacting to the book.

That said, I will select two popular/commercially successful books.

Positive: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Negative: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. (I will reserve judgement in the case of high schoolers who are forced into reading it.)

[Greg]

There are a huge amount of books that would induce a positive reaction. I pretty much feel closer to anyone who is reading, no matter what it is.

And there are only a small handful that would induce a negative reaction. Anything by Ayn Rand would make me roll my eyes internally. I wouldn't fully jump to conclusions because I do know some kind, intelligent people who read her. But I'd say that I'd be cautious with that person and give them a wide berth if I could, in case they were a fan of Objectivism.

[Bill]

Years ago, a friend and I were riding the tram, and noticed and appreciated a young fellow reading a very thick book.

We were very disappointed to find out it was one of the Game of Thrones volumes. This was when the series was running and very popular.

I wouldn't say it was a negative reaction. But after appreciating the fact that he was reading an impressive-looking paper book, we were disappointed that it wasn't something less popular. (Ok, the George R.R. Martin fans here can start being annoyed with me now.)

[Hugh]

I am generally positive towards anyone who is reading anything literary. Can't think of anything I have read that would make me think the opposite, because if I did, I'd have to tar myself with the same brush.

[Henk]

Stacia wrote: "That's a hard question as peopke read for various reasons and you don't know how they are reacting to the book.

That said, I will select two popular/commercially successful books.

Positive: [book..."

Second the David Mitchell, I would instantly feel kinship if someone was reading one of my favorite authors. Also the Ayn Rand one (or maybe more modern, Jordan Peterson) resonates as well.

[Joy D]

I have a positive reaction to readers, in general.

I would not like to judge a person based on 1 book. I've read both Game of Thrones and Ayn Rand, just to see what all the fuss was about, but it doesn't represent me as a person.

[Greg]

Joy D wrote: "I have a positive reaction to readers, in general.

I would not like to judge a person based on 1 book. I've read both Game of Thrones and Ayn Rand, just to see what all the fuss was about, but it ..."

For sure Joy. I wouldn't be so much judging them as worried that they were a certain sort of Ayn Rand fan. I know people who have read her; I have too.

But I find her philosophy extremely revolting, at once so simplistic that it's appalling and yet also completely fanciful, ascribing hidden motives to people that I don't believe exist. She's like Procrustes of ancient myths; if something is too short to fit her theories, she stretches it on the rack. If it's too short, she cuts off its legs.

There's a pretty good chance that at least half of the people reading her don't ascribe to her whole philosophy. I know that and wouldn't judge a person based on it. But there's another half that do, and those people I prefer to avoid like the plague. So if I see someone reading her, I do feel leery. I'm not sure which half they are; so my ears prick up and I am extra careful.

[Lark]

I feel amazed and grateful when I see anyone reading an actual book, open in their hands, rather than scrolling on their phones. It feels rare these days.

[Joy D]

Greg wrote: "But I find her philosophy extremely revolting, at once so simplistic that it's appalling and yet also completely fanciful, ascribing hidden motives to people that I don't believe exist. She's like Procrustes of ancient myths; if something is too short to fit her theories, she stretches it on the rack. If it's too short, she cuts off its legs.
..."

I am totally with you about her philosophy. I often read books that are "popular" or "controversial" just to make my own judgment.

[Greg]

Joy D wrote: "I am totally with you about her philosophy. I often read books that are "popular" or "controversial" just to make my own judgment."

I do the same thing Joy. I think it's part of the process of figuring out what I believe, to take in diverse viewpoints.

Also, I have some dear Goodreads friends and offline friends who love one or two of her books for reasons completely disconnected to Objectivism. It's not likely to see into people's hearts based on one or two things

[Emmeline]

Bill wrote: "Years ago, a friend and I were riding the tram, and noticed and appreciated a young fellow reading a very thick book.

We were very disappointed to find out it was one of the Game of Thrones volum..."

I had this feeling with a woman on the bus reading a large hardcover. It turned out to be Prince Harry's autobiography.

[Lesley]

I feel a broad affinity with anyone I see reading a book.
To feel the possibility of a closer affinity non- fiction wise probably something music based - a recent example Street-Level Superstar: A Year With Lawrence would make me feel I’d maybe found someone of my own tribe; fiction wise something like Lincoln in the Bardo Assuming they liked it.
Most of the people I feel an instant antipathy towards aren’t reading. I don’t think I would feel negatively based on a book alone - if all the other signals I was getting from someone were positive, that would override whatever I thought of the book.
Some books would make me think conversation would be dull. I would avoid meeting the eye of anyone reading The Lord of the Rings or anything of that ilk. Some books would make me think we held different worldviews. Depending on the general impression I had of the person that might make me feel it was something we could discuss or whether it would be best to walk on by.

[Robert]

I loved Street Level Superstar:I think we all have a bit of Lawrence inside of us

[Lesley]

Robert wrote: "I loved Street Level Superstar:I think we all have a bit of Lawrence inside of us"

lol. I’d like to think that was true.

[Marc]

Emmeline wrote: "Why the caveat? I feel like that's not how bias works!"

Quite true! The caveat makes it a much harder question (or so I thought)...

[Joy D]

That's funny to think about, since I've read quite a few books I had a bias against. Sometimes the bias had a basis and other times, I felt differently after reading the book in question.