The shoe on the other foot

[jack]

There are many situations where it's thought a little odd to whip out a book. As a teenager when I was even more stubborn about socialisation than now, I explored many of these :)

Walking along, waiting in a queue, at your desk at work, and many other places there are at least some reasons against reading. I often do anyway, but I'm used to puzzling people (or walking head-first into Matt R. :))

On the other hand, in a waiting room (doctor, optometrist, platform, etc), I think it's seen as a little odd not to. At least, most people don't, but the vibe I get from people in a room where one person's reading and the rest are waiting, is "damn, why is there only one organised person?"[1]

Of course, I have an unfair advantage as I will already have a book started, and only have to bring it, not actually *find* one.

I guess this is what people mean by "a cheap paperback", except that we (a) buy standard paperbacks by default (b) don't equate a paperback with a cheap story, and (c) tend to live off the things.

[1] Maybe I should take along spare books to hand out to fellow sufferers? Except if they're good, they'll want to keep them, but so will I, and if not, I'll feel guilty :)

Comments

[cornute.livejournal.com]

Don't you sometimes get home and discover that you've just bought a book you already own, under a different cover?

There's a good way to disperse those extras.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, occasionally. The other cover isn't even necessary, just "I read that somewhere, but I didn't think I *had* it". Occasionally an exceptionally interchangeable series does this. (This means the duplicates are always second-tier books, neither awful nor very good.)

However, there's only a few. I have started collecting them together, and need to do something to them, but there's not enough to really make this worth it, nor fulfil the demand. I guess I might as well try -- if I do want to leave a book somewhere (bookcrossingly or not) it's by far the best place for it.

[pogodragon.livejournal.com]

I've been known to be almost late for things because I had a hard time choosing which book to take with me. It isn't so bad when I have a portable weight paperback started, but if I'm reading something too heavy to carry, or I'm too close to the end of my current read (I mean, finishing my book before I've finished waiting, that would be terrible), then I have to make a decision about taking something along.

And then there's always the emergency, back up book that you need just in case the book you have with you isn't quite right for the situation you find yourself in.

It's a minefield I tell you!

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

LOL. I know the feeling. (Though my being late is, I think, a separate issue, thinking about books is just a symptom for me :))

Whatever I grab in a hurry is invariably not suiting me, and gets put down fretfully half finished. Or is a recent purchase, and I get enthralled, and resent whatever it is I was going to in the first place.

It's a minefield I tell you!

:) LOL. There should be regulations!

[pogodragon.livejournal.com]

It tends not to make me late, but that's probably because I'm generally chronically early for ... well, everything really. I'm getting better at being on time for things, but early is by far my preferred setting.

Regulations though, that would be good.

Rule 1: You must take with you only the book which is closest to hand when you pick up your keys to leave the house.

Rule 1.1: You may ignore rule 1 if this would require the carrying of a telephone directory about your person.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Regulations though, that would be good.

LOL. Though I was thinking more like "doctors' surgeries and bookshops to compulsorily merged," :)

[pogodragon.livejournal.com]

But that would mean that bookshops would smell of medicinal cleaning products rather than nicely ... bookish. I don't think I could agree to that one.

(Yes, I sniff books, but that doesn't mean I'm weird)

[theinquisitor.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly sure the 'a cheap paperback' expression comes from the states, where they seem to make paperbacks on the assumption that they won't form part of a permanent collection, but are instead intended as relatively disposible reading material.

Or were 20 years ago, at any rate.