Play Book Tag discussion

Sorry for the delay in the topic for today. Last night and today have been the worst of COVID for me though I'm finally starting to get on the mend.

Topic today is about random interactions with strangers in relation to books. Do you strike up conversations with people at the library or bookstore? Do you share recommendations? Trade Goodreads information? Invite to PBT? Have any of these friendships grown?

Relate some experiences.

Glad you are starting to feel better, Jason!

I used to talk to people on buses or planes. For instance, I was reading Obama’s Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance on a plane and the guy next to me had The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. A few years back on a bus, a young man was reading a fantasy book in paperback. I remarked that I was surprised he was using that instead of an ebook. He said he preferred it, and we talked some about fantasy books. But I never stayed in touch with anyone I met that way.

In the 90s, I took a bus to work, it was interesting to see what book, “everyone “ was reading, that is, something super popular.Now that rarely happens. Though when the last Harry Potter book came out, I had to pick someone up from the airport a couple days later. I was at the bottom of the escalator that travelers took to exit. It seemed that every second person was carrying that book.

I have plenty of book friends (strangers) I talk to... The woman who owns the chocolate shop can be found at Starbucks and we talk all the time. I do randomly approach people at the pool and in coffeeshops who are reading, and sometimes people stop me. Sometimes I might feel compelled to talk about PBT or my IRL Book Club. People always want to know what other people are reading. I am always carrying a book around and I notice when people are peeking to see. I make lots of friends this way.

A couple of encounters (from years ago) that I can think of.

One of them, I could see they were reading the same book I was. I wanted to say something, but didn't.

A different one - someone else on the bus asked me about how much I read! He noticed I had a different book every day! (That was a bit of an exaggeration, though I probably had 2 or 3 different books each week... on the bus 5 days/week, so it would have been close).

Anyway, after that first discussion, we chatted on the bus daily for years before he was laid off. Before that, my last retinal detachment happened and I suddenly wasn't on the bus for a couple of months. When I returned, we exchanged full names and became friends on facebook so we would know (or could contact each other) if something happened and we suddenly disappeared from the bus.

He had talked about contra dancing, which he was quite involved in, and quite some time later, I gave it a try. Turns out he and his wife were the organizers. They also lived not far from me (I had moved since I first met him on the bus, and he had since been laid off, so we weren't chatting on the bus anymore), so they would usually give me a ride home after.

Early during COVID, they sold their house and moved out to Vancouver Island. I was supposed to visit in May, but had to cancel due to my current surgeries. I still hope to maybe visit next year instead.

That’s great, Cin!

I take care of what we call an " à la cart " used book sale that my Library has in its entrance hall. I change the books out once or twice a week, so I am in view of everyone going in and out the front door. I have met some wonderful people and readers while doing this. People ask for recommendations from the books on the shelf, and we discuss what we are currently reading and hot new books. I get tons of compliments for the choices I put on the shelves each week, and a lot of people wonder about how I know so much about books and what people like. At that point, I tell them about GRs and the groups I belong to here and how I see and hear about what the people online are reading. I love this "job"!

I am also on the Board of The Friends of the Library and have recruited quite a few people to volunteer at the library while chatting with them. And have made some great acquaintances and met excellent people. It is sad, sometimes, that someone is widowed, or just lives alone, and I may be the only person they have a conversation with all day. Some of them have gotten to know when I am usually there and make a point to come into the library at that time. It is heartwarming to know that I put a little ray of sunshine in their day!

I will talk about books anytime, anywhere-

I love reading everyone's stories here. Everything we do has a ripple effect in people's lives.

I don't have anything as profound to share, but here are a few of my chestnuts:

Many years ago, I sat reading a book in Border's Book Store. It was a book on religious philosophy written by a local author. Guess who sat down next to me to chat about the book? Well, it was the author himself, who was very gratified to see me so interested in it. (It took me awhile to realize who I was talking to.)

As a girl, I made a life long friend in fifth grade, bonding over "Little Women," which we read together. My first buddy read?

When I was having a very bad day at work some years ago, my office mate snapped me out of it by uttering "Harry Potter," causing me to think instead about the joy created by the series. "Harry Potter" became a shorthand for us when we were having a bad day, although we didn't overuse it.

Holly R W wrote: "Many years ago, I sat reading a book in Border's Book Store. It was a book on religious philosophy written by a local author. Guess who sat down next to me to chat about the book?..."

Wow, that's pretty cool!

I've had the same lady cut my hair for many years. Over time just through chatting we realized we're both avid readers. Not too much overlap in our tastes, but just enough to have some great discussions.

This led to seeing some movies and musicals together based on favorite books. And now, we have season tickets to a local theater group and a standing brunch date.

We've been able to build a true friendship, and it all started with a mutual love of reading.

I added a free library and good dog biscuit box in front of my house. As an introvert, it can be challenging for me to start conversations and this has not only helped to get to know all the dogs in my neighborhood but my new neighbors as well.

I try and put in a selection of different genres to see what people like. It’s always fun to see neighbors come back when I am working in the yard and mention they picked up a book.

For example, an adult picked up A Wrinkle in Time because he had such great memories of it as a boy.

The top shelf is adult and the bottom one is kid books ranging from toddler to chapter books. It’s always interesting to see what has been selected so I know what to look for at my used bookstore.

Yes, I have had conversations about books with strangers. On planes I'll ask people what they're reading (not when they are engrossed in the book) and have had some interesting recommendations. Some don't care to share. I've also made suggestions in the library a few times, back before Ms. Misanthrope became the director (not just me--long time employees have been fleeing like rats from a sinking ship) as well as received some.

My favourite conversation about books with a stranger was in a bookstore in Ottawa, Ontario. I went in to ask about an author who, with different spellings of all three names, had the exact same name as me (it meant we were related. The name underwent spelling changes at the border resulting in three variations, but everyone is either descended from one man, adopted or married into the name.) My boyfriend at the time saw an article about her in the paper. Her friend was visiting the city and in the store, so after a chat about the books and my relation, we exchanged contact information. I later met my distant cousin when I drove through her city and we had a lovely conversation. She also showed me her collages. She's an artist who opted to illustrate children's books despite friends saying it was a cop out, and was later asked to write them by her publisher which she has to some acclaim.

Mary wrote: "I added a free library and good dog biscuit box in front of my house. As an introvert, it can be challenging for me to start conversations and this has not only helped to get to know all the dogs i..."

I love this.

Despite being in sales and able to talk to stranger easily, I don't talk to people out and about in routine activities. I'm normally in my own little world, something on my mind, a destination or task in mind, or a book in my ear. If someone starts talking to me, it takes a moment to drop the natural "why are you talking to me" facial expression.

I do notice people with books in public and am always trying to see the title. My kids make fun of me. They will even say, go ask them. No, they want to read and eat their meal. They have a book so someone won't talk to them. haha.

Recently, my son and I started attending Books and Bites at the library on Thursday. I've greatly enjoyed it. It's to promote literacy for children and non-native English speakers. The lady running it is in her first year. I helped her carry in the pizza's the first time and since then, I've helped out. My son and I don't really need to be there, but we enjoy it. I enjoy spending time with the kids. The lady who runs it and I started talking books and she was impressed my son reads nonfiction and historical fiction. We swapped Goodreads information.

Then...while making a bee line for the new releases at the library and an audiobook in my ear, I almost ran into a woman. I apologized and we made small comments. We had to swap places a couple times looking at the books, so I recommended My Friends if she likes Backman and darker emotional books. She had only read Ove. She recommended a couple books to me. We swapped Goodreads and I mentioned PBT. She joined but hasn't participated yet.

I enjoy these interactions even though I don't like and am wary of starting these interactions.

My first real memory of talking about books that led to friendship and exchanging books was in 6th Grade. The boy in front of me in class saw I was reading a Nancy Drew and he asked about it. He had a Hardy Boys and I asked him about it. We started a regular exchange so he could read all my Nancy Drews and I could read his Hardy Boys and we could talk about it. He was also my first 'boyfriend' so to speak.

I've never stopped talking about books and have acquired friends through it over the decades. Lots of stories and examples:

I'd run into a client on the subway commuting to/from work and we'd talk about the books we were each reading, which led to talking about shows we had seen and ultimately to our going to theater together, exchanging books and remaining friends to this day. We even traveled to Russia together.

While getting my hair cut, the woman in the chair next to mine asked about the hardcover book I'd set on the little table in front of me. That led to a discussion that brought everyone in the salon in talking about mysteries they had read and loved.

It happens less often now because people are reading on their phones or other devices so you can't see what they are reading, but I've had many a short conversation with those sitting next or near me on the subway or bus:

A young girl reading Harry Potter and I had quite a chat about it and I suggested a couple other series she might like.

A big muscular young black guy in gang colors kept looking at my copy of Middlemarch as I read it - and then asked what I thought of it as he was watching the BBC series airing at the time on PBS. A good reminder not to judge people by what they wear and how they look.

As for years I used afterwork visits to independent bookstores as ways to wind down after long work days, I got to know the owners, staff, and a lot of regular customers. I also attend a lot of book signings and such. At one I got into a discussion with a woman about my age not just about books (we were both their for a signing), but also about needlework at which point I immediately had her join my stitching group! She's a friend to this day, and we joke about how I picked her up at an author event at a favorite mystery bookstore (which didn't survive the economic downturn in NYC after 9/11).

On a trip from Chicago back to NYC one spring, on a long layover in Atlanta, I parked myself in a bar, ordered lunch and a drink, and pulled out the copy of 1984 I was then reading. The young twentysomething next to me asked a question about it and we ended up with a very lively discussion about books and life.

Most recently, on one leg of my flight from Santa Fe to NYC, the woman seated next to me was reading a book with a very interesting cover that I couldn't quite see. At one point near the end of the flight, I asked her what the title was -- and we had a bit of a discussion about how it's not a genre she usually reads and it was leant by a friend and I encouraged her with some other suggestions - and no I don't remember the title just the look of the book and that means I probably already had it on the TBR here.

I don't engage with everyone reading like that -- in fact on another leg of the trip the guy next to me was reading some NF book with a 300 word title (I exaggerate only slightly) that made my eyes glaze over even without being able to really read the whole thing and I did not even bother asking just stuck to my own ebook. But there are plenty of times.

On last mroe recent occasion that involves Amy and SallyS - we were meeting at my favorite Italian place in the Theater District for Dinner (which has closed btw). Sally was running late because of an appointment that ran late so Amy and I were eating and talking about books of course. The couple at the table next to us asked us about it and the next thing I know, Amy is deep into discussion with them, Sally has arrived and I'm getting an update from here - and a fine time was had by all. Including the couple at the next table.

Like Robin mentions about noticing what people read as she commuted to work, prior to the advent of video games on handheld devices and now phones, everyone taking the subway read - the newspapers (there's a special techniquest ot foulding the NYTimes into a manageable small size to read) and books. I will never ever forget when The Name of the Rose - this edition specifically became available in mass market paperback. EVERYONE on the subway, all walks of life, were reading it and I could not get past the first 30 or so pages, finding it unreadable. Everyone was talking about it and raving about it and I kept my mouth shut, LOL. Years later is was adapated into a film with Sean Connery - which I saw and then for some reason, I was easily able to read and enjoy the book.

Now, it seems that most are playing video games on their phone or scrolling through videos, social media, news feeds on buses but also subway as internet access is usually available. Even I find myself checking up on and respoding to work texts and emails rather than reading.

I could have sworn I responded, but now I don't see my comment?!


Yes, I will talk about books to anyone, anywhere. I have developed "sort of" friendships with my banker (actually two different persons at two different branches of my main bank), the lady at Baskin Robbins, the marketing director at a local theatre, and several people I worked with at the hospital (doctors, staff, administrators, managers).

I participate in six F2F book discussion groups, so I'm constantly talking about books, even without the random interactions.