Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Nose in a Book



Last week I was sitting in the orthodontist’s waiting room, waiting for my daughter to come out, and I look around at all the high-achieving parental types busily working on their tablets and mini-tablets and smartphones and whatever else, and I notice this one guy is reading a BOOK.

Not just a book but this really old-looking book. I’m talking no book jacket. Zero cover art. Just some gilt lettering. I was pretty sure the dude was reading the Illiad.  I was intrigued. Who was this brave, possibly hipster, dad who seemed purposely out-of-step with the rest of the waiting room parents? Didn't he have email to check? Facebook statuses to update? Tweets to retweet?! Tumblrs to tumbl? My GOD! He could be falling minutes behind the rest of the world!

I leaned way forward and craned my neck, pretending to examine the gum disease pamphlets on the wall, but then he shifted in his seat and despite all my squinting, I still couldn’t see the spine of the book clearly.

There was a time when you could pretty easily get a look at the cover of somebody’s book on the subway and in so doing, JUDGE THEM.

But no more.

And it’s all because of these blasted e-readers. Don't get me wrong, I actually love my e-reader, but they do create certain problems. How, I ask you, am I supposed to nosily figure out what you’re reading if I can’t pretend to drop my glove just so I can lean way over and look at the cover of whatever drivel you’re wasting your time on? Or, conversely, reading to impress total strangers?

Please tell me that I’m not the only person who does this.* 

I just like looking at what other people are reading. But I’m looking in a non-creepy way. OF COURSE I AM. I’m not creepy. I’m nosy. There’s a big difference, and it usually involves a restraining order.

Sigh

Modern life. I guess being nosy about other people’s reading material is yet another old-fashioned custom gone the way of the fax machine.




*Why do so many of my blog posts feature a plea at the end that basically amounts to, “I’m not that weird, right? RIGHT?”

Comments (12)

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Imagine, Kristen -- the person on the subway or in the airport could be reading YOUR book. And with the e-reader, you'd never know. :(
1 reply · active 627 weeks ago
That's simply not fair. There should be some nosiness-enabling feature on e-readers, don't you think?
Oh yeah, I totally do this too! Lol!
1 reply · active 627 weeks ago
Good. I knew there were others out there like me. Other Nosy Ones. *looks around, squinting*
I'm big-time nosey. That's why I taught social studies and now write historical fiction -- I can dig around in other people's lives in a way that is viewed as socially acceptable!
1 reply · active 627 weeks ago
Yeah, I'd guess most writers are inherently nosy people. Then we gossip about everyone in our books, which is perhaps slightly better than talking behind their backs.
*You're not the only one who does this.

I'd not lump us with "weird," but rather, proudly, with that Book Guy.
1 reply · active 627 weeks ago
*Thank you for your very supportive asterisk.

I was so, so disappointed that I couldn't see what that book was the guy was reading.

Also, you'll notice that instead of being on my phone, I was focused on my stealthy study of everyone else in the waiting room. Because I have my priorities in order. One must always remember to avoid distractions and observe others (ie., be nosy).
Odd, I think I'm too blunt to be a normal person, I just lean over and ask. If they are interested in continuing a conversation, they usually comment about the book. But it does open you up to conversation.

And of course, when I'm reading, I'm not always pleased about someone interrupting. but if I love the book, I'll rave at the them for a minute or two before finding a polite conversation ending.
1 reply · active 627 weeks ago
Well, see, you're probably nice. Whereas I'm too cranky to do that.

Had I been nearer, I might have been able to read a paragraph or two over his shoulder but, see, I was too far away.

You know, I hadn't thought of this before, but maybe it's just that my eyes are giving out. Maybe glasses are the answer to my nosiness problem!
Sierra Godfrey's avatar

Sierra Godfrey · 627 weeks ago

I do it all the time. I'll crane my neck and look over someone's shoulder if I have to. I have long lamented the problem that ereaders present in this bit of looky-loosim, because quite frankly I WANT to see what you're reading, and it's no small secret that this is how books are sold. It's the ol' "silent recommendation."

On an airplane last week I was pleased to see a lady on the plane with a paper copy of a book, but then my pleasure plummeted when I saw it was 50 Shades of Shite. Oh well.
Angelina C. Hansen's avatar

Angelina C. Hansen · 627 weeks ago

The first thing I do when I enter a house is check out the titles on their bookshelves. ^_^

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