Rant of a Reader

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Attempted what? I read 2-3 fiction books per week, and I don't need to see the covers, nor have anyone else see them. Finding a cover, printing it out, and laminating it, and attaching Velcro? Seriously?

I thought this was to combat people assuming you're just playing around on a tablet/phone. I believe the experiment was that if strangers see a book cover on your device, they're more likely to leave you alone.

[BookHoarder]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I thought this was to combat people assuming you're just playing around on a tablet/phone. I believe the experiment was that if strangers see a book cover on your device, they're more likely to leave you alone.

Partly it was. I was also having a problem of remembering what I had read as an ebook. So I figured to try this to help on both fronts. For me it does. The book cover has reduced casual break time conversation by a good amount, and I'm remembering more of the book. I guess if I read 2-3 books a week it would be silly, but given my schedule I'm lucky to have one done every 2-3 weeks.

[BenG]

I used to have a reader app on my Ipaq that would display the cover for a moment before opening the book to the last read page. I usually don't have a problem remembering the names of the books I've read but I think this would help. Especially if, like me, you have several anthologies and you forget which book a particular short story was in.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I thought this was to combat people assuming you're just playing around on a tablet/phone. I believe the experiment was that if strangers see a book cover on your device, they're more likely to leave you alone.

And be sure to make the cover something really dull and uninteresting that no one would want to talk about with you!

[sakura-panda]

The single thing that I don't like about ebooks is not having the covers on the books. I can better recall a book if I can picture its cover image when I'm thinking about it. (It's also why I'm so picky about the covers for the books I log in Goodreads; I want the cover to match what I think I'm reading!) My Sony uses the cover of my current/last book for the sleep screen, but it's not as vibrant as a "real" cover. (It's also pretty tiny, since it's only a 6" screen.)

Originally Posted by BookHoarder

Anyway, a little while back I posted about an experiment I was conducting to solve the tactile memory problem that comes from reading Ebooks. My theory was to google search an image of the cover of the book I was reading, size it and print it out, laminate, and secure it to my Ereader cover with Velcro tabs. Total crafting cost about 1.00-1.25 USD.

I am pleased to report that for the most part I am happy with this method. I have done this with 4 books, and the results are most promising. The first is that I am better focusing, and retaining what I've read on my current book, and the second is more of a happy side-effect. The custom cover on the ereader is actually announcing to those pesky chatterers that I'm reading a book. They are tending to leave me be rather than attempt the dreaded 'social interaction'. Even the most anti-book, pro-social media tech enthusiast, knows a book cover when they see one.

Back in the day I was one of those readers who judged a book by its cover. Any book art by Michael Whelan convinced me that the book had to be amazing. It was not always the case, but one should not argue with Whelan.

So every two to three weeks my ereader cover gets a change. Pros are the visually appealing aspect of book covers, the convenience of a ereader, and the focus that comes from the almost tricking your brain into believing you are reading from a dead tree format. Cons I can't go back to paper, no matter how good those dead trees smelled, because of the amount of money I've spent into ebooks. People know what I'm reading, and I won't lie about it with a false cover. Another is I find myself unwilling to abandon a boring book if I've invested the time to craft a cover for it. That might actually be a pro since I kind of have a completion complex.

If anyone else has attempted this please post up about it, share your thoughts about how it goes for you. I'm not advocating going back to paper, but sometimes the old ways are still good ways.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

I still love the idea of making a cover for the book while I'm reading it, but I know it isn't something I'll follow through with on my own. (I seem to have turned into one of those people who spend all day at work on the computer and don't even look at my own when I'm home.) My plan is to stick a clear pocket to the front cover and then swap out the cover sheet for each book, but I haven't gone beyond thinking about how to create that.

[Paperbackstash]

I always joke about this. When on lunch break at work and reading, it seems more people want to strike up a conversation with me than if I'm on a regular cell phone or just sitting there. Oddly when I go to the grocery story like usual no one speaks to me, but if I happen to go in with headphones on (some music) more people try to strike up a conversation.

[BookCat]

A suggestion from a quick search:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...g+mug&_sacat=0

[BookCat]

Just imagine this as a character in a story:

a person who reads in public places and hates being spoken to.

My first question is: why is this character reading in public places if they hate being approached by people enquiring about their book? Why aren't they reading at home? Okay, maybe they have a large family and can't find peace at home, so go to a library, or sit on the loo (I have a friend who reads in the bath and while running the bath.)

The point is that this character has holes for the reader, so the author has to go to great pains to explain why they read in public in the first place.
No access to a library, or a bookshop (great places for reading), or a bathroom, or bedroom, or a park with few people there, or a shed at the bottom of the garden or on an allotment. I'm single and live with three cats in a house of my own so it's easy for me to find quiet, unless the pusscats need to be fed, but I'm the youngest of five so know what it's like to live in a large family (though our house was largish). As I child I used to lie in bed late at the weekends to read Enid Blyton's Mystery books. My brother spent ages on the loo (he had his own bedroom too).

So the character who reads in public and hates to be spoken to or approached by other people while reading could perhaps find somewhere with no other people in it in order to read undisturbed.

For the record, I quite like speaking to people on the bus, though I travel in taxis now and chat to the driver, I sometimes get cheaper fares that way. If I sit in a tea shop, I quite like it when there are no free tables and I double up with someone who begins a conversation. And I'm the type of person who has conversations with corner-shop keepers when they're not busy. If I saw someone reading, I'm sorry to say that I would be really tempted to engage them in conversation, but I'm quick to take a hint - a few grunts and I would shut up.
"Miserable old sod," I'd think to myself while tucking in to a cream cake.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Just imagine this as a character in a story:

a person who reads in public places and hates being spoken to.

My first question is: why is this character reading in public places if they hate being approached by people enquiring about their book?

Maybe your fictional reader likes the ambience while they read. The sights and sounds of people in their peripheral senses.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by BookCat

So the character who reads in public and hates to be spoken to or approached by other people while reading could perhaps find somewhere with no other people in it in order to read undisturbed.

For the record, I quite like speaking to people on the bus, though I travel in taxis now and chat to the driver, I sometimes get cheaper fares that way. If I sit in a tea shop, I quite like it when there are no free tables and I double up with someone who begins a conversation. And I'm the type of person who has conversations with corner-shop keepers when they're not busy. If I saw someone reading, I'm sorry to say that I would be really tempted to engage them in conversation, but I'm quick to take a hint - a few grunts and I would shut up.
"Miserable old sod," I'd think to myself while tucking in to a cream cake.

So... long (or even short) commutes to and from work, any destination really, that has you stuck on buses or trains or planes means I shouldn't expect to be able to read in peace? It might be the only time in the day I can manage to read because of work, family, etc. I have no way to say my thoughts politely about that so I won't.

I don't mind being interrupted while reading to answer a few questions or whatever, but I do want to go back to my reading and not spend the next 2 hours chatting to a stranger stuck in a seat next to him with no escape. I'm not antisocial at all, and as said, I never mind being interrupted for something quick here and there, I'll even initiate conversations. But never when I see a person preoccupied with anything else, including reading a book.

[BookCat]

I've always found that reading in cars and buses gives me a headache. When I was doing my O levels, I had over an hour journey to college each day, both there and back. Perfect opportunity to catch up on reading for my courses? No. I tried it and got motion sickness.

I rarely travel by plane, having done so much travelling round the world as a child (my mother, older sisters and I went on several cruises) that I no longer feel the need. However, should I be on a plane I probably wouldn't be alone, and if parted from the person I was with I'd take something - like reading - to do. If the person in the seat next to me began chatting, my reactions would depend upon what they were talking about and their manner. I wouldn't be annoyed just because they'd interrupted my reading even if I was at a really vital part of the plot. If they were pleasant and interesting, I'd put my reader away and chat.

For the sake of the discussion, let's say they were being offensive and I no longer wished to speak to them. I would say something like, "I hate flying but it calms my nerves to read; would you mind if I carry on with my book?"
If they said something like, "what do you want to do that for? You have me to talk to, I'll calm you down." (Being even more creepy.) I'd answer, "thanks but I prefer to read,".

I did assertiveness training years ago: you just keep repeating what you want and don't become involved in argument, is the essence. No one gets hurt, is the theory.

But public situations are rarely so captive. At a cafe, in a queue, in a waiting room, you're there for a short time (unless at A&E in the UK) a conversation won't kill you. Personally I find that the people who are saying that human interaction stresses them out are strange, or have some kind of issue, maybe an autism-spectrum problem. Humans are social animals by nature. Yes, there are many introverts. I tend to move between introvert and extrovert: I like my own company, but I also like the company of other people. If you find social situations distressing then maybe therapy is needed. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but that's how I see it. I'm trying to be helpful rather than judgemental.

At work during the lunch break, I imagine it's pretty much expected that you speak to colleagues. (I don't work due to illness.) If they're all on their phones, I'd politely tackle a supervisor who continually berated me for reading. Just point out that the others have their noses deep in phones; ask what the difference is. See how she answers.

Sorry for the rant, but I've been reading this thread and so often wanted to jump in with comments. So many of the contributors seem to feel that being spoken to in public is an offense. You're in PUBLIC; there are people, that's the definition of public.

arjaybe: do you REALLY like the sights and sounds of other people and the ambience they create? If so, just switch on the telly. Real people interact and speak.

Those claiming that commuting time is the only chance they have to read: really? What about while waiting for dinner to cook? Or when your spouse goes out? Can't you go into your bedroom, or wherever to read without your spouse getting annoyed? Then I'm glad I'm single.
Maybe turn the telly off and read. Have you really considered what you do at home that makes it impossible to read in peace? In an earlier post I mentioned a friend who takes long baths to read. Her children have now left home and got families of their own, but she still prefers reading in the bathroom. I guess she loves the steamy ambience.

By the way, I'm female, and when younger I used to love being approached by men. They don't do it anymore. Sigh.

Just wanted to add that I used to live in Stratford-On-Avon, when doing my A levels. We used to go round the town playing, "spot the yank" (apologies for any offense). There were a few methods used: women wearing headscarves, men wearing brightly coloured clothes, and loud talking. I wonder if the issue of reading in public and being spoken to is partly dependent upon nationality?

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Personally I find that the people who are saying that human interaction stresses them out are strange, or have some kind of issue, maybe an autism-spectrum problem. Humans are social animals by nature. Yes, there are many introverts. I tend to move between introvert and extrovert: I like my own company, but I also like the company of other people. If you find social situations distressing then maybe therapy is needed. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but that's how I see it. I'm trying to be helpful rather than judgemental.

Sorry for the rant, but I've been reading this thread and so often wanted to jump in with comments. So many of the contributors seem to feel that being spoken to in public is an offense. You're in PUBLIC; there are people, that's the definition of public.


By the way, I'm female, and when younger I used to love being approached by men. They don't do it anymore. Sigh.

Many people in this thread have said they don't mind being spoken to in public and don't have issues with human interaction in general. They just don't want to have prolonged conversations with strangers if they were obviously already engaged in reading (or using headphones to listen to music or an audiobook, or whatever.)

I'm perfectly capable of carrying on a conversation with a stranger while waiting in line - I can be quite chatty if I'm in the mood - but I don't think I should be obligated to do so.

I'm also female, and whether or not being approached by men in public is a good thing depends entirely on the man and his approach! Though I am also getting to the age where this is not so likely to happen....

[arjaybe]

BookCat, reading your post I began to wonder if you were trying to be deliberately provocative.

- people not like you are defective?
- people should take therapy to be like you?
- people not like you are not real people?

It's hard to believe that you really mean those things.

[BookCat]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

BookCat, reading your post I began to wonder if you were trying to be deliberately provocative.

- people not like you are defective?
- people should take therapy to be like you?
- people not like you are not real people?

It's hard to believe that you really mean those things.

I was not trying to be provocative, I was saying what I really think. You have very slightly misinterpreted my words.

You say that I said: "People not like me are defective." My actual words were:

". . . people who are saying that human interaction stresses them out . . . have some kind of issue, maybe an autism-spectrum problem. Humans are social animals by nature. Yes, there are many introverts. . . If you find social situations distressing then maybe therapy is needed. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but that's how I see it. I'm trying to be helpful rather than judgemental."

This is very different. I'm pointing out that primates are gregarious by nature and tend to live in communities - look at any of the great apes - and humans generally fit this pattern. I'm not saying, "be like me" but "be a functioning human."

Your other two points: that "people should take therapy to BE LIKE ME" (my caps) and that, "people like me are not real people," are total misreadings. I never said the words "real people" this is an empty phrase which means nothing. And I certainly didn't say or imply that others should be like me. Heaven forbid! The world would be an almighty mess if everyone was like me!

4691mls: Many people in this thread have been reasonable, like you, but others have said that being spoken to, at all, in public, regardless of the nature of the approach, causes them stress. They want to go around in a bubble, unseen, unspoken to, unacknowledged. If you look back on the thread, you'll find those posts - there are many.

[BookCat]

The OP seems to have resolved their problem; maybe a moderator could close this discussion?