I love Show Us Your Books day. I love reading about people reading in general. Over the past few months I've attempted to jot down some things I've observed in how people talk about reading in facebook or goodreads book discussions, in Amazon reviews, in the SUYB link up, and in person.
1. Every reader is looking for something different and there is a book out there to satisfy the desires of literally everyone on this planet. Isn't that amazing?
2. When readers go into mystery/thrillers trying to figure out the plot twists then emerge disappointed that they figured it out before the end, I have to laugh. That's what you set out to do. This is a story someone is telling you. If you try to poke holes in the unfolding, the overall effect will not be as intended.
3. The only time I don't read book talk is when it's a book challenge. I did one once and by the time I was to begin, I wanted to read nothing I had picked out in advance. I never schedule what I'm going to read so I'm not sure why I thought I would enjoy regimented reading. The challenge itself feels arbitrary and I only see it as something that keeps me from reading anything I want next. I have no patience for letting a list or category dictate what I can read in a certain time period.
4. Books must be able to surf the waves. Wave one: the people reading it first are fans of the author or the genre. So everyone is all YES at first. Wave two: people who don't necessarily like that genre or that author start to read it, and people are all MEH. Well, of course you are. That book is not for you but you read it because it sounds like something you'd like to like, but if you're honest with yourself, that book had no chance given your tastes. Wave Three: The people who have started to notice that reviews are mixed - well fuck, I hope they are, since we don't all share a brain - and dither over whether to read something or not. Look...I don't know how you pick your books, but don't be swayed by the opinion of one person, or 50 people. If there's something driving you to read a book, read it. It doesn't matter if anyone else is or not. If there's something telling you not to read a book, don't read it. It doesn't matter if everyone else is or not. You're not purchasing a home, you're deciding to read a book. You can return it if you don't like it.
5. I really like when people remember little thoughts they had while reading books and include them when they write or talk about them. I appreciate it a lot because I know it's hard to do, to remember something you thought in the moment while you were lost in the pages of a book.
6. We defend books we love like they're people. That makes me inordinately happy.
7. Some people cannot talk about a book unless they summarize it first in their own words, not using a pre-written by a professional summary. The pull of English 101 is strong.
8. People think they are owed the ending that they wanted, which is not necessarily the one the author who produced the story through blood, sweat, and tears settled on. People can also love a whole book but hate an ending and let that ruin the entire thing for them.
9. There are people who have near photographic recall of books they've read - lines, scenes, themes - and this amazes me. I have that with some books, but certainly not a large percentage of the books I read. If something didn't knock my socks off, I can barely tell you what it was about two months later as I've likely read 20 books since. I feel like I used to have a better grasp of content when I was younger, and also that the books that have stuck with me line by line are the ones I read in my formative years. Is that true of other people too? I enjoy thinking about why others retain information. I know that's weird.
10. There are people who consider themselves readers who actually don't like to read, and it's apparent in the way they talk or write about books and reading. I think what they like is being a critic.
What are some of your reading about people reading observations?
And Happy National Book Lover's Day, you book lover.
