Musing Mondays (March 16)

EDIT: So apparently you can schedule posts all you want but if you don't put in the right time it's doesn't actually turn up. Sorry about the mess this week, guys, I think I'm going crazy. Happy Monday!


Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about talking to strangers…



We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you? (question courtesy of Dena)



PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your opinion in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks.










As someone who has never had very many book-y friends, I was always worried that I would ramble on too much about what I was reading. This never bothered me too much, but sooner or later my friends would get that glazed look in their eyes that indicated that they had stopped listening some time ago. Because of this, I find that I'm very cautious about talking to strangers about books, even if I see them reading.



If it's in a place where I truly don't know the person - the bus, the doctor's office, in shopping centre - I rarely just start talking to them. I do, however (and my sister will attest to this), try to crane my neck sneakily to figure out what the book is. If I get caught and the person smiles, realising what I'm doing, I figure I'm safe and sometimes talk to them then.



At uni I'll usually ask, but more often than not what someone's reading is for class and they've got all off ten minutes to try to finish the book and they're not really in the right frame of mind to chat.



The bookstore, however, is an entirely different story. I LOVE it when people talk to me in the bookstore and I have no qualms whatsoever about talking to them. I get so many book recommendations this way! And I love being able to answer questions about books or authors - I think I'm spending too much time hovering in the book shop.



So if you're out-and-about with a book and you see some strange person who looks like they have severe neck condition, it's probably just me trying to book-spy. Come on over and say hi, I promise I'm not as freaky as I look.

48 comments :

Jenners said...

I know what you mean about trying to spy -- I've been guilty of that. And I agree with you about opening up to people in bookstores more -- you definitely feel they share your interest in reading.

My post is here:

http://findyournextbookhere.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays-talking-to-strangers.html

Jenners said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Melody said...

Here's mine.

Happy Monday!

Anonymous said...

LOL. I love your answer. I've seen that glazed look before in my friends eyes too. I posted my answer here: http://debbiesworld.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/musing-monday-march-16/

NoBS said...

"I'm up"

Anonymous said...

Mine Is Up :)
http://thesocialfrog.com/?p=1521
Have a Great Day :)

wendy elizabeth said...

congrats on your well deserved award Becca. We are all strangers meeting at your friendly bolg to talk about books! My musing is here

Sally Murphy said...

This is myf irst go at Musng Monday, so hope I've done it right. my post is at: http://aussiereviews.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-monday-talking-to-strangersthis.html

Yvonne said...

Mine is up...

http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/03/monday-musings_16.html

Desert Rose said...

LOL about your book-spying... I would do the same but not too obviously since I'm shy about beeing snooping around :)

here is my post..

http://desertrosebooklogue.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays-5.html

Anonymous said...

Here's my post:

http://elizabethwillse.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/musing-mondays-316/

"a severe neck condition." heh!

Steph said...

Happy Monday!

http://steph3891.blogspot.com/2009/03/we-were-all-warned-as-children-to-never.html

Marie Cloutier said...

Great question! Here's mine! http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2009/03/musing-mondays_16.html

caite said...

A little too personally revealing perhaps, but here is MY ANSWER nevertheless.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty chatty, I won't lie! I also worked part-time in a bookstore for two years, and still swing by there to work. So I'm pretty used to talking to strangers :)

http://writemeg.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/musing-mondays-talking-to-strangers/

R. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
R. said...

Ha ha, I book-spy as well but I never really try to be discrete about it - and people generally don't care.

Here's my first MM http://risforreading.blogspot.com/2009/03/monday-musings.html

Jo said...

Mine's up here

Suzanne said...

Mine is here: http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/2009/03/monday-musing-book-talk.html

Anonymous said...

What a great post. I book-spy also. I love seeing what other people are reading.

Anonymous said...

My answer is up here. :) ~MizB

Anonymous said...

Good question!

My answer!

Anonymous said...

Mine is up:
http://stateofdenmark2.wordpress.com

Jenny Girl said...

I would talk to you anytime about books Rebecca! Even if you are staring me down.
Her is mine:
http://jennylovestoread.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-monday-march-16.html

I know I posted this earlier. Don't know what happened.

Book Lover Lisa said...

Like you, I have not had very many reading friends. One minute is about the extent I get in before the eye-glazing appears.

My post is Here

Unknown said...

Here's to another manic Musing Monday! Here's my link: My Muse and Me.

Emily said...

great question! I'm so guilty of book-spying. Mine's here:

http://worldinsidemyheadbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays-stranger-danger.html

Anonymous said...

Great question and I loved your response.
Mine's up. http://carolsnotebook.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/musing-monday-8/

teabird said...

I love this question!

My answer is here.

zetor said...

lIKE YOUR ANSWER, MINE IS HERE, http://zetor-mogsblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays_16.html

kayerj said...

I have seen that glazed-eye when will she ever stop talking look before. great post

my musings are here
http://ladygaladrielkj.blogspot.com/2009/03/monday-musings-talking-to-strangers.html

Thanks for hosting Musing Monday, you should check into "MR. Linky" to create easy to use links and list for your meme. It really helps facilitate checking out other musings. Mr. Linky is used in other meme's that I participate in. Just an idea.

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Like your post and I'll agree people in book stores and library are fair game if they start a conversation! Mine is posted here: http://sherriesbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays_16.html Have a great day!

Sherrie

tanabata said...

Mine's up. I don't really have any RL booky friends either, unfortunately.

Anonymous said...

Here goes mine!

Robin M said...

Great question.

Mine is up here

Nely said...

here is my mm post

http://bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays.html

♥ Nely

Nise' said...

My Musing is here.

Anonymous said...

usually, no.

My full answer is up. :)

Susan said...

Here's my answer! Musing Mondays

Anonymous said...

Mine is up!
This is really a wonderful weekly event.

http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/musing-monday/

Andrea said...

Here are my thoughts

KyleeJ said...

Here's my post!

Anonymous said...

Fun question!
Here's my post:
http://nanscorner.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/musing-mondays-march-16/

Anonymous said...

Better late than never!
http://www.morbid-romantic.net/2009/03/17/musing-mondays-book-talk-with-strangers/

Cathy said...

Whew! There for a while I thought I was going to be musing on Tuesday instead of Monday! My ramblings are up!

Florinda said...

I'd rather talk to strangers about books on the computer :-): Musing Monday on Friday.

Literary Feline said...

I like to sneak a peek at what others are reading too. :-)

My response is up.

The Book Resort said...

A bit late...

http://thebookresort.blogspot.com/2009/03/musing-mondays_31.html