I had a doctor’s appointment recently, and brought my current book along in case I had time to kill. Oh, who was I kidding? The patient always has to wait. Sometimes we get tricked into thinking the doctor will be on time because we get into the examining room quickly. But that’s just a ruse.
The small purse I carry wouldn’t hold my thick spy novel. Usually when I go to an appointment, I just read on my phone, on the Kindle app. It’s not ideal, but lugging a book around isn’t either.
Then one day I had to have blood work done, followed by a visit to the allergist. I had to allow myself wiggle room, by making sure I had blood drawn early enough to get to the appointment on time, and so I planned to spend any down time in the hospital cafe. I did not want to read on my phone that day, so I brought my book.
Carrying it was less burdensome than I thought it would be. So when, a month later, I had to have a diagnostic procedure that would require me to be sitting in bed for a bit, I brought my book.
“Well, aren’t you smart to bring your book,” the nurse said, as she bustled around me, getting me organized. This led to a brief conversation about favorite authors and genres.
I brought my current book along again when I visited a doctor in December whom I hadn’t met before. When she saw the novel perched on an examining room chair, she was launched. The doctor loves to read. She likes thrillers too. She needed to catch up on the last few Daniel Silva books, the author I was reading.
As a librarian, I’m especially happy when people want to talk about reading. My mission is to promote a love of books. But it’s not a topic that Americans talk about much. We are not known for being avid readers, as the people of Iceland are. (More books are published there, per capita, than anywhere else in the world.) Our casual conversations are more likely to revolve around sporting events and the latest Netflix series. I suppose, for certain age groups, that would also include the latest hot video game.
But I am an avid reader. I espouse Thomas Jefferson’s proclamation that, “I cannot live without books.” And so I’m always happy to connect with other readers, to hear what they like. I always welcome suggestions for new authors to pursue.
I work in a school system, and before that was a full-time journalist. So my colleagues, past and present, and Facebook friends include many readers. My best friends are readers, and I also married one.
When my oldest friend (we met in 8th or 9th grade) and I correspond, we always tell each other what we’ve been reading. (And watching, too; we’re both film buffs.) We were having lunch recently when she asked me what my husband, Paul, liked to read.
Nonfiction, I said, mostly history and biography. He likes mysteries, but specific ones, like Martin Walker’s “Bruno, Chief of Police” novels, set in France. And he’s a connoisseur of classic comic strips, and likes to read collections of them.
Well, that’s interesting, I thought to myself. I am more pedestrian in my tastes. I do enjoy nonfiction, but find I don’t have as much time for it during the school year. As it is, I have to make sure to give myself at least half an hour every day to read. While I usually achieve that goal, I’m usually too tired for anything but my favorite genre: mystery.
I’m lucky that my job requires me to talk about books. It’s great fun (and satisfying to my soul), when students share their excitement about their latest book. If I’ve read it, we can have a discussion. If I haven’t, I just listen and add the book to my “To Be Read” list.
In the fall, a former student, now in his twenties, came back to visit the high school. He stopped in at the library. I was so pleased when he brought up his current book. Later, he messaged me that he had finished it and had thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, it is on my TBR list.
I also coordinate a staff book group. Before we leave for the summer, I send out an annotated list of possible titles for discussion. I’m always gratified when my colleagues tell me they look forward to the list and use it to plan their summer reading. When we return from the break, we choose four books to discuss. We meet after school every couple of months and enjoy tea and pastries as we chat. Our first book this year was “Where the Crawdads Sing,” by Delia Owens. We’d all read it; we’d all loved it. It has been hugely popular and such a natural for our group.
When Paul had a medical appointment recently, I suggested he bring his book, but he did not think he would need it. “They’re pretty efficient there,” he said.
“Watch,” I said. “It will be a conversation starter.”
Sure enough, the receptionist asked him what he was reading. She’s a reader too. Historical fiction is her favorite genre.
Readers are everywhere. I always used to carry a book with me. Then it became easier to tote my phone or an iPad. But when readers see books, they can’t help but reveal themselves. And when we talk about literature, our lives are enriched.
If more of us started carrying books around, we might indeed become a “nation of readers.”
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