Book, Line, and Sinker

My Peculiar Way of Connecting With Fellow Readers

Just wanted to take a moment and admit to something. Some would say it’s good, others would say it’s questionable. Nevertheless, it’s been a part of who I am for decades. So here goes:

I love approaching strangers in public when they are reading a book. Yep. it’s a real charge for me to bring them into my bibliophilic vortex with my intellect and good charm.

Fortunately, most are willing to share a word or two about the book they’re engrossed in. Others shudder, particularly when it's a book on a topic like anger management, codependency, or tantric sex. 

Nevertheless, I can’t help being nosy particularly when reading is where I find community and belongingness. It goes without saying that book lovers are who I most closely resonate with on the planet. 

Over the years though, I’ve found books to be my danse de joie, an accelerant for building connections. For me, they have proven to be great ways for fueling organic conversations. I’ve met countless friends through this medium in addition to garnering new book recommendations for my library. 

One of my favorite activities on a weekend morning is to frequent a local coffeehouse with a book in hand. Once seated, I set my dirty chai on the table along with the book, making sure that the latter is within eyeshot of anyone waiting patiently for their drink. 

Of late, I have been deploying this strategy with a new book I’ve been reading with rapt attention entitled “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” a classic that seems to garner a ton of attention.

And when I’m in a particularly ornery mood, I’ll lay out a title that elicits discomfort just to see how people will react. In fact, I can’t wait to test the waters soon with this title.

I imagine hearing a chorus of “what are you reading that book for?” when this book is laying in front of me.

So do you want to be the person that others find interesting? Then read a book that not only has a compelling title but stretches your thinking. Books like “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,” Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex For The 21st Century, and “Shoe Dog” all fall into this category. 

Here’s another cool fact, people are more likely to purchase a book when it is “recommended by someone the person trusts.” To this point, there is nothing that gets me more jazzed than when someone shares with me months later that they are reading or have read a book that I’ve casually mentioned in conversation. 

Finally, as an avid connector who loves in-person networking and social events, I feel nauseated when someone comes up to me and launches into that overused starter question “what do you do for a living?” Me, I hit folks with the question “what are you reading?”  Try it out sometime — I guarantee you’ll find it a refreshing on-ramp to building connections with fellow readers.