Hey book worms: Do you ever get critized for reading TOO MUCH?

I sure have; from bosses, boyfriends, etc. What's with these knucklheads? Idiots.

Stuff like: All you do is go to the library. I'm going get all the books and take them back. Why read the book when you can watch the movie. Don't read at work even on your break. You read too much, get a life. You think you're smarter than the rest of us doncha?

I was reading at the laundromat and someone wanted to get my attention to tell me my cycle was done, called out, "hey, book man!"

:-)

I was stunned.

I didn't read a newspaper I analyzed it. Now he's got the fever too, lol.

being addicted to paper-and-ink escapism is far superior, morally and intellectually, to being addicted to other forms of escapism such as movies and computer games. After all, our righteous escapism predates those degenerate forms of escapism people seem to prefer these days.

Do NOT answer that one. Trust me.

amusedly,
Bright

was a lot younger. Now that I'm old enough for social security, people leave me alone about it.

I am fortunate enough these days to have a job that allows me to read at work.

In the early 1970's when I didn't have TV and wasn't then getting a newspaper, my workmates assumed that I'd be dreadfully uninformed about anything and everything, and were invariably surprised when I not only knew what was going on in the world but also knew lots and lots of other stuff as well. I was reading Time magazine, which helped, and it's quite astonishing -- at least to the non-readers -- how much you can actually learn by reading books.

Just ignore them.

;-)

Mom would want me to come load the dishwasher, and I suddenly had to go practice the piano!

That was LOTS more fun!! :D

I get criticized for spending all my money on books.

us all up at the cottage, sitting in a circle, every one of us with a nose in a newspaper, book or magazine.

but there is a subtle air of superiority that accompanies some folks saying, *I* don't read fiction," ...and I just feel sorry that they don't know what they're missing because they haven't found where they might belong in the fiction world. Plus, you get to use all of your emotions without leaving your easy chair.

I once married a non-reader but I converted him (and later divorced him but that was unrelated to our reading habits).

My father said he would always pay for any book I ever wanted (I now have a personal library of 3,800 books all catalogued at http://www.librarything.com/profile/sisaruus). My sister is an avid reader. My children are readers. The family expects books from me as holiday/birthday gifts (and I'm expecting my first grandchild who, upon birth, will be presented with his starter personal library). I went to a private school that required constant reading and writing. And I have the good fortune of having had many bosses during my career who were also readers. My current boss and I frequently end up in after-hour conversations about our current books. Only problem is that with all the other readers in my life making recommendations, the to-be-read pile keeps growing.

and my kids know better than to be to critical of "mom", but I have had a few friends who think I should get my nose out of the book, and have more fun . I find that ridiculous because I AM a fun person dammit

My reply usually is "I KNOW I'm smarter than the rest of you"

"Some people say life is the thing, but I prefer reading" - Logan Pearsall Smith

Is a question I've heard no less than a dozen times.

what's the mental age of the folk you hang out with? i haven't heard that stuff since i was a tiny kid, although i remember reading isaac asimov's essay on that topic -- which gave me the impression that such teasing about bookworms was a common tease in the early part of the last century

i thought the rise of teevee put an end to that type of teasing, since the person who teases you for reading is invariably a teevee addict and so since maybe 1964 they've had a vested interest in shutting the fuck up, since they look a lot dumber for watching teevee than you do for reading ???

some of that stuff, i would take as mentally abuse and scary if it's really coming from a boyfriend -- you think you're smarter than the rest of us? definitely sounds like a crab in the bucket who wants to drag you down because he's too lazy to lift himself up

I remember being so frustrated that she'd read so much instead of playing with me. :) She eventually brought me around, though, and now I'm as big a bookworm as she is. And yes, these days I hear it from both my husband and daughter about my "reading habit."