Maybe I'm just too much of an introvert, but I hated being interrupted while I am reading, and I would never interrupt someone else who is obviously engrossed in a book. But a lot of people seem to think that when you are reading, it's an open invitation to quiz you about the book. Maybe some people are okay with being interrupted and are happy to get into a discussion of whatever they are reading. But if I wanted to engage in chit-chat, I wouldn't be reading a book in the first place! But I can't say that out loud, otherwise I would be considered the rude one. Can anyone else relate?
To be honest, I'm the complete opposite. I love being interrupted while reading because it gives me a nice way to meet someone new and talk about something I really enjoy. I do, however, despise spoilers, and have no qualms sending them on their way rudely if they drop any.
If a complete stranger comes up to me and asks me what I'm reading, I would be a little put off balance but I don't mind. Let's see if we can be friends. But I think more often it would be a friend or acquaintance, and in that case of course they can interrupt me. Expecting them to leave me alone would be rude and antisocial. People are usually more interesting than books anyway.
i had a guy do this. I was working in an academic library- first job fresh out of college- and on my lunch break. I was reading in my office and a student comes in and asks what i was reading. i told him. he asks what it was about. i told him. he asked me out. i said no. he asked to check out another copy of the book (yes), so we could talk about it over lunch (no). he asked me out again. i said no. he came in for 2 days on my lunch break to ask me out and ask about the book and he could read with me (no. fine. no). however, at the library I work now, i love talking about what i'm reading because its part of the job (readers advisory), and people are less bothersome.
The reason I dislike being interrupted in this way (“What are you reading?” followed by “What’s it about?”) is because 90% of the time the person asking couldn’t, in truth, give a tiny rat’s arse.
I couldn't imagine many of my millenial fellows complaining about being interrupted while reading. For once, we don't read as much. Statistically. Second, we aren't that much touched by interruptions, or so I noticed. Heck, I reckon we interrupt ourselves far more than we are being interrupted in turn.
25? Either your 26th birthday is towards the end of this year or you were born in 1995. If thats the case then you are, indeed, Gen z (zoomer) In all seriousness... Its not a generational thing. Children will ask "whatcha reading?" As well as "older" adults (especially older adults that think its flirty)
Because im a dork and have to google stuff, wikipedia lists Gen Z as 1995-early 2012... in Canada and Australia haha. 1997-2012 is US (whole thing is weird and unnecessary if you ask me). The Library Journal has Millennials as %47.9 readers and Gen Z as 36% But Zoomers are 4% more likely to TALK about books over Millennials. Go figure!
I tend to be interrupted by family when I'm reading, rather than guys looking to date me (more's the pity lol). In which case, it can be a little annoying, because I'm the sort who will have to go back to the top of the page to resume where I was. Then again, I probably do as much to annoy other people when I'm particularly entertained by a passage in a Bill Bryson book and just have to tell them about it.
I live in a household of introverts, and it's never really been an issue for any of us... one has headphones in all the time, another always spends time in their room watching movies, while I sit in my corner reading a book
Not to mention, a lot of the time the "what" of the reading that can be explained in a breath is essentially what's written on the back cover; the real important and engrossing part of the book and the writing itself is often really difficult to talk about outside of a 30 minute mini book club conversation (and of course, the people who ask this question are typically looking for the short answer!)
I wish I were like you, especially because being an introvert but loving the uncompromising random chats about something interesting with random people I don't know, this would give me the opportunity to chat with someone new without having to go through the prescribed "what do you do?" etc. types of questions. But when I read, I get absorbed and I love that state of mind, which however I cannot invoke on command, so whenever someone interrupts then it takes me quite a while to go back into the book. Hence, I really don't like it. The only exception is probably when someone is asking me something about the book because there is one piece of information they are looking for, not to strike a casual chat. When I get interrupted it also makes me feel like people assume that I am reading because I don't have anything better to do, rather than because it is a choice because I enjoy it above it talking to people.
I don’t mind at all. Have made some good friends that way. I like meeting other readers, especially if we like the same sorts of books.
