Could you date someone who doesn't read?

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sleepydumpling
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Post by sleepydumpling »

The guy I have been dating does read, but we don't read the same stuff!
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mmenzel
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Post by mmenzel »

My husband is a movie watcher and not a reader. But we understand each others need to enjoy our hobbies. We go to town, I go to the book stores while he goes to the movie. :D
perksofbeingme
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Post by perksofbeingme »

My boyfriend of two years isn't much for reading. He understands that I love to read and he always musters up some curiosity about what I'm reading to show that he does take an interest in my interests. So I can, but I can also understand why others couldn't.
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Syrcco44
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Post by Syrcco44 »

If they completely hated reading and like sneered everytime they saw me with me a book or whatever then no. Definitely no. It's not that's I'm all one sided and what not it's just that reading is a wonderful thing and it makes you smarter. Without reading I think I would not be living right now.

Actually, one of my best friends dislikes reading a lot. It's hard because we can never connect in that area, but there are other ways. But it's ok - I have a friend that absolutely loves reading so it's all good I guess.

Going back to the question - sorry for my ramblings - I think I would give the person a try - they may not be so bad - and perhaps I could convince them to read something, but if it gets in the way then no.
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Erasmus_Folly
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Post by Erasmus_Folly »

I was going to post this as a new topic when I found this thread. For those interested, check out this link from today's "New York Times"

New York Times link
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

Erasmus_Folly wrote:I was going to post this as a new topic when I found this thread. For those interested, check out this link from today's "New York Times"

New York Times link
That article is interesting. I enjoyed all the anecdotes, especially the ones from famous authors. :)

Overall, I guess it shows that everyone is different. What's a deal-breaker for one person can be necessary or unimportant to another person.
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Post by Tracey Neal »

Scott Hughes wrote: Overall, I guess it shows that everyone is different. What's a deal-breaker for one person can be necessary or unimportant to another person.

That is so true...very good point :)
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knightss
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Post by knightss »

Scott Hughes wrote:
Erasmus_Folly wrote:I was going to post this as a new topic when I found this thread. For those interested, check out this link from today's "New York Times"

New York Times link
That article is interesting. I enjoyed all the anecdotes, especially the ones from famous authors. :)

Overall, I guess it shows that everyone is different. What's a deal-breaker for one person can be necessary or unimportant to another person.
haha! Scott, i was just going to post this link!
The author was just on NPR about 10 minutes ago, i tuned in while i was doing the dishes in my apartment, and they had people calling in talking about relationships and how it relates to books. I thought it would be great to post here but i see that you already have =)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/2008/03/f ... paris.html
That's the NPR link, they sometimes allow downloads of the broadcasts but it was just aired.. maybe it'll be up in a little bit. There are also some interesting comments from listeners/readers =)
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MsBookworm
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Post by MsBookworm »

I have dated somebody that wasn't a big reader, and we did break up (but not because of that--long distance relationships don't work very well). It wasn't too bad, since he understood that I love to read.

However, I do agree with whoever said that if the person they were dating sneered every time I read a book, I would take a VERY thick book and whack them upside the head with it!
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Pappy
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Post by Pappy »

I honestly don't think I dated another reader until I met my wife. I brought her to B&N so I could get a magazine and it turns out she used to work in a bookstore and she was the one that got me to read Catcher in the Rye. "Just read the first page," she said. I did and wanted to read the rest of it and as I was reading it I would think that this is one special girl I'm dating. Beautiful, smart, caring, everything I could ever want.

We often don't read the same things though. I sometimes read her non fiction books and she sometimes says she wants to read some of the fiction books I read, but time is short with a baby and school work.
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Post by Scott »

knightss wrote:haha! Scott, i was just going to post this link!
The author was just on NPR about 10 minutes ago, i tuned in while i was doing the dishes in my apartment, and they had people calling in talking about relationships and how it relates to books. I thought it would be great to post here but i see that you already have =)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/talk/2008/03/f ... paris.html
That's the NPR link, they sometimes allow downloads of the broadcasts but it was just aired.. maybe it'll be up in a little bit. There are also some interesting comments from listeners/readers =)
Yes, the comments are interesting. One of the commenters says she checks her doctors book shelves and leaves if the doctor has more books about finances than medicine. That's an interesting way to use someone's books to make a decision about them. :)
"That virtue we appreciate is as much ours as another's. We see so much only as we possess." - Henry David Thoreau

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CollegeReader
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Post by CollegeReader »

My ex didn't read and couldn't appreciate it in any way. I thought it didn't bother me, but I think it did.
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HarmsWay
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Post by HarmsWay »

depends on if they can date me and find other stuff to do when I am reading.
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Post by socialsue »

i have always dated guys who read and love to discuss my current book with friends etc as we are always swapping books once read, what's our favourite, etc. but saying that i have ended up maried to a guy who doesn't speak brilliant english (my language) so we can communicate and discuss things but he reads his thai books and i read my english books and never the twain meet. but i find this isn't causing any problems, we both get to settle down in the evenngs or on the beach and have our quiet time reading our respective novels, tho' he doesn't actually read novels it's a thai version of national geogrpahic and newspapers and i question him about what he's reading about to try and understand his thinking.

i wouldn't be able to date a guy who was jealous of my time with a book, that's the difference i reckon
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Post by Jenn »

I`m with Driftwood James: Hell no! That would be like dating Posh Spice!(remember her quote `bout never reading?! I don`t think that should be something to be proud of!) :shock:

I positively devour my local newspaper(The Oregonian), and read the N.Y. Times cover-to-cover @ my local Starbucks on a regular basis for the mere reason of wanting to READ! :D

I get it from MOM. If a library is having a book sale, she`ll come away with a stack of books the size of a Dagwood sandwich! :lol:

Mus`dash!
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