# Reading & Significant Others



## Jay. (Jan 1, 2011)

I'm sorry if this comes across as too personal but I'm a little curious on the amount of people here who have a special someone that either reads just as much as themselves or doesn't happen to read novels and literature at all.

Maybe there are people on here that had literature play an important role in getting together with their significant other?

jay.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I thought I read a lot until I met my boyfriend. He's a huge reader. I don't think that brought us together though, it was just a happy coincidence.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

LL and I both have always read a great deal. Used to be we didn't read much of the same things, but in the last ten years we have more middle ground. Especially with the advent of Kindles on a joint account.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Jay. said:


> I'm sorry if this comes across as too personal but I'm a little curious on the amount of people here who have a special someone that either reads just as much as themselves or doesn't happen to read novels and literature at all.
> 
> Maybe there are people on here that had literature play an important role in getting together with their significant other?
> 
> jay.


The Kindle, this will come as a surprise to no one, has reintroduced my husband to reading and it is now definitely one of his hobbies again. It's nice to be able to talk about books and to see him enthusiastic, and since he's had his Kindle for a good while, his reading seems here to stay.

I've always been more of a reader and that has always been more than fine with him. My mother-in-law once expressed the opinion that I read too much and might be less than the best companion, but my husband has never felt that way and never asked me to cut back or spend less. I couldn't imagine being with someone who:

*Does not love animals.

*Does not respect my interests in reading and writing.

Seriously, when I worked at an animal shelter and would see people sobbing as they turned in their pets, because their spouse or relationship person, made them, I never understood it. Not one bit. If someone claims to love you and asks you to rip out our heart, give up someone (or something) you love, what will they ask you to sacrifice next?

My husband is into trains and train layouts. I support that fully. Encourage him to pursue it to the max. I buy him_ train books_. See how I brought that back on topic? 

I'm blessed to be so loved and accepted.


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

My wife reads a lot, but not as much as me, and then feels guilty that she doesn't read enough...


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

My partner doesn't read at all and he doesn't understand at all why I enjoy it.


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## ValeriGail (Jan 21, 2010)

Where as I've always loved to read, had books lined up waiting to read while still searching for more books I'd love to read...  My husband hated reading.  He dreaded reading anything in school and would basically scan the books to get the info with out really delving into the story.  He read not one single book through most of school that wasn't a requirement.  

My reading never really bothered him.. he figured if I was reading, he could play more video games (his gaming DID bother me).

Then came Harry Potter.  After seeing the first movie and I told him there were several books to the series and more to come.. he surprisingly got very interested.  He has read every book in the series and has listened to them each on audio-book too! Then Eragon and a couple other books.  But, when I started reading on Kindle for Iphone, and then he got me my first kindle... he picked up his reading even more.  I am actually considering getting him his own kindle as a surprise, a just because I love you and know you will use it gift.  He says he doesn't want one and is happy reading on his iphone, but he takes mine on occasion.  

My kids each have varying degrees of reading.  My oldest starting reading like crazy when he hit the fourth grade... he can fly through a book in no time. He eagerly seeks out more things to read and now takes a kindle2 to school with him every day (9th grade). One of the twins (6) reads so very well, but doesn't have any interest in reading anything of our bookshelf when at home.  The other twin is struggling a little with reading in school, but will sit for hours with books off our own shelf.  My daughter, who is 5, wants to read with all she's got, but can't yet.  We got her a tag reader for christmas and she can lose a day in just those 4 books!


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

My husband doesn't read at all. He has read a few non-fiction books about motorcycle clubs in the past, but hasn't read anything in years. He doesn't really understand why I love to read, but he lets me do it anyways. Kinda like how I dont understand his fascination with fireworks, but I let him go to shows, conventions, and put on an expensive show each year.


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## Hoosiermama (Dec 28, 2009)

DH reads some, not often, though. He's jealous of my Kindle. I read while he watches sports, but he thinks I should watch two teams I have no interest in.


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## KatieKlein (Dec 19, 2010)

My husband doesn't read at all unless it's work or business-related. He won't even read _my_ books. The Shame! 

And yet . . . he still tries to give me story ideas.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

My husband and I had our first "date" in a bookstore. We had met & talked for about 4 hours before that, but that was our first date. When I realized that we were looking at the same authors/books, I knew he was perfect for me. When we married, and combined our personal libraries, we had duplicates of most books, and triplets/quadruplets on a few. We ended up with almost $300 of credit at a local used book store. 

Two of our three children are also voracious readers, the third, reads what he wants when he wants.. he recently went through all of Ayn Rand's books, but he is not an everyday/everyhour reader like the 4 others of us in the family. Our oldest son, well... he was a reader at 15-16 months. He would read Garfield comic books to his newborn brother all of the time. it was soo cute. Now he's 19, and still consuming books. Their younger sister isn't a super fast reader like the oldest son and I are, but she is a constant reader.

We do watch a couple of shows on TV.. maybe an hour a day, otherwise we're reading/doing homework/ playing cards together.


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## drenfrow (Jan 27, 2010)

My husband doesn't read a ton but luckily he is supportive of my constant reading.  I did get him hooked on the Kindle though when I passed along my K2 after I went to the K3.  He enjoys history and a few weeks ago I suggested he try one of KB author Jeff Hepple's books.  Wow! Two weeks later he'd read all of them.  So maybe it just takes the right book...  He has limited me on the amount of bookcases I can have in the house but it hasn't been an issue since the Kindle entered my life.


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## J.M Pierce (May 13, 2010)

My wife and I both read. It's a great way to unwind at the end of the day.


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## rittsi (Aug 10, 2010)

My husband does not read for pleasure. He only reads manuals or textbooks that are related to his work or hobbies. If I'm reading a book that I'm enjoying I tend to discuss it with my husband, but he has never taken any interest in reading them himself. He would prefer to see a movie.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

My husband doesn't read much any more - he used to so he understands why I'm so into it right now but he says he doesn't have the time any more. It's a shame because he actually used to be a journalist so he did a bunch of both reading and writing. But he had a career change a few years ago.


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## ireadbooks (Jan 11, 2011)

My ex-boyfriend (keyword= _ex_) never read and actually got upset when I "ignored him" while reading.

What a loser.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

The Spouse Thingy probably reads more than I do; what gets me about his reading habits is that he re-reads everything, to a ridiculous (to me) level.)

Robert Jordan's _Wheel of Time_ series? Holy carp...every time a new one came out, he had to start at the beginning. He's re-reading them all _again_. On one hand, I appreciate that he loves the series _that _much, but think of all the books he'll never have time to read because he spent so much of his time reading the same things over and over and over...


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## KMA (Mar 11, 2009)

My dp does not read as much as I do. He is more the sort who binge-reads on vacation and then takes six months to read his next book. He is very respectful of my reading, though.


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

My husband doesn't read _books_ quite as much as I do, but only becaue he lacks the time. He reads a lot of technical manuals and magazines. He's just ordered himself a Kindle which is due to arrive on Thursday. I think his reading will pick up pace once he gets it.


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

My gentleman used to review books for a local newspaper. He finds great joy in introducing me to books I wouldn't have otherwise read, and usually shows up with a good pile. 

They last longer than flowers!


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I'm another who's DH used to read but doesn't anymore. We used to share books, but he hasn't read fiction in at least 18 months. What's confusing is that he's recently retired, so now he has plenty of time to read for pleasure. When he read in the past, he was a workaholic working 80-hour weeks and travelling around the world. Go figure.


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

The Mr and I have both always been bookworms. Early in our courtship when read "The Lord of the Rings" aloud to each other.  Hey, we were teenagers. 

We also both write, but in different genres.


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## Shellybean (Apr 22, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> My partner doesn't read at all and he doesn't understand at all why I enjoy it.


Neither does mine.

He does get jealous of my reading time every once in a while but he usually doesn't mind. The only think he reads are motorcycle mags and the news. He does enjoy audiobooks but won't consider reading a novel.


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## Reyn (Feb 10, 2009)

My hubby used to read when he was a security guard working at night before he became a police officer.  He read true crime (mostly about serial killers).  He doesn't read much anymore unless it is a hunting magazine, messageboard, or something gun related.  

I read as much as my schedule will allow.  I am a SAHM to 4 boys and I am finishing up my master's degree in school counseling.  I am hoping my free time will increase come March when I graduate.  As for how Jeff feels about me reading...he doesn't mind one bit.  It gives him more time to dominate the tv (more terminator movies OH JOY!) and more time to practice shooting.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Shayne Parkinson said:


> The Mr and I have both always been bookworms. Early in our courtship when read "The Lord of the Rings" aloud to each other.  Hey, we were teenagers.
> 
> We also both write, but in different genres.


I've just recently gotten into the habit of reading aloud to my boyfriend. We're in our mid-20s but hey, it's relaxing and we get to share books with each other!


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> I've just recently gotten into the habit of reading aloud to my boyfriend. We're in our mid-20s but hey, it's relaxing and we get to share books with each other!


Yes, exactly! Good for you!

And we do still sometimes read aloud to each other, a decade or three later


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

Yeah the Mrs reads a lot as do our 3 kids (ages 21, 20 & 1.  They've commented they don't know anybody who has more books lying around their house than we do.


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## Mrs. K. (Dec 31, 2010)

Hubby listens to audiobooks...he's a welder and it keeps him sane while staring at a blue light for eight hours a day. We make recommendations to each other which are rarely followed- his taste in books (and movies, and food, and entertainment) are generally different than mine. (Surprisingly, we both strongly agreed on The Hunger Games.)  Viva la difference!


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## Steven L. Hawk (Jul 10, 2010)

Juanita reads as much as I do.  We read together in bed for an hour or so at the end of each day.  Me, with my K2.  Her with the K3 I bought her for Christmas.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

I'm slowly trying to "seduce" my husband into the idea of getting a Kindle. He borrowed mine to read a book from Stephen Hawkins that he wanted to read right away without waiting for it to come in the mail. Sadly, while I took to it right away, he still feels "iffy" about it, mostly because he prefers to have more displayed "on one page" (I don't have the DX--which he might have liked better). The deciding factor would be if his scientific journals were available on the Kindle. If they were, then there is no doubt in my mind that he'd be as happy as a clam if I bought him one as a gift to get him started.

He reads some fiction, but much prefers history and science.

However, I'm giving it another few years before most of the stuff he likes is available. We're bound to assimilate him into the Kindle-borg as soon as that happens...


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

Thumper said:


> The Spouse Thingy probably reads more than I do; what gets me about his reading habits is that he re-reads everything, to a ridiculous (to me) level.)
> 
> Robert Jordan's _Wheel of Time_ series? Holy carp...every time a new one came out, he had to start at the beginning. He's re-reading them all _again_. On one hand, I appreciate that he loves the series _that _much, but think of all the books he'll never have time to read because he spent so much of his time reading the same things over and over and over...


Yea Ive never understood why people would read a book over and over again. I have over 400 books on my TBR list. I would never get to read all of them if I was rereading everything. Although, I read a lot of series where I have to wait for each book to come out. So I have decided that before I read the very last book in the series, I will reread all the books again one last time.


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## Dee_DeTarsio (Oct 26, 2010)

My husband and I have totally different reading tastes but it has been a blast to share books we really like and think that each other would like, too. (He got me into Ken Follett and Steven Saylor, ancient Rome mysteries.) He travels a lot so he does a lot of audio books and it's fun to mix it up by both listening and reading, and then getting to talk about it! 

PS--he is a little leery about most women's fiction, but I did get him into books like People of the Book and March by Geraldine Brooks. He still won't read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philipa Gregory, but I think he'd like it-?!


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

My wife and I both read a lot, which was an important factor in our getting together. We often read quite different things, however. She likes mysteries but tends a lot toward non-fiction. I read much more fiction than her.


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## LaFlamme (Dec 9, 2010)

My wife is one of those fiends who just devours books, a constant reader who will probably someday find a way to water proof them so she can read in the shower. I think she had a book stashed under her wedding dress while we were exchanging vows. She reads it all, too: classics, young adult, horror, romance... The benefit of this for me is that she knows quality writing when she sees it and thus, she's become a crucial part of my writing process. Her feedback carries weight and she's not shy about giving it. She also designs my covers. Clearly, I'm keeping her.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

We are both enthusiastic readers. We also love buying books, for ourselves and to each other. Also, I am blessed with kind relatives who send me books from abroad. We both like a quite different kind of books. All that means there are hundreds of books in each room, including kitchen. It is getting out of hand, honestly  I am hoping Kindle would alleviate the situation but so far there seem to be no change in our paper book buying habits.


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## chipotle (Jan 1, 2010)

DH reads a lot but less than me. Our idea of a good time is to go to the library together!  

Oddly enough we don't usually read together - i.e., in the same room, although sometimes I will read while he's watching sports. He loves to read outside and I read on the floor late at night with my pet rabbit. For some reason if I choose a book for him it is the kiss of death. Every year I try to get him a few books from the NYT best of the year list but he rarely picks them up. Currently Keith Richards' Life is being ignored on the nightstand.

For Valentine's Day he's getting me the K3 and he'll inherit my K2. I figure he'll read a lot more then.


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## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

My husband did not read hardly at all before he got his Kindle and now he reads ever chance he gets. He has even stopped watching so much tv which I never thought he would do. He will stay up late at night to read. I can't do that because I will fall asleep. On the weekends we both curl up with a blanket and our Kindles and read as much as we can. It is so nice that we both love the same things.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

My wife and I are both readers. My daughter is just about 4, I read to her every night. We just finished reading Through the Looking Glass. I've been in people's houses where they had no books. It's a very creepy experience, like suddenly noticing they aren't quite human, but instead pod people. I don't think I would have married my wife if she didn't read, not directly as a result, but if she didn't read, she wouldn't be the sort of person who interested me. I expect she would have the same opinion of me.


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## MeloniePhillips (Jan 13, 2011)

I wish my husband would read more but he doesn't.  We have been together since 2002 and he has not read one book, not even ones gifted to him on holidays, etc.  I wind up reading them, but thats okay I love him just the same.  I sometimes feel a little bad when I am reading and he is doing something else, like I am ignoring him, so I wait till he is off to bed and read from around ten pm till two am.  Works out good that way.


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## cargalmn (Sep 29, 2010)

My husband & I both read (but me way faster than him)...he usually knows when I'm about 100 pages from the end of a book because we go through a "Book Divorce" - meaning I stop responding to societal norms (ie not responding to questions asked of me, no food, no bathroom breaks, no eye contact!) until I'm finished.    Now that we're both Kindle readers, he has to ask "what % complete are you" instead of visibly looking to see approximately how far along I am...and naturally he doesn't get a response from me.  LOL

My parents have a few terms, as well (so guess where I get the whole love of reading thing):  BB = Between Books (a dreaded state to be in) and EB = End of Book (see the aforementioned Book Divorce definition).


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## drenfrow (Jan 27, 2010)

QuantumIguana said:


> I've been in people's houses where they had no books. It's a very creepy experience, like suddenly noticing they aren't quite human, but instead pod people.


I totally agree.


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## Shandril19 (Aug 18, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> My partner doesn't read at all and he doesn't understand at all why I enjoy it.


Mostly ditto.

I think he understands at some level, but not really. He calls it my addiction.

And we have fairly repetitive discussions regarding the difference between going to bed and going to sleep.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

My husband doesn't read much - he grew up in one of those families where there are NO books in the house, and I agree it feels creepy to me! He reads more than he did before he met me, but it's all nonfiction about his hobbies and career -- art books, and musician bios.


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