In my last post, I argued one of the reasons for reading was for companionship. I meant in the sense that when you are engrossed in a good book, it’s almost impossible to feel lonely. But there is another sense in which we read for companionship. While at first glance reading looks like a solitary pursuit, it actually isn’t. Reading is one of most common and delightful methods of forming connections with other people. It’s like the old cliché about “water cooler conversations” the morning after a big sporting or other event on TV. People everywhere bond over books.

And it’s not just book clubs, although those are many and active. (Turns out some are just excuses to get together, have dinner and drink wine. Nothing wrong with that, either!) One of the first things people often do when visiting someone else’s home for the first time is scan their bookshelves to see what they read. Then you say, “oh, hey, I read that. What did you think?” Or, “I was thinking about reading this. Is it worth it?” Most people liked to be asked their opinions. A conversation blooms. We bond over the contents, but also the activity itself. I’ve been known to interrupt people reading alone in a restaurant to ask how they liked that particular book. I try to be selective, but most people I’ve approached have been pleased to have a short chat and share their responses, to add other titles and to ask me for ideas.  Then we both go our own ways, after having those few moments of human connection. When meeting someone new, if you have nothing else in common, you can almost always find some book to mention.

The people in my Trivia group are heavily into sharing books and suggestions. Okay, we meet in a bookstore, so maybe that’s no surprise. While not all of the players are readers, the ones who are find each other. And to me, when I have house guests and we are all sitting around the living room, each quietly reading after a hard day of sightseeing, it creates a deep feeling of peaceful togetherness. Solitary? Not in the least.