by Rachel
Back in May, I mentioned attempting to read Joseph O’Neill’s Netherland, simply because the President was reading it. I tend to be nosey and want to know what kind of book choices public figures make. So, it’s no surprise that I was interested to take a peek at the Vatican’s Secret Archives, as posted in The Guardian. Manuscripts and publications collected for more than 800 years lie within the 85 kilometers of shelving in this vault.
I thought the article on the Vatican’s archives was the most fascinating story of the week, until I saw this Wall Street Journal article by Hannah Seligson, on dating websites catering towards book lovers. For one, I don’t think partner compatibility can be based on book choices. Sure, it certainly shows you have a common area of interest if your favorite genre is sci-fi and so is your partner’s, but does this translate to a personality match also? I’m not so sure; I think a dating site for book lovers is a unique endeavor, but I think it takes a lot more than the same taste in books for compatibility.
What do you think? Do you and your partner, or friends, share the same taste in books?
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Hm, this is an interesting topic. I've heard a lot of people talk about how they tend to read similar voices across genres without meaning to. I'd say that if you and your partner read within the same genres, that could give you some interesting things to talk about (and recommendations, as well as awesome gifts. The worst thing in the world is to receive a book that you know you'll never read as a present). If you find yourselves enjoying very similar voices, that could speak more about compatibility than genre alone.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever stopped to wonder about the kinds of voices you've read? I'd be curious to what draws you in the most :)
Actually, in many aspects, my tastes 'do' match with my partners. He's gotten me into a LOT of the books I read. That said, of course, I have my love of romances which he won't/can't read. There have been very few books he's given me (or I've seen him reading) that I haven't liked.
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband and I got married, we were able to combine our book cases and get rid of many duplicates.
ReplyDeleteExcept for romances. I don't care how great he says they are, I won't read them.
friends yes, husband no.
ReplyDeletethe only book he has finished in the past five years is something by Dave Ramsey, probably the only book in our house that i haven't even glanced at. i can barely get him to read my weekly column.
meanwhile, i buy at least a book a week to make up for being a one-booklover household. (most likely a habit dave ramsey would shun...thus why i haven't cracked the cover.)
i'm hoping our "non-compatible" book love isn't a commentary on our longevity. monday is our 14th anniversary...we'll see what happens!
Some of my friends, yes. We trade books frequently, and most of my friends are into the same genres as me, even if they read less.
ReplyDeleteI'm not married, but the man I thought myself most compatible with of all the guys I've dated wasn't much of a reader. The books he did have were things I'd read or would be interested in reading, and we had similar tastes in other forms of media, but he didn't love reading half as much as I do.
My husband and I read some of the same books--we both like fantasy, though he branches out to other genres more often than I do. For the most part, we agree. I'm just glad he reads. :D
ReplyDeleteI like urban fantasy's and non-fiction and my husband on the other hand hates fiction. The only book that we both like is A New Earth. Go figure.
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