Please watch the gap between the train and the platform

by Stephanie

As I ride my commuter train into and out of the city every day, I like to peek at the riders around me and see what they’re reading. And what’s interesting is that now that the Kindle and iPad are vastly replacing physical books, the ability to creep on people becomes complicated. It sometimes makes me wish readers had little thought bubbles floating over their heads, a title & author ticker scrolling by. But that’s a digression. How many of you can admit to sneaking a peek at what others are reading, particularly in a public transportation setting? I know you all have, don’t lie! With that in mind, I enjoyed happening upon this blog titled The Book Spy, in which one blogger documents the books he sees while riding the New York City subway, and includes information such as the location / train line spotted, a physical description of the reader, and other varying assessments on the encounter. The reason I like this blog so much is that it reinforces an important point: the physical act of reading is, in fact, enduring. Maybe I seem a bit negative in thinking that reading risks becoming a diminishing pastime, but it is admittedly refreshing to find people actively reading in an otherwise mp3-player-dominated setting. Anyway, if nothing else, I hope you enjoy the Book Spy’s interesting, sometimes snarky evaluations of his fellow subway riders as much as I did!