Monday Musing: Book talk

It's been quite awhile since I participated in a Musing Monday. Today's topic grabbed me and I felt I just had to write about it! Rebecca over at Just One More Page hosts this one. Go check out her page to participate and read some her posts.

Here's today's question:

We were all warned as children "never to talk to strangers," but how do you feel about book-talk with random people. When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you?

I love talking about books, which is a must to have a blog like this! When I see people in public with a book I often try to look to see what they're reading. If the cover looks interesting (i.e. not some half naked woman draped around a half naked man which would indicate romance) then I'm likely to ask what they're reading. Most people are happy to tell you. There must be some sort of secret I'm-a-book-lover-too sign that goes along with asking someone what they're reading. I'm sure I'll figure out one day exactly what I'm projecting when I ask this question because I can ask almost anything else of random people and not get that light that comes just before someone pours out their heart and soul. Always happens when people talk about their books.

I always carry a book with me in my purse. Sometimes, I'll eat out for lunch instead of bringing mine to work. In those cases I'm usually sitting at the table reading my book while I eat. While I was reading Catch-22, an older man actually turned around in the booth in front of me to tell me that was his favorite book. He talked for a while about how he saw some of the same crazy things himself when he fought in WWII. He was disappointed that I wasn't as into it as he was, just as I always am when I discover someone doesn't love a book as much I do. I think the real reason we stop people to ask what they're reading is so we can find others to say, "Yes, that book was wonderful! Aren't we wonderful for enjoying it together?" Or maybe we simply want the whole world to feel inside the way we did when we read THAT book.