Who /selfconcious/ about reading big books in public? At first I didnt really pay any mind...

who /selfconcious/ about reading big books in public? At first I didnt really pay any mind, but after like two years of commute to work and back home, I've gotten several comments and questions about what I'm reading and the size.

I dont know why people are so intrusive, and why it bothers them, but every now and then if i'm carrying an obesse 800 pager or more I gotta deal with some shitty condescending remark or incredulous glare. I had several people come up to me while I was reading Underworld, two of them thought it was some sort of Stephen King-esque horror thriller and when they ask what the fuck am I supposed to explain? should I be a shit about it and tell them to mind their own business? because fuck if I'm gonna explain what Against the Day or Executioner's Song is about, they'll call the damn cops on me. This shit even happens when I remove the cover.

Tell them it's a book about death and flash 'em the crazy eyes and they'll leave you be

just make sure what you're reading appears so disgusting that no one will bother to approach you

an e reader is not an option

at least you're not a girl, op

would you approach a girl if she is reading one of your favorites books?

I'm not self conscious, I just find it hard to focus while reading in public. Besides, people look at me funny when I stroke my dick while reading Infinite Jest.

Get a generic Bible sleeve to put over everything

Whoa, are you implying America has an anti-intellectual problem? Could of fooled me.

oh shut your trap, you unpatriotic nerd.

Jesus christ read what you want you pussy. And don't scorn people who are lonely and just striking up conversation.

They give me lots of comments too about the size :^D

There's a time and a place for lonely souls to meet new people, public transit during rush hour is not one of them.

>anti-intellectual
>could of

W E W

Of course not.

Kinda makes your noggin puzzle

It's some kind of an intellectual compensation thing. You are reading, they are not, thus they feel guilty af. I guess that the vast majority of the people that casually ask you about your book are trying to show (to you and to themselves) some "interest". Interest, which in their mind should make them feel better ("at least I asked" or something like that
I think it's important to remember that people are led to think that about books the bigger is the better. Keeping that in mind, if you read big books filthy casuals will be very surprised (and very pleased about themselves when they ask you what is it all about etc)

>Hey watcha readin' user!
>U-uh...you probably haven't heard of it-- not in a bad way! It's just really niche. Like no one has heard of it. Uh. I mean it's about egoism. Uh. Not that kind of egoism! It just has the exact same name even though it's completely...look...uh, it's just some book.
Yeah. It's embarrassing.

I simply cannot comprehend people like these. I swear to god.

Just fucking answer the question.
>What are you reading?
>Oh, it's called X by Y
>Interesting, what's about?
>It's about Z
>Cool, peace.
>Cheers!

>doesn't say "it's a ghost story"

>doesn't say its a love story

Have you taken your medicine today op? If you go out in public without them people might know you're disabled, ok sweetie. Have a nice day at school, enjoy that book I gave you, I always loved harry potter as a kid too.

Fuck OP, could you possibly be more beta?

I read in public all the time, never once got any questions about it. It helps that the culture here values privacy alot, people will keep to themselves unless you invite them in some way.

And it helps that my resting face is kind of non-approachable.

>Hey user, what are you reading?
>Phenomenology of Spirit
>What's it about?
Uhhhhhhhhh

>the phenomenology of spirit, that's why it's the title

You should always read books with offensive or controversial titles in public like Lolita or Confessions of an English Opium Eater. Make sure to hold the book up so people can get a good look at it.

>historical fiction
>true crime

Is saying this really that hard?

>tfw been reading Naked Lunch in public hoping for someone to get triggered but no results

Just say metaphysics or philosophy, it's obviously an inadequate answer but most people will understand.

Where do you live?

>Approach a girl

Where do you think you're asking this?

>What are you reading?
>American Pyscho
>What's it about?
>Uhh... 80s culture.

Just read user. At the end of the day what happens doesnt really matter. Theyll probably forget about you and approaching you in an hour anyway.

Ive had people ask what im reading but i just tell them the title and they leave me to my reading.

I think it's just best to tell them the premise or "it's hard to explain." In the end they probably dont give a shit.

I'm self concious about reading in public in general. Unless it's at the book store or library.

don't worry. stupid people just interpret everything as an insult to their ego, and that everything anybody does except watch TV or sit on their smartphones is done with the explicit purpose of trying to show off/be better than them.

>he's reading a big book
>he thinks he's better than me because he's reading a big book
>he's only reading that book to show me that he thinks he's better than me
>what a dick

I do that :^)
Well to an extent

It's as easy as picking one core concept and dumbing it down
>well you know if you get into an argument with someone about something and afterwords you work a few of their points into your position so you're more prepared the next time you talk about it? Well this is a philosopher who talks about how life is a series of these interactions where you come up against something and gain something new out of it.

God why are the people on here so fucking weird? I have bothered many girls and guys about what they're reading and had really wonderful conversations. Only one time some autist was reading an obscure African American author I had never heard of and he made fun of me and said "It's not Dan Brown.." or some shit, but the guy was practically a eunuch. I used to work in a bar and this very pretty girl was reading du Beauvoir and we started talking about her, soon she became a regular and eventually we slept together for a few weeks before she moved. I'm not saying you should constantly bug people on the metro or make a show of what you're reading, but the world isn't going to end if you engage strangers who have similar interests.

This seems like a hover-hands kind of crowd though.

>I have bothered many girls and guys about what they're reading and had really wonderful conversations.
Not an excuse.
>but the world isn't going to end if you
Well that's a relief because that's exactly what I thought would happen.
>This seems like a hover-hands kind of crowd though.
No, we're a don't take photo with me crowd.

This made me seem more bitter than I am. Have a memepic

when you get married, I'm the guy your wife is going to invite to her "wife time" parties with all her married friends, and I will pork them all at your consent so that she doesn't leave you and drag your kids through an ugly divorce

He being a beta cuckold doesn't make what you and his wife would be hypothetically doing any less wrong.

I've done it before, but I usually wait untill they're not reading. And even then I hesitate to do it because bothering people in public transit is terrible.

Get a n ereader, they're light and portable, and no one can tell what you're reading.

>Hey m8 bruh dude man whatcha reading?

>fuck off

Wew sure was hard

>when you get married
kek
>at your consent
would be kek if not for above kek making it moot

I don't think I'll ever again be self conscious about what I read in public after going through "memoirs of an anti-semite."

>marriage

Joke's on you I can't even get a date

when normies ask "what is it about?" they mean plot and story, not genre. I might as well be speaking gibberish to them.

>Hey dude what are you reading?
>A book
wew that sure was hard

Seriously though, are you really unable to think of a normal answer to this? It depends on the book obviously, and with some books it's harder, but you must be really socially crippled to find this situation hard

>Hegel
tell them that everything is connected, art, literature, science, religion, maybe they will read it.

the problem is not explaining. The problem is that they ask in the first place. I dont want to have to wear shades and headphones all the time while Im reading because apparently thats what it takes for people to leave you alone.

No you aren't

>The problem is that they ask in the first place
why do you hate this?

nobody has ever talked to me while I read in public.

Same. Doesn't matter how large the book I'm reading is. I was never even asked while reading on campus during university.

better yet
>Hey dude what are you reading?
>Words, words, words!

This.

If you can't describe the subject of what you're reading to a random person on the spot, then maybe you're not understanding it properly.

Remember that an intelligent person can explain complex topics to those not so knowledgeable.

Truth.

You sound more fragile then a fifteen year old tumbler feminist.