Comments on: Can You Love a Non-Reader?

By: Antonia Crane

Antonia Crane — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:15:49 +0000

I agree with John Waters, “If he doesn’t read, you shouldn’t be fucking him.”

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:15:09 +0000

I think it’s interesting that many of the replies above say they would not “date” a non-reader, meaning they’re still single. Ha! Maybe when you realize there is more to love than how many books the other person has read, you’ll actually find someone to spend your life with. I’m happily married for 6 years to a complete non-reader, unless you count car magazines. We share the same values and passion in life, and we love each other, that’s more important than books. He respects my love of books and my desire to buy so many of them, and I respect hi

By: Katy

Katy — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:44:59 +0000

I read 145 books last year. My husband read…maybe 2ish? It’s not a problem. We don’t have to share EVERYTHING in common in order to have respect for each other and a real connection.

By: Tory

Tory — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:48:40 +0000

Maybe it’s an introvert thing but no non-reader that I’ve dated has really been entirely accepting, let alone welcoming, of the time that I need to spend curled up by myself with a book in front of my face. Always with the talking, and the wanting to go somewhere… things go much better with bookworm partners; I don’t necessarily need to be alone, I’m perfectly happy to read with someone’s arm around my shoulder or head in my lap, but things gotta be restful, and it seems that only fellow bookworms understand that.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:13:44 +0000

I’m an avid reader & usually read at least 4 books a week so I do spend a lot of my spare time reading. My other half isn’t much of a reader at all – in the 8 years we’ve been together he’s probably read less than 10 books! Yes it would be nice if he liked reading too – sometimes it would be great to be able to discuss books I love with him but we have plenty of other things in common that we can talk about & he has hobbies that I have no interest in too. We can still have conversations about our seperate interests & I have lots of friends who I can have more detailed discussions with. Life would be boring if everyone was the same & I think differences can enhance a relationship.

I couldn’t be in a relationship with a non-reader if they didn’t accept my love of books but I’d never end my current relationship just because my partner doesn’t read. So he loves his xbox, so what? He plays games, I read & then later we snuggle up on the sofa & watch a movie. We’ve been together 8 years so something is obviously working!

By: stephanie

stephanie — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:32:03 +0000

Never would I date a non-reader, even if his passion was doing something else!

By: Marilyn Wise

Marilyn Wise — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:03:44 +0000

I’ve dated readers and non-readers, and I’m still single! I think as long as they have some passion of their own, it is not a problem.

By: Fred Zackel

Fred Zackel — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:02:28 +0000

Can You Love a Non-Reader?

Only if it’s based on sex. And only until morning. Well, brunch maybe.

By: wurdnurd

wurdnurd — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:37:20 +0000

Honestly, I don’t think it matters much if two people share the same passion, so long as they respect the other person’s predilections. I mean, the question could be “could an avid historical non-fiction reader date a Sookie Stackhouse lover?” (I only choose Sookie as an example, since it seems to be a lightening rod for criticism from “serious” readers). I say never to apologize for your reading tastes, and self-professed non-readers shouldn’t apologize for their own habits (especially since many “non-readers” don’t count the endless blogs, newspapers and magazines they devour as reading). I’m a bibliovore, and what’s most important to me isn’t that the guy I date be a reader, but that he be passionate about SOMETHING, whether it be books, music, art, movies, archeology or bottle-cap-collecting. If a guy isn’t passionate about something, then he may never understand how I feel about my obsession, and that would be the greatest divider of all…

By: SSS

SSS — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:54:43 +0000

I’ve been married to my husband for almost 15 years, and he is not much of a reader. My kids and I will be gushing over the latest children’s books (I write middle grade & YA), and he’ll have no idea what we’re talking about. But he still is interested when I gush about my favorite book or author (or at least he pretends to be interested). They say opposites attract. I’m glad he and I aren’t the same. He’s a hard-working nine-to-fiver, which I definitely am not! He’s practical. I’m creative. We balance each other. He’s always supportive and makes an effort to read what I write if I ask him to. Plus he makes phenomenal spinach artichoke dip. See? You can find reedemable qualities in non-readers, too!