So, You're Into Books and Your Sweetie Isn't?

Woman, Studying, Learning, Books, Reading, Adult, Bed

If you are a bookworm-- a bibliophile-- someone who loves reading books-- then you likely enjoy being around other book-ish folks. I am going on my own thoughts and experiences here. I grew up in a book-loving home, was read to as a child, and was reading the same serial books as my mother by the time I was twelve. I married an English major. He reads, he writes. If I need some time to finish a chapter at night, he understands.

If you are dating-- or married-- someone who doesn't read, there is likely some cognitive dissonance in your relationship. Maybe that is an unfair judgement. But I'm guessing that if you are a big time reader-- maybe a teacher or someone who belongs to a Book Club- you enjoy discussions about books you love. And maybe you get those needs met by having friends who you can talk to. But on the off-chance that you would like your partner to start reading, you might be interested in the Reading List for "He's Just Not That Into Literacy-- Turning Your Lover Into a Reader" supplied in the book Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life by writer-librarian, Annie Spence. (Read a little more about the book on my blog post here) You'll have to get hold of the book yourself (you'll love it) to read all the clever paragraphs around the books she recommends, but I provide you with the actual list of books:

Annie Spence says that librarians "turn people onto reading every day" and librarians fervently believe that there is a "book for everyone".

After a casual conversation on the topic, if you decide your beloved liked reading something like "The Hunger Games" or "Fifty Shades" or "Twilight", it is possible they like the "momentum and deluge effect" of a series. She recommends:

The Lunar Chronicles Boxed Set: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest, Winter by Marissa Meyer

and

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (a little more sophisticated than the young-adult genre of "The Lunar")

For people who like the snark they find in The Onion, but don't actually read a full-blown book, they actually might enjoy Fraud by David Rakoff, or Amy Sedaris's "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence".

For foodies who actually read cookbooks like novels (a small population), there are a few novels with foodie themes/metaphors:

Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine by Bryant Terry
Momofuku Milk Bar: A Cookbook by Christina Tosi
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivavel
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Books about Musicians and Music

The Dirt (The Anniversary Edition): Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band by Motley Crue and Neil Strauss
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir
by Carrie Brownstein

JOCK Books

**An autobiography of your love's fave player or a historical account of the year their team won/almost won the World Series**

Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella (the book that the movie "Field of Dreams" was based on)

The Art of Fielding: A Novel by Chad Harbach

Have a gal friend who hasn't read anything in a while?

I Think I Love You by Alison Pearson

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

If none of the above works to get them into reading, drag them to the library and get them a card. Then introduce them to the librarian and let them ask all the right questions to find a book they will love. Promise.

HOW BEING READ ALOUD TO SHAPED MY LIFE

Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes) and 3 Ethnic Take-Offs

Colcannon is a lovely Irish traditional mix of boiled cabbage or kale along with a root vegetable, usually mashed potatoes, but sometimes turnip, or carrots. Leaks and/or onions, and garlic, are pretty popular additions. Chopped green onions, chives and/or parsley are often used as a stirred-in garnish. You will also find 3 other Colcannon-type recipes-- take-offs of cultural classics with potatoes and greens from Mexico, Zambian and Ukrainian are sure to delight you as well when you want to try something a little different. These are all delicious, healthy comfort foods! I am vegan, so all of the recipes are vegan colcannon-- no dairy butter or milk involved. The following are ingredients in the colcannon I made (Missing from the picture are water, garlic, pepper, oil, and fine sea salt): Lovely Colcannon: potatoes, cabbage, leaks, green onions, and parsley INGREDIENTS (2-4 servings) 3 T. (30 mg) Olive Oil (or water, or coconut oil) 1/2 Cabbage , shredded ...

Pan-Fry Carrots (Roast Carrot Sticks)

Pan-roasted carrots (with some potato fries mixed in) Our younger son--at one time in the life he styled as "Nomad Farmer"-- lived and grew organic vegetables, fruit and berries on an off-grid community farm in the interior of BC. We stopped in to see him the one time and came away with a load of over-wintered carrots, still as carrot-y flavoured and plump as on the day they were dug from the ground, thanks to the hill-side root crop storage cellar. Our granddaughters opted for fish and chips today for lunch, and some of the 'chips' were carrot chips. They are also a great base for a roast carrot soup. When you roast veggies, you get extra delicious flavour. You will also find two wonderful recipes for Holiday carrot side dishes-- Maple-glazed roasted carrots with a recipe for a lemony vegan sauce (made with cashews) and Lemon-Herb roasted carrots made with a Pecan Relish recipe, PAN-FRY CARROTS (Roast Carrot Sticks) <more properly ...

Hearty Cream of Tomato - Bean Soup - Vegan, Gluten-Free

If you have only ever eaten Cream of Tomato soup from a can, this will be a tasty coup for you! Here is another wonderful bean recipe adapted from my fave The Great Vegan Bean Book: More than 100 Delicious Plant-Based Dishes Packed with the Kindest Protein in Town! - Includes Soy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipes! * . This creamy tomato-bean soup will fill in the gaps for anyone who feels they just don't have the time or energy to cook up a healthy lunch -- the secret is to pre-cook your beans in a large quantity and freeze them. Then just assemble your other ingredients and presto, you have a very nutritious base to your lunch in less time than it would take you to order and be served at your typical restaurant. And you will know what is actually IN this soup ! INGREDIENTS: 2 T. Olive Oil or Vegetable Broth 1/2 Onion , minced 3 cloves Garlic 1 tsp. Marjoram 1 tsp. Thyme 1/2 ts...

Organic Granny

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