I was on the train yesterday evening and once again everyone beat me to a seat. I found a pole to grab on to dear life and proceeded to play solitaire, as i looked up I noticed this girl was reading a book. I usually like to see what people are reading these days, and maybe add to my Summer reading list. The book she was reading had an interesting title " How to Gain Friends and Influence People". I thought to myself do these books actually work. I mean I see so many self-help books out there but they all get lost in the sea of so many others.
She seemed to be really into this book with all the high lighting and note taking between the margins. The funny thing is when she saw one of her friends, I suppose and old friend, she immediately put the book away as if she was embarrassed about it. It made me think do we really know who are friends are, do they have hidden lives or issues that they are to embarrassed to admit. I also thought about what Prof. Henken spoke about in class, how everyone portrays a certain identity with certain people. I just thought it was really interesting.
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Sometimes, though, we must hide what we read. =D
ReplyDeleteI'm into religious lore and apocrypha, but I
distance myself from that in public. After all, what would people think of me if I were to be caught reading the Torah, the Gospel of Judas, and/or the Satanic Bible? Not that there's anything wrong with that (I'm a Pastafarian either way), but most of my friends are either staunch atheists or born-again Christians. It'd do me no good if they were to think that I'm a secret Jew, heretic, or Satanist. That girl probably didn't want her buddy to think that she's socially incapable of making buddies without guidance.
Well, in my home country, when you buy a book, store stuff always ask you if you need a book cover. Many people get a book cover and always try to hide what they are reading, and I do. I always think that book store should provide a paper book cover.
ReplyDeleteJ Izzy,get a book cover!
I always wonder about that to. self help books come in all shapes and sizes (names and topics). I wanted to check out steve harvey's book, act like a lady, think like a man. It sounded interesting.
ReplyDeletei have that book!! apparently it's a classic in the management and business. dale carnegie was a business guru...but yeah. i love self help books and no longer feel ashamed ('cept if it's in the how to keep a man vein) reading them in public because conscious and purposeful self development is a value of mine. though, i was nervous when i decided last summer to created a topic reading list. the topic: the devil as a fictional character. i read several books with devil in the title and i know how people can get around the subject.
ReplyDeletechyvone: i read a bit of act like a lady, think like a man. there are better books out there. he swears he's preaching the gospel but...i have my doubts. btdubs, he was married 3 times.