10 Great Reader Comments on Books
As the sun sets earlier and I find myself snuggling under my bedsheets before 9 p.m., I’ve been trying to ignore the siren call of doomscrolling and instead make my way through this touching motherhood memoir. If you, too, are in a bookish mood, please enjoy these recommendations from the most book-adoring people we know: the Cup of Jo community. Here are 10 gems…
On reading as a love language:
“We’re deep in the IVF trenches, so I’ve been a moody mess. My husband suggested I read old favorite books. Then he handed me my e-reader and said he’d recently added them. I’m smitten all over again!” — Erika
“The first time my now-husband and I ended up in bed together, I was bowled over when he asked if he could read me some of his favorite poems. I remember him reading Poe’s ‘The Raven’ from his phone and thinking ‘Oh, no, I’m going to marry this boy.’ He continues to amaze me, seven years later, with his sensitive way of taking in the world.” — Anne
On people who make reading feel special:
“I went to a tiny high school in the middle of Indiana cornfields. We had a mandatory reading list, but my English teacher started ‘sneaking’ off-list books to those of us who really loved reading. She introduced us to Memoirs of a Geisha, The Handmaid’s Tale, Interpreter of Maladies… We’d pass them around class and have conversations in the hallways about what we loved or hated. She’s still teaching, decades later, inspiring bigger worlds for mostly poor, rural kids. What magic teachers can bring.” — Jessica
“As a librarian, I find that nothing gives me more joy than matching someone with a book, especially if they’ve lost touch with reading for a while or don’t consider themselves ‘a reader.’ Everyone is a reader! We sometimes just need a little help finding the right story.” — Amanda
On offbeat book clubs:
“When my daughter was 16, she babysat our eight-year-old neighbor every Wednesday. They were kindred spirits and would go to the library and then a coffee shop, where they’d drink hot chocolate and read their stack of books. On the walk home, the little one would place my daughter’s hand on her head and say, ‘Can you steer me, please, so I can keep reading?’ My daughter’s comment to me, ‘I’ve never heard a more relatable request!’” — Ellie
“I own a small business that employs mostly young people, ages 16 to 22. I was tired of hearing how everyone is too distracted to read, so I started a summer read-a-thon. I made a progress chart, picked up star stickers for every 100 pages, and said the winner would get a $20 gift card to a local business. Now I can happily announce that my little ducklings have been talking 10x more about books and proudly reporting their pages to me. And I’ve been reading more, too!” — Meghan
On book goals:
“I’m making my way through The Guardian’s 100 best novels of all time. My current read is The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst, and I have 100 pages left of A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul. I find that leaving my phone on a different floor of the house helps speed reading up.” — Emma
On your next library hold:
“When I need something light and funny, I always reach for a book by a female comedian — Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, they are brilliant! Get ready to laugh, nod along, and hug that book when you finish. Pro tip: treat yourself to a little candy while you read; I’m really into Sour Patch Kids right now.” — Bren
“I have been reading The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower, and they are the most delightful thing I have read in YEARS. The writing is Jane Austen meets Enola Holmes — it’s laugh-out-loud funny and the characters are lovable (or scoundrels!) and jump right off the page. I read in paperback but switch to audio when I’m walking the dog or driving. The voice of a narrator is also important, and Genevieve Gaunt is brilliant.” — Lucy
On friendship:
“I went through a miscarriage this fall, so when my book club decided to read The Wedding People, my dear friend Katie suggested that she mark any pages that might be triggering. I thought she’d dog-ear entire pages, but girl went through with post-its and marked very specific passages! It was so thoughtful and still makes me weepy.” — Katie
What are your favorite books or reading memories? We’d love to hear. And here are all of Cup of Jo’s book recs on one page.
P.S. The best reader comments of all time, and what are your three favorite books?
(Photo from The Drama.)
Source – Cup of joy
