Put the Book Down and Talk to Me

[YearsSinceISawYou]

I read lots!
In our house, my husband reads too, although not as much as me. He likes to see me reading and doesn't annoy me with interruptions.

My friend tells me that her husband teases her about reading so much, throws cushions her way and expects her to join in a conversation when he can see she is engrossed in a book.

I don't think I could live with someone who poured cold water on my love of books. She thinks that's an overreaction.

If you read a lot how does your other half react to it?

Ooh I hate being interrupted when I'm reading

Mine gets on with something himself.

He has his own interests.
Sometimes a book, sometimes other things.
He would always ask if I’m reading and he wanted to talk. It’s just polite really.

DH is also a reader. We often sit in companionable silence, reading. It's nice. If he's not reading then he's studying music - he belongs to a choir.

Mine just puts his headphones in and does his own thing. I’m never happier than when I’ve got a good book to read.

Mine "reads" his phone!

Mine watches TV, phones his family, bumbles about on his phone or even reads a book himself.
I couldn't do with someone who didn't appreciate my reading time.

Bet she doesn't tease him about his hobbies. I do think some people think it's fine to interrupt when you are reading even if they read themselves, I'm not sure if that's just because they want to chat and that overrides any concern they might have about interrupting your reading or if it's that they think you shouldn't read when there is someone else in the room. MIL will wander in on me reading and start chatting to me. It's annoying but nowhere near as rude as the OP's friend's DH.

My DP expected me to fetch and carry help him with whatever he was currently doing "since you're doing nothing". "Nothing" being his definition of any activity he doesn't value. We only had to have that argument once! Now I get asked if I'm busy. And he gets replies like "I'll be free when I've finished this chapter" or "yes, I'm resting for half hour".

My ExH was a complete arse when I was reading. Would make a big dramatic fuss demanding to be talked to. Or make a fuss if I was reading in bed. When he left for his presumably non-reading OW, he claimed that I was always 'in a book' or 'in my own head'. Can read all I like now.

My DH reads, draws, plays music - we spend many hours together perfectly happy without saying a word.

I know this is really judgemental and probably comes from growing up with parents who were really well read but I don’t think I could be with someone who didn’t appreciate good books and good music.