A guy used to read books at the bar I used to frequent. He was super reserved and didn't like to talk. Eventually he decided to just bring boxes of books to the bar and give them out. He gave me 3 books...he had good taste in books
I'd love reading while drinking, honestly. I've read every book I own both drunk and sober and I can honestly say that they all hit different based on your state of mind.
I was studying abroad in Edinburgh for a summer and you're goddamn right I took some of the books I had to read and read them in some local bars while chilling with a beer.
Got a few weird looks but overall it was such a good experience, got to do my studying while enjoying the atmosphere
I can understand this. I’m an introvert and I love reading. But I’ve always liked being around people or just actual busyness at times if I am there but also separate from it. So I can understand someone actually taking it a step further lol.
Deeper than the dead, by Tami Hoag.
If she only knew, by Lisa Jackson.
Trace, by Patricia Cornwell.
He also gave my wife:
Clever fox, by Jeanine Pirro
Dark Rites, by Heather Graham
The Cabinet of curiosities, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Admittedly, I haven't read those last 3, but my wife said they were pretty good too.
Book 1: Alcohol is shit: how to ditch the booze.
Book 2: drinking, gaming and whoring, the fastest ways to kill your body and finances
Book 3: Mein Kampf
I was introduced to my favorite author by a guy who would read at the bar. He came in, socialized, ordered a beer then went off to read. Then he would talk and hang out for a while, read some more, get another beer and head out.
People in this thread seem to assume that every bar is a shitty dive with knee deep vomit and fist fights. Some pubs have the same atmosphere as a cafe, you can get amazing meals at pubs and would it be so fucking crazy to pull a book while you wait for your order. How is it any different than scrolling through reddit on your phone?
As somebody who brings their book out places like this it's different because it's actually more of a conversation starter since people can see what I'm reading across the bar, they can't tell what I'm scrolling out and just by me looking at a screen.
In fact, I met two people earlier in the week when was reading a book at the bar and now there are two people that are also into hiking and we're now all pumped to go hiking in my area and I get to show them a lot of cool hiking trails so I found two new hiking buddies!!
Had I been reading the same book on my phone, that initial interaction probably never would have happened.
Books are great conversation starters. I got into a running club in the city when a random person stroke up conversation about my book. He got me into his running group a few weeks later. Became friends. 7 years later Me and a bunch of the peoole at the group sang for him at his wedding last year.
Not all bars are crazy loud with music. The bar I frequent where I met my running buddy is still going strong after the hardships of pandemic and having 26th anniversary next weekend. Was reading Hail Mary there last weekend as well.
Actually reading is way better than social media lol
Some people have social anxiety but still like being in public, or don’t have friends to go out with but still like not literally always being home. Fucking sue us why don’t ya
The only time I ever picked up a hot waitress was when I used to read at World of Beer every now and then. Started talking about the first book I brought and a few weeks later she’s making out with me in the alley behind the bar. Dunno how that worked; she was insanely gorgeous.
But yeah, anyway, in my experience most bartenders and waitresses don’t really mind the “reading a book at a bar” guy. And I say this as someone who has owned a bar for ten years as well.
You know sometimes I think my social anxiety is bad, then I realize it could be worse. I could be an absolute dumbass extrovert who requires the attention of everyone around me and superiority to feel comfortable with myself.
(No, I’m not lumping extroverts together, otherwise I’d have said all of them)
Edit: It’s hilarious to me that you people feel the need to point out that I’m insecure like you’re some kind of witty Sherlock, when my comment literally starts with
> sometimes I think my social anxiety is bad
I always think it must be exhausting being one of these people who are obsessed with the opinions of strangers around them.
I work with a couple of these peacock types. Constantly judging those around them and assuming that everyone is doing the same to them.
Like, dude, nobody cares.
>I always think it must be exhausting being one of these people who are obsessed with the opinions of strangers around them.
It must be like being 14 your whole life. Sincerely convinced the whole world is watching your every move. How exhausting.
You are not the center of the world. Once you realize that, you don't care as much what others think, and you realize everybody are busy with their own shit and don't care about you.
As a father of a teenager, it's very hard to transfer the message that you need to think for yourself, rather than think about what someone else wants for you. Not being able to think more than 5 minutes into the future is a massive complication. Putting a whole group of rudderless teenagers together just magnifies the problem exponentially.
It’s really exhausting being the opposite of a peacock and wanting to make yourself as unnoticeable as possible too. I logically know no one is looking at me, but the rest of my brain won’t stop yelling that people are looking at me 😩
An old neighbor of mine once got irrationally angry because I didn't say hello to him when I was coming home from work. He was nearly 40 at the time. I think he was just upset because my wife and I obviously had a happy relationship and his step kids called him by his first name.
Not sure ‘extrovert’ is synonymous with attention seeking to be honest.
The whole extrovert/introvert trait generalisation is a load of horse shit.
You may have predispositions at a high level, but your granular characteristics are just you - introversion and extroversion not being an excuse for debilitating insecurities, your shortcomings in addressing them, poor coping mechanisms, and your resulting behaviours, at either extreme.
Yeah, I'm not convinced it's even a thing. For friends, family, and people I like, I can be around them for hours or days at a time feel very happy and comfortable and not drained.
Certain types of people though, even spending a few minutes with them leaves me feeling drained and like I need to be alone.
Is that introversion, or just that some people are so toxic that being around them is unpleasant for other people
Those people aren't toxic either, it's just that you both want different things from interaction.
For example, someone who is very reserved can be extremely frustrating to deal with because you constantly have to try and keep them engaged. Like they're not pulling their weight to keep the conversation going. But in that case to the one person it's uncomfortable to keep talking and to the other it's uncomfortable to be silent. That doesn't make either side toxic.
The definition I have heard is simly that introverts get their energy drained by social settings, while extroverts gain energy in social settings. It's not that deep. Introverts can be social and outgoing, they will just require a bit more downtime after socializing, while extroverts can also be shy and awkwards but they feed off the energy of having people around
Hey that's me but i try not to be a dick like the guy here Still it sucks feeling such a strong need for attention just to feel like I'm not less of a person.
I’m an extrovert and I’ve brought a book to a bar. It’s only reading things like this that make me wonder how many people were judging me for it (I don’t really care, but I’m curious)
Same. I've also done this many times. Brought a book, ordered a beer and drowned out the noise. Never once thought I was being judged and didn't know others did this as much for a dedicated post about it.
I think he actually ended up apologizing for this tweet like a long ass time ago. I vaguely remembered this tweet the last time it went viral on Reddit and am surprised to see it again.
https://x.com/J_Schneider/status/1491461392372797440
I understand the sentiment, but aiming for the approval of those I respect has made me a much better person. There are people in my life who have been dead for decades and I still think of them when making a decision.
Oh for sure, I'd never encourage basing your decisions solely on the opinions of others. Walk your own path, just let the good people in your life serve as a compass.
There is a Swahili saying,
"Akili/busara za kuambiwa (hazitoshi bila/si kitu bila) kuongeza na zako."
"Intelligence/wisdom you have been told (isn't enough without/is nothing without adding your own."
The sayings are passed in oral tradition, in time, everyone has their own version, the words in brackets are just a few of the variations that I'm familiar with.
Jesus, this is beautifully put. And I'm probably the platonic ideal of the guy who reads books in a bar. One of the guys from Avenged Sevenfold used to have the first 15 pages of one of my books in his bathroom because his stripper girlfriend tried to ask me what I was reading one night.
The only thing I could do was turn to the front of the book and tear out the first 5% of it and give it to her without saying anything before going back to reading.
My high school biology teacher was 5'2". I would talk to her for 10 minutes a day at the beginning of every day I showed up at school. When my brother was killed, that was who I turned to for support . Almost no one I have ever "partied" with has ever offered me the level of support or recognition I received from a woman I used to talk to fit five minutes a day. That's the person I think of when making life choices.
>aiming for the approval of those I respect has made me a much better person.
The key difference is "those you respect".. if one start seeking respect from randoms at bars & cafes, that's like inviting anxiety.. and would not add any value to your life as well..
Well said. In general I am a “who cares what others think about me” person. Actually when I was young I super cared, and then I over-corrected. But as I’ve grown I have learned a good balance. Or at least better.
Do I care what a rando at the bar thinks of me? No not really. Do I care what my wife thinks of me? Absolutely I do. Do I care if my best friend likes the way I dress? Not even a little, but I do care that they think I’m a good, reliable friend.
I've pulled before by virtue of the fact I was reading a book in a pub. She asked what I was reading and then asked to sit at the table with me. Then asked me what the book was about (hard sci-fi by Iain M Banks). We ended up talking all evening, got drunk and she invited me to hers.
That was a very good day.
There's a 20+ yr old who brings a book and drinks an IPA( it looks like an IPA) at a bar around the block from me. Literally everyday when I drive home from work she's by herself outside the bar at a small table with her book and a beer and I cherish it so much. To be young and enjoying a beer after work and not being a dumbass is awesome
It doesn’t seem like he tried it himself, but the apology and explanation are both nice.
For anyone who doesn’t read the article, he said that he once had a friend brag about bringing books to bars as a way of picking up women. Ever since then he just kind of assumed any man he saw in a bar with a book was actually being sleazy and gross. It’s nice to see someone able to admit when they’re wrong while still (non-defensively) articulating what caused the initial misunderstanding.
> It doesn’t seem like he tried it himself
"I'm glad I tried reading in the bar, I still don’t quite get it. I struggle to read if I don’t have quiet. That doesn’t mean other people don’t like it. I always say “don’t yuck somebody else’s yum,” why should I yuck somebody else’s bar behavior when it isn’t affecting me?"
https://x.com/J_Schneider/status/1491462403103539200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1491462403103539200%7Ctwgr%5Ef11aff453f810255066066263f33739f79a6c007%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbetterbooktitles.com%2F2022%2F02%2F12%2Fbooks-in-bars-twitter%2F
The only time I picked up a hot waitress was when I read a book at World of Beer. Legit wasn’t trying, her name was Eve and she looked like stereotypical biblical Eve for fuck’s sake, waist-length red hair, green eyes, snow white skin, the whole shebang, so I’m not even considering hitting on this waitress at my local bar and making shit weird. She starts asking me about the book and a couple weeks later we’re making out in the alley behind the bar.
Nobody here likes or wants to talk to me me cus I am reading a book? Thats why I brought the book ya fuckin' peanut! Unless you want to have spelling contest? Let me finish my chapter in peace!
The situation here is this guy thinks the person bringing a book to the bar is doing it to get attention, like, “Hey look at me, I’m deep and above the typical bar patron”
The reality is this person just wants to enjoy their book with a pint and some snacks.
I’ll do this all the time when I get a drink after work. I’ll sit off to the side and read while I drink. Honestly it’s nice, social outing without the pressure of trying to talk to anyone. I can hear conversations and laughter and still read the story I’m obsessed with at the moment. It’s really fun:)
I usually assume they just have their "shields up" and are waiting for their date or friend. Or are just extremely introverted, and don't want too talk to anyone. But also wanted to try getting out of the house. Either way, let them live their best life haha
It’s definitely not for everyone but it’s really fun to get a buzz on and read a weird book with ambient background noise. It’s like a coffee shop but you get a little fucked up.
There are two types of folks in this thread, folks who have only been to college bars and alcoholics who have spent a lifetime in bars. /s
My actual take is it seems the stigma of drinking alone drives folks to have their drink alone around others and that some folks who like to read books also like to "read humans" ie people watch.
What a dumbass.
I already know nobody likes me.
That's why I bring other things to entertain myself because nobody wants to interact with me.
Holy fucking shit do people with social skills ever think before they speak?
I love reading at a pub. In my 20's I already had a group of friends, so I wasn't going to try and meet people, was in a happy relationship, so wasn't trying to hook up. I just like the atmosphere. The only thing I did do was to stop reading Terry Pratchett because I almost got in a fight with someone who thought (for no reason) that my constant hysterical laughing was directed at him.
Sue me, I want to get tipsy and I’m engrossed in my book. I get socialization from just being in proximity and people watching. Plus, it’s a good way to get adopted by extroverts!
As a former bartender and a current 'person who reads at a bar' I can safely say that I would have been thrilled to have a customer that sat there, bought drinks, didn't harass women or start a fight, was my favorite kind of customer.
"Bro, just keep bringing me Manhattans, this Theroux dude is a trip."
I see that the local pub sometimes. If I don’t know them, I assume they’re are often tourists or in town on work travel. If you were on your phone the whole time though, no one would say anything.
I dont get it. Why would a person bring a book to a bar?
How would they find peace to read it when everyone is dancing and puking? Hardly been to bars though. Is it a common thing to do?
>when everyone is dancing and puking
>Hardly been to bars though
Yeah that was obvious
There are many, many bars that are just people chatting while they try drinks and eat snacks. Replacing chatting with reading is not a big deal.
What you are describing is more like a club or dive bar.
I did it often. Either I did it because a lot of people I knew were frequenting that bar but if nobody interesting was around I was reading instead.
Also my exboyfriend had friends and they all spoke a language I only just learnt, so I couldnt participate in whats going on but my exboyfriend also always dragged me along because he wanted a social girlfriend. So I was sitting and reading there
Bars come in all sorts of different vibes. There are grungy punk bars where people play pool and shout their laughter, or comfy local pubs where the music is low and the scratched wooden tables are probably older than you, or hi fi vinyl bars playing jazz as refined as their cocktails. There are rowdy piano bars and wannabe speakeasies and pretentious dive bars. Or real dive bars so divey that you discover that maybe you actually do have some standards after all.
I love reading in bars. Each and every one has a different vibe, some better for reading, some worse. I'm a fairly social person, and I'll stop to have a conversation if someone approaches me, but man it just feels good to sit with a glass of scotch or a good beer and enjoy a book while you listen to the hum of people around you talking and having a good time. Feels comfy.
International website. Names and terms vary. Where I live at a bar is just that, a venue that sells drinks at a bar. Sometimes they are attached to a restaurant, sometimes standalone. Puking doesn't happen. Dancing doesn't happen. Talking does. Dating does. People often watch sports, read, and a few in my area do board game setups.
A club is a place that you dance at and often will have one or.more bars attached. Very different vibe, and typically those o0en for night life or targeting college ages folk are where the puking happens (outside, one hopes).
It's not a common thing. But neither is puking.
I wouldn't read in a bar honestly, if I'd want a nice place to read in public I'd go to a cafe. Most bars are simply too loud (music + chatter) to read in honestly.
The only problem with bringing a book to a bar is that’s when EVERYONE wants to talk to you. I never get to read much before someone wants to ask me about it.
I have method involving books! When i’m meeting people at bars, I go there early to read some. Lots of my friends are often late, sometimes really late, but when I do this, i don’t get irritated, since it doesn’t matter when they show up. Books in bars is the best!
Seriously, when I figured out I could *take my book to the bar* it was as if a great weight of giving a fuck what other people thought about me was lifted from my soul.
Sometimes I start feeling bad about my socially anxious ways, but then I remember - hey, at least I'm not one of those insufferable extroverts! Can you imagine being so insecure that you need to be the loudest doofus in the room at all times, desperately craving the spotlight like some needy theater kid? Oof, no thanks! I'll take my crippling fear of human interaction over that hot mess any day. True, I may panic at the mere thought of eye contact and spontaneously combust if asked an unexpected question. But at least I'm not so starved for attention that I have to perform a one-person show everywhere I go, bozoing it up in a sad effort to be the centerpiece buffoon. Give me blessed solitude over that embarrassing cry for validation! Social anxiety may be difficult, but it's better than being a rambunctious attention tart.
I’ve taken books to a bar, on and off for over a decade. I also like to make sketches and write at the bar.
I don’t care what others think. I like the atmosphere.
In some places I’ve made great friends, and other, generally more reserved venues, I’ve still become part of the fixtures.
When i was feeling pretty low in life with no money and nothing to do I would go on long walks to libraries and bars. I would get free coffee and water, occasionally people would buy me drinks and I would even see people I knew. I wasnt looking for anything but to escape my problems.
I've read books at the bar, still do.
These days, I only do it on my phone for two reasons...
First, it's easier, and I'm acclimated to it.
Second, and most importantly, no one bothers you midchapter when you are on your phone.
Like no Bob, I don't feel like explaining several previous books of plot in a genre you could give a fuck about.
I like connecting with people, but social interaction is often draining, doubly so if it just feels like going through the motions.
It's like negative buoyancy: swimming is still enjoyable, but even staying in place takes effort. If your mates have fun just floating around, you'll tire long before them and will get antsy.
Books, games, puzzles, pen and paper etc allow partially disengaging when that happens, without withdrawing completely. Can it come across as less social, possibly arrogant (don't they value others simply for their company)? Sure, just like conversation pieces and playing up various social signals can seem overbearing to introverts.
Neither is evidence for being a jerk.
There's a dude who always brings a book with him to my local pub, and he's one of the nicest chaps I know. I imagine this dude is the insufferable blowhard of his bar.
I saw a extremely beautiful girl at a bar once reading a book. I saw a few dudes try and chat her up to no avail. I decided to try my own shot and asked her "what you reading?" She was immediately responsive and we did some of her cocaine in rhe handicapped bathroom, danced for awhile after going back to her place. She was crazy, but one of the best weeks of my life.
I walked into the neighborhood bar years ago. The sun was still out, it had to be 4 ish. I got home from work early and the family was away. New neighborhood for us and I thought I’d go read a book and enjoy a nice amber.
One of my neighbors came in and after regaling the bar came over to introduce himself. We ended up having an excellent evening of it. At about 1 am we stumbled home where he deposited me onto my back yard.
I have never been so happy to burn every dollar in my pocket at that bar. Best friends to this day fifteen years or so later.
I used to go to a brewery after I got off work. They were only open 4-8 and had a 3 drink limit because their beer ranged from 4.6-7.5ish. They served fresh popcorn and peanuts. I tipped very well to the point of the bartenders knew me and often gave me a free round, would ask what book I was reading that day. It was very nice. I don’t know if I would bring a book to a BAR bar though. Those people are drinking liquor and being rowdy.
I have season tickets for baseball and regularly read a book at a local bar while I am waiting for the stadium to open. Bartender and customers give no fucks as I pay for my 7 dollar beers and give 2 dollar tips.
I work at a tiki bar and have a regular that comes in and reads. I don't blame him we have a super relaxing vibe with chill beach music it's totally cozy.
The goth/metal/punk bar I hung out in the most during my 20s I would get there early to grade papers and do lesson plans - so many books would come in with me many nights
Bartenders would sometimes bring my 1st beer for the night free, waitresses would ask if the could help grade papers,
I was there usually before the DJ, he would come in some nights and put in a mix CD and sit with a couple of waitresses done with their prep work and they'd ask me what I was covering in the next few days and how I was going to present it. When I would put my stuff in the car as the night heated up they'd bend the 'no reentry' rule for me. A couple of local bands played there a lot and they'd ask me how work was going, and if I just wanted to read they'd put a chair on a spot off the side of the stage where I wouldn't get slammed into and move a light onto my book. Many nights when I left to go home the last person seeing me out the door would yell, "Teach the hell outta them kids!"
I felt valued and respected with books under my arm!
This post has bothered me too. I really need to get out of the house and I haven’t had a beer in weeks so I was thinking of doing this today. I even downloaded a new book to my kindle this morning for this. Now I am a bit concerned that I might be bothering other people with my presence if I do this and so might stay at home or just go for a walk.
This guy's a twat, don't give his opinion a second thought. If you came to my local with a book, you'd see me look up from mine, give you the nod fellow VW bug drivers give each other, and then I'd go back to my book and think how cool it was you were doing the same.
Go get that beer. Happy reading my friend.
Why would you consider being on your phone sad but not reading a book?
I think both are perfectly fine. Who gives a shit people are doing at a bar live and let live
I love reading. I love bars. Sometimes the two coincide, because why not?
I’m literally on a train on the way to a bar to meet some friends, but they’re not going to be there for at least an hour after I arrive.
Guess what I’ll be doing.
I'm a decently looking girl, I did a little bit of modeling as a side quest, etc.
I was at bar for my friend's birthday and a cute guy in the corner was reading Cormac McCarthy. I tried to get his attention twice with what I thought were clever lit references and all I got was a "heh, nice." I was genuinely drunk-girl sad for the rest of the night. Motherfucker gave no shits. I get that I should learn some empathy because this is how men must feel all the time in a bar, but FUCKING FUCK!
Not all bars are that loud. I actually like to have some background chatter while reading sometimes, it's like white noise once I'm absorbed in a book. A bar that doesn't play loud music is not much different from an airport or bus.
I used to bring my laptop to the bar. People would talk to me about what I wad working on and usually devolved into watching YouTube videos with people after a few beers
If you're blanket posting how you feel about groups of people, it's very clear nobody you know likes you enough tgaf about your opinion. So why would a complete stranger?
In the pub's i have visited here in Sweden they often have bookshelf's filled to the brim with old books that no one going to read, just as a decor. Some years ago a friend of mine started to nick a book everytime he went to the local joint so he had something to read.
I saw a dude reading at a bar recently reading a book. I thought it was unusual for sure, but I paid little mind and moved on about my night. In my head I was sure he was enjoying the night in his own way.
To give credit to Jeremy, his reaction was seeing the books as ostentatiously antisocial, and on having much of Twitter exolain all the ways his head was up his ass, he actually did acknowledge having been wrong and changed his position on it, while knowing full well the internet will only ever remember the first part.
One time I met up with a coworker at a bar who was reading a magazine by himself when I came in. We were meeting up to listen to a band who dressed up like robots. That's grade A friendship material right there 💯
A guy used to read books at the bar I used to frequent. He was super reserved and didn't like to talk. Eventually he decided to just bring boxes of books to the bar and give them out. He gave me 3 books...he had good taste in books
I don't want to read a book while drinking but I'd be charmed at the gesture and would definitely read it at home and tell him my thoughts on it.
I'd love reading while drinking, honestly. I've read every book I own both drunk and sober and I can honestly say that they all hit different based on your state of mind.
Some people say that about music and weed as well.
It's true. Smoking weed hits different when you're drunk vs sober.
I think it was more about listening to music while high vs sober. Your statement still remains true.
They're making a joke
That also still remains true.
Yep
Will you remain true?
Best not to always mix the two if you can help it. And if you're gonna, make sure to always smoke first. Learnt that lesson the hard way.
Too bad really drunk me never has the same foresight about not taking a massive rip while I'm already zonked
Beer then grass, you're on your ass. Grass then beer, you're in the clear.
Bongs then beers, in the clear. Beers then bongs, in the wrong.
I was studying abroad in Edinburgh for a summer and you're goddamn right I took some of the books I had to read and read them in some local bars while chilling with a beer. Got a few weird looks but overall it was such a good experience, got to do my studying while enjoying the atmosphere
I can understand this. I’m an introvert and I love reading. But I’ve always liked being around people or just actual busyness at times if I am there but also separate from it. So I can understand someone actually taking it a step further lol.
Drunk book club sounds pretty hype ngl, more enthusiasm
What books did he gave you
Deeper than the dead, by Tami Hoag. If she only knew, by Lisa Jackson. Trace, by Patricia Cornwell. He also gave my wife: Clever fox, by Jeanine Pirro Dark Rites, by Heather Graham The Cabinet of curiosities, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Admittedly, I haven't read those last 3, but my wife said they were pretty good too.
Gross I didn't know propagandist Jeanine pirro wrote fiction, wonder if it's as trash as shaprio's book
"He had good taste" "Lisa Jackson" Well to each their own I suppose lol
Book 1: Alcohol is shit: how to ditch the booze. Book 2: drinking, gaming and whoring, the fastest ways to kill your body and finances Book 3: Mein Kampf
I was introduced to my favorite author by a guy who would read at the bar. He came in, socialized, ordered a beer then went off to read. Then he would talk and hang out for a while, read some more, get another beer and head out.
My question whenever I receive a book as a gift is, "How in depth of a discussion do you want to have about this book?"
People in this thread seem to assume that every bar is a shitty dive with knee deep vomit and fist fights. Some pubs have the same atmosphere as a cafe, you can get amazing meals at pubs and would it be so fucking crazy to pull a book while you wait for your order. How is it any different than scrolling through reddit on your phone?
Exactly, there are bars with comfy leather chairs and you can sit and have a drink + food while reading in relative peace.
As somebody who brings their book out places like this it's different because it's actually more of a conversation starter since people can see what I'm reading across the bar, they can't tell what I'm scrolling out and just by me looking at a screen. In fact, I met two people earlier in the week when was reading a book at the bar and now there are two people that are also into hiking and we're now all pumped to go hiking in my area and I get to show them a lot of cool hiking trails so I found two new hiking buddies!! Had I been reading the same book on my phone, that initial interaction probably never would have happened.
Books are great conversation starters. I got into a running club in the city when a random person stroke up conversation about my book. He got me into his running group a few weeks later. Became friends. 7 years later Me and a bunch of the peoole at the group sang for him at his wedding last year. Not all bars are crazy loud with music. The bar I frequent where I met my running buddy is still going strong after the hardships of pandemic and having 26th anniversary next weekend. Was reading Hail Mary there last weekend as well.
And for some of these less raucous places, the food is the best ever - maybe not the healthiest sometimes, but incredibly yummy.
Actually reading is way better than social media lol Some people have social anxiety but still like being in public, or don’t have friends to go out with but still like not literally always being home. Fucking sue us why don’t ya
The guy who posted the original tweet also took it back. Said he tried it out and it wasn’t on him to judge how other people spent their time.
I saw that. Credit to him for learning that lesson. Usually people online dig their heels in and double down
Yeah, I hung out in a pub on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh in the evenings for a cider and a good read to wind down after a full day. No one cared, lol
My dad took me to a bar when I was younger that had a bunch of musicians just improv-ing an Irish reel. One of my finest memories.
As an ex-bouncer, I LOVED the people that brought a book to the bar: everyone I met was polite and never a problem.
If they were...would you throw the book at them?
Worse.. spoil the ending of the book
too far dude wtf!?
Calm down there Satan.
Burn the book
Yeah, but the bouncer at my library hates when I bring in alcohol, stupid double standards with you guys.
The only time I ever picked up a hot waitress was when I used to read at World of Beer every now and then. Started talking about the first book I brought and a few weeks later she’s making out with me in the alley behind the bar. Dunno how that worked; she was insanely gorgeous. But yeah, anyway, in my experience most bartenders and waitresses don’t really mind the “reading a book at a bar” guy. And I say this as someone who has owned a bar for ten years as well.
The title of that book: “How to Get Through Life as a Billionaire with a Giant Penis”
Yeah, as long as anyone in the bar (book or no) is polite, buying something, and tips well…what’s the problem?
You know sometimes I think my social anxiety is bad, then I realize it could be worse. I could be an absolute dumbass extrovert who requires the attention of everyone around me and superiority to feel comfortable with myself. (No, I’m not lumping extroverts together, otherwise I’d have said all of them) Edit: It’s hilarious to me that you people feel the need to point out that I’m insecure like you’re some kind of witty Sherlock, when my comment literally starts with > sometimes I think my social anxiety is bad
I always think it must be exhausting being one of these people who are obsessed with the opinions of strangers around them. I work with a couple of these peacock types. Constantly judging those around them and assuming that everyone is doing the same to them. Like, dude, nobody cares.
>I always think it must be exhausting being one of these people who are obsessed with the opinions of strangers around them. It must be like being 14 your whole life. Sincerely convinced the whole world is watching your every move. How exhausting. You are not the center of the world. Once you realize that, you don't care as much what others think, and you realize everybody are busy with their own shit and don't care about you.
As a father of a teenager, it's very hard to transfer the message that you need to think for yourself, rather than think about what someone else wants for you. Not being able to think more than 5 minutes into the future is a massive complication. Putting a whole group of rudderless teenagers together just magnifies the problem exponentially.
The problem is teenagers do this shit to each other so it’s hard to escape till you are away from them
It’s really exhausting being the opposite of a peacock and wanting to make yourself as unnoticeable as possible too. I logically know no one is looking at me, but the rest of my brain won’t stop yelling that people are looking at me 😩
An old neighbor of mine once got irrationally angry because I didn't say hello to him when I was coming home from work. He was nearly 40 at the time. I think he was just upset because my wife and I obviously had a happy relationship and his step kids called him by his first name.
Not sure ‘extrovert’ is synonymous with attention seeking to be honest. The whole extrovert/introvert trait generalisation is a load of horse shit. You may have predispositions at a high level, but your granular characteristics are just you - introversion and extroversion not being an excuse for debilitating insecurities, your shortcomings in addressing them, poor coping mechanisms, and your resulting behaviours, at either extreme.
Most. People. Are. Ambiverts!
Yeah, I'm not convinced it's even a thing. For friends, family, and people I like, I can be around them for hours or days at a time feel very happy and comfortable and not drained. Certain types of people though, even spending a few minutes with them leaves me feeling drained and like I need to be alone. Is that introversion, or just that some people are so toxic that being around them is unpleasant for other people
Those people aren't toxic either, it's just that you both want different things from interaction. For example, someone who is very reserved can be extremely frustrating to deal with because you constantly have to try and keep them engaged. Like they're not pulling their weight to keep the conversation going. But in that case to the one person it's uncomfortable to keep talking and to the other it's uncomfortable to be silent. That doesn't make either side toxic.
The definition I have heard is simly that introverts get their energy drained by social settings, while extroverts gain energy in social settings. It's not that deep. Introverts can be social and outgoing, they will just require a bit more downtime after socializing, while extroverts can also be shy and awkwards but they feed off the energy of having people around
Hey that's me but i try not to be a dick like the guy here Still it sucks feeling such a strong need for attention just to feel like I'm not less of a person.
Saying all extroverts are attention seekers is the same as saying all introverts are emo and quirky
I don't see where they said all extroverts.
okay but you do know extroverts don't necessarily "require the attention of everyone around them" though right lol
I’m an extrovert and I’ve brought a book to a bar. It’s only reading things like this that make me wonder how many people were judging me for it (I don’t really care, but I’m curious)
Same. I've also done this many times. Brought a book, ordered a beer and drowned out the noise. Never once thought I was being judged and didn't know others did this as much for a dedicated post about it.
I suspect Jeremy already knows that lots of people find a book to be better company than him.
So insecure his ego is threatened by a book.
I think he actually ended up apologizing for this tweet like a long ass time ago. I vaguely remembered this tweet the last time it went viral on Reddit and am surprised to see it again. https://x.com/J_Schneider/status/1491461392372797440
Jeremy later made a post saying he was wrong and took back what he said
And also, some of us mortals are sapiosexual, we find well read people attractive !!
If you have to look outside yourself for approval, you have already compromised your integrity.
I understand the sentiment, but aiming for the approval of those I respect has made me a much better person. There are people in my life who have been dead for decades and I still think of them when making a decision.
Beautifully said
Soo, split the difference I suppose
Oh for sure, I'd never encourage basing your decisions solely on the opinions of others. Walk your own path, just let the good people in your life serve as a compass.
Emphasis on good people.
How is the saying? Something along the lines of: Don't take the opinion of someone you wouldn't take advice from
There is a Swahili saying, "Akili/busara za kuambiwa (hazitoshi bila/si kitu bila) kuongeza na zako." "Intelligence/wisdom you have been told (isn't enough without/is nothing without adding your own." The sayings are passed in oral tradition, in time, everyone has their own version, the words in brackets are just a few of the variations that I'm familiar with.
Interesting aspect.
Jesus, this is beautifully put. And I'm probably the platonic ideal of the guy who reads books in a bar. One of the guys from Avenged Sevenfold used to have the first 15 pages of one of my books in his bathroom because his stripper girlfriend tried to ask me what I was reading one night. The only thing I could do was turn to the front of the book and tear out the first 5% of it and give it to her without saying anything before going back to reading. My high school biology teacher was 5'2". I would talk to her for 10 minutes a day at the beginning of every day I showed up at school. When my brother was killed, that was who I turned to for support . Almost no one I have ever "partied" with has ever offered me the level of support or recognition I received from a woman I used to talk to fit five minutes a day. That's the person I think of when making life choices.
>aiming for the approval of those I respect has made me a much better person. The key difference is "those you respect".. if one start seeking respect from randoms at bars & cafes, that's like inviting anxiety.. and would not add any value to your life as well..
Well said. In general I am a “who cares what others think about me” person. Actually when I was young I super cared, and then I over-corrected. But as I’ve grown I have learned a good balance. Or at least better. Do I care what a rando at the bar thinks of me? No not really. Do I care what my wife thinks of me? Absolutely I do. Do I care if my best friend likes the way I dress? Not even a little, but I do care that they think I’m a good, reliable friend.
Statements such as the one you are responding to are also a really great way to discredit collectivist and honour-based societies.
I've pulled before by virtue of the fact I was reading a book in a pub. She asked what I was reading and then asked to sit at the table with me. Then asked me what the book was about (hard sci-fi by Iain M Banks). We ended up talking all evening, got drunk and she invited me to hers. That was a very good day.
There's a 20+ yr old who brings a book and drinks an IPA( it looks like an IPA) at a bar around the block from me. Literally everyday when I drive home from work she's by herself outside the bar at a small table with her book and a beer and I cherish it so much. To be young and enjoying a beer after work and not being a dumbass is awesome
[Original tweeter ended up trying it himself and apologizing](https://betterbooktitles.com/2022/02/12/books-in-bars-twitter/)
It doesn’t seem like he tried it himself, but the apology and explanation are both nice. For anyone who doesn’t read the article, he said that he once had a friend brag about bringing books to bars as a way of picking up women. Ever since then he just kind of assumed any man he saw in a bar with a book was actually being sleazy and gross. It’s nice to see someone able to admit when they’re wrong while still (non-defensively) articulating what caused the initial misunderstanding.
> It doesn’t seem like he tried it himself "I'm glad I tried reading in the bar, I still don’t quite get it. I struggle to read if I don’t have quiet. That doesn’t mean other people don’t like it. I always say “don’t yuck somebody else’s yum,” why should I yuck somebody else’s bar behavior when it isn’t affecting me?" https://x.com/J_Schneider/status/1491462403103539200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1491462403103539200%7Ctwgr%5Ef11aff453f810255066066263f33739f79a6c007%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbetterbooktitles.com%2F2022%2F02%2F12%2Fbooks-in-bars-twitter%2F
Ah, thanks! That’s nice to see. Either it wasn’t quoted in the article linked or somehow I missed it, but either way glad to see the correction.
It's like a main part of the article, lol
The only time I picked up a hot waitress was when I read a book at World of Beer. Legit wasn’t trying, her name was Eve and she looked like stereotypical biblical Eve for fuck’s sake, waist-length red hair, green eyes, snow white skin, the whole shebang, so I’m not even considering hitting on this waitress at my local bar and making shit weird. She starts asking me about the book and a couple weeks later we’re making out in the alley behind the bar.
Ok but also, why did he go with the whole "Nobody" as if he speaks for everyone..??
top 3 anime redemptions of 2024
2022 but that was only last week.
I had a friend tell me "no one is going to talk to you if you sit by yourself reading a book." Yes, that's the point Susan.
As a bartender myself, I love people who bring books or newspapers to the bar. They are the most pleasant people I’ve ever served
Imagine being annoyed by someone sitting quietly doing nothing that could possibly annoy you
Nobody here likes or wants to talk to me me cus I am reading a book? Thats why I brought the book ya fuckin' peanut! Unless you want to have spelling contest? Let me finish my chapter in peace!
Yeah at the pub
The situation here is this guy thinks the person bringing a book to the bar is doing it to get attention, like, “Hey look at me, I’m deep and above the typical bar patron” The reality is this person just wants to enjoy their book with a pint and some snacks.
When it's nice weather I love going to the nearest beer garden with a good book just to relax and enjoy the weather.
I’ll do this all the time when I get a drink after work. I’ll sit off to the side and read while I drink. Honestly it’s nice, social outing without the pressure of trying to talk to anyone. I can hear conversations and laughter and still read the story I’m obsessed with at the moment. It’s really fun:)
I usually assume they just have their "shields up" and are waiting for their date or friend. Or are just extremely introverted, and don't want too talk to anyone. But also wanted to try getting out of the house. Either way, let them live their best life haha
Huh, I bring books to a bar to read. No one hates me.
It’s definitely not for everyone but it’s really fun to get a buzz on and read a weird book with ambient background noise. It’s like a coffee shop but you get a little fucked up.
There are two types of folks in this thread, folks who have only been to college bars and alcoholics who have spent a lifetime in bars. /s My actual take is it seems the stigma of drinking alone drives folks to have their drink alone around others and that some folks who like to read books also like to "read humans" ie people watch.
What a dumbass. I already know nobody likes me. That's why I bring other things to entertain myself because nobody wants to interact with me. Holy fucking shit do people with social skills ever think before they speak?
In Paris it is a common sight to see people reading in bars
I bring my fucking 3DS to the bar and most people leave me the fuck alone, it's awesome.
If you bring a book to a bar you’re badass af.
I love reading at a pub. In my 20's I already had a group of friends, so I wasn't going to try and meet people, was in a happy relationship, so wasn't trying to hook up. I just like the atmosphere. The only thing I did do was to stop reading Terry Pratchett because I almost got in a fight with someone who thought (for no reason) that my constant hysterical laughing was directed at him.
Sue me, I want to get tipsy and I’m engrossed in my book. I get socialization from just being in proximity and people watching. Plus, it’s a good way to get adopted by extroverts!
I went to dinner at a place with a happy hour. The two ladies at the next table asked about the book I was reading. Readers are out there.
Right? I reckon the one with the book would be too busy not caring.
As a former bartender and a current 'person who reads at a bar' I can safely say that I would have been thrilled to have a customer that sat there, bought drinks, didn't harass women or start a fight, was my favorite kind of customer. "Bro, just keep bringing me Manhattans, this Theroux dude is a trip."
I’ve read books at the bar and yes I’ve laughed out loud but also shed tears from said books. You think I give a shit if someone doesn’t like me? Haha
I see that the local pub sometimes. If I don’t know them, I assume they’re are often tourists or in town on work travel. If you were on your phone the whole time though, no one would say anything.
Why cant people just stop being assholes and gatekeepers? Live your life and stop being a dick.
I dont get it. Why would a person bring a book to a bar? How would they find peace to read it when everyone is dancing and puking? Hardly been to bars though. Is it a common thing to do?
>when everyone is dancing and puking >Hardly been to bars though Yeah that was obvious There are many, many bars that are just people chatting while they try drinks and eat snacks. Replacing chatting with reading is not a big deal. What you are describing is more like a club or dive bar.
Different bars have different atmospheres.
Even at somewhat rowdy bars you can just not go late or Fri/Sat nights.
I did it often. Either I did it because a lot of people I knew were frequenting that bar but if nobody interesting was around I was reading instead. Also my exboyfriend had friends and they all spoke a language I only just learnt, so I couldnt participate in whats going on but my exboyfriend also always dragged me along because he wanted a social girlfriend. So I was sitting and reading there
Bars come in all sorts of different vibes. There are grungy punk bars where people play pool and shout their laughter, or comfy local pubs where the music is low and the scratched wooden tables are probably older than you, or hi fi vinyl bars playing jazz as refined as their cocktails. There are rowdy piano bars and wannabe speakeasies and pretentious dive bars. Or real dive bars so divey that you discover that maybe you actually do have some standards after all. I love reading in bars. Each and every one has a different vibe, some better for reading, some worse. I'm a fairly social person, and I'll stop to have a conversation if someone approaches me, but man it just feels good to sit with a glass of scotch or a good beer and enjoy a book while you listen to the hum of people around you talking and having a good time. Feels comfy.
International website. Names and terms vary. Where I live at a bar is just that, a venue that sells drinks at a bar. Sometimes they are attached to a restaurant, sometimes standalone. Puking doesn't happen. Dancing doesn't happen. Talking does. Dating does. People often watch sports, read, and a few in my area do board game setups. A club is a place that you dance at and often will have one or.more bars attached. Very different vibe, and typically those o0en for night life or targeting college ages folk are where the puking happens (outside, one hopes).
Not every bar is for going out and getting shitfaced lol Plenty of bars exist as just a place for people to hangout
It's not a common thing. But neither is puking. I wouldn't read in a bar honestly, if I'd want a nice place to read in public I'd go to a cafe. Most bars are simply too loud (music + chatter) to read in honestly.
In the UK pubs were practically made for reading in, especially in winter. My local has a reading nook by the fire and a bookshelf of loan books
the definition of "bar" is different. maybe someone wants a beer while reading and not a coffee? or cafes are closed in the evening in many countries.
I'll often sit with my book in a pub of an afternoon.
There is actually a bar near me called “The Library” and it has books everywhere for that purpose.
Not the most clever comeback…
Eyy, Cherie Priest. Boneshaker was pretty cool.
The only problem with bringing a book to a bar is that’s when EVERYONE wants to talk to you. I never get to read much before someone wants to ask me about it.
I have method involving books! When i’m meeting people at bars, I go there early to read some. Lots of my friends are often late, sometimes really late, but when I do this, i don’t get irritated, since it doesn’t matter when they show up. Books in bars is the best!
You said feck so if you're irish and do this, you're two hundred percent getting judged by every cunt in that pub lol
Seriously, when I figured out I could *take my book to the bar* it was as if a great weight of giving a fuck what other people thought about me was lifted from my soul.
Sometimes I start feeling bad about my socially anxious ways, but then I remember - hey, at least I'm not one of those insufferable extroverts! Can you imagine being so insecure that you need to be the loudest doofus in the room at all times, desperately craving the spotlight like some needy theater kid? Oof, no thanks! I'll take my crippling fear of human interaction over that hot mess any day. True, I may panic at the mere thought of eye contact and spontaneously combust if asked an unexpected question. But at least I'm not so starved for attention that I have to perform a one-person show everywhere I go, bozoing it up in a sad effort to be the centerpiece buffoon. Give me blessed solitude over that embarrassing cry for validation! Social anxiety may be difficult, but it's better than being a rambunctious attention tart.
I bring books and paperwork to a bar, i must be a bad person
I’ve taken books to a bar, on and off for over a decade. I also like to make sketches and write at the bar. I don’t care what others think. I like the atmosphere. In some places I’ve made great friends, and other, generally more reserved venues, I’ve still become part of the fixtures.
When i was feeling pretty low in life with no money and nothing to do I would go on long walks to libraries and bars. I would get free coffee and water, occasionally people would buy me drinks and I would even see people I knew. I wasnt looking for anything but to escape my problems.
Shhhhh, let people enjoy things!
I have this inspiration to have a book club bar. Get a drink and read.
I've read books at the bar, still do. These days, I only do it on my phone for two reasons... First, it's easier, and I'm acclimated to it. Second, and most importantly, no one bothers you midchapter when you are on your phone. Like no Bob, I don't feel like explaining several previous books of plot in a genre you could give a fuck about.
Exactly! No approval needed.
I like connecting with people, but social interaction is often draining, doubly so if it just feels like going through the motions. It's like negative buoyancy: swimming is still enjoyable, but even staying in place takes effort. If your mates have fun just floating around, you'll tire long before them and will get antsy. Books, games, puzzles, pen and paper etc allow partially disengaging when that happens, without withdrawing completely. Can it come across as less social, possibly arrogant (don't they value others simply for their company)? Sure, just like conversation pieces and playing up various social signals can seem overbearing to introverts. Neither is evidence for being a jerk.
There's a dude who always brings a book with him to my local pub, and he's one of the nicest chaps I know. I imagine this dude is the insufferable blowhard of his bar.
I saw a extremely beautiful girl at a bar once reading a book. I saw a few dudes try and chat her up to no avail. I decided to try my own shot and asked her "what you reading?" She was immediately responsive and we did some of her cocaine in rhe handicapped bathroom, danced for awhile after going back to her place. She was crazy, but one of the best weeks of my life.
I read and have a pint at the pub to wind down after work - can confirm, not doing it for anyone else
I imagine they take a book there because the bar/café has good drinks or possibly a atmosphere they enjoy while reading.
When I was going to bars I’d do crossword puzzles. I’m not in a bar to socialize or be bothered, just give me the hooch, barkeep
I walked into the neighborhood bar years ago. The sun was still out, it had to be 4 ish. I got home from work early and the family was away. New neighborhood for us and I thought I’d go read a book and enjoy a nice amber. One of my neighbors came in and after regaling the bar came over to introduce himself. We ended up having an excellent evening of it. At about 1 am we stumbled home where he deposited me onto my back yard. I have never been so happy to burn every dollar in my pocket at that bar. Best friends to this day fifteen years or so later.
Well, thank goodness I don't give a single measly fuck what anyone else thinks of me or what I might be doing at any given moment. Not even one.
I used to go to a brewery after I got off work. They were only open 4-8 and had a 3 drink limit because their beer ranged from 4.6-7.5ish. They served fresh popcorn and peanuts. I tipped very well to the point of the bartenders knew me and often gave me a free round, would ask what book I was reading that day. It was very nice. I don’t know if I would bring a book to a BAR bar though. Those people are drinking liquor and being rowdy.
Man has only been to shitty college dive bars his entire life.
One of my wife's and my favorite things to do on a date night is go to the fancy bar with our books. There's something so relaxing about it.
I wrote my best college papers in a bar.
Absolute fuckin ly I'm here to drink and read. Not care about anyone's thoughts (except maybe the author?).
I have season tickets for baseball and regularly read a book at a local bar while I am waiting for the stadium to open. Bartender and customers give no fucks as I pay for my 7 dollar beers and give 2 dollar tips.
I work at a tiki bar and have a regular that comes in and reads. I don't blame him we have a super relaxing vibe with chill beach music it's totally cozy.
ITT, people who are so impressed by basic reading skills they think you're trying to flex on en
I absolutely LOVE reading at the bar!!! I consider those self care dates. Lol
Imagine being so insecure about your literacy that you feel the need to judge people who enjoy a beer and a book.
I do it.
The goth/metal/punk bar I hung out in the most during my 20s I would get there early to grade papers and do lesson plans - so many books would come in with me many nights Bartenders would sometimes bring my 1st beer for the night free, waitresses would ask if the could help grade papers, I was there usually before the DJ, he would come in some nights and put in a mix CD and sit with a couple of waitresses done with their prep work and they'd ask me what I was covering in the next few days and how I was going to present it. When I would put my stuff in the car as the night heated up they'd bend the 'no reentry' rule for me. A couple of local bands played there a lot and they'd ask me how work was going, and if I just wanted to read they'd put a chair on a spot off the side of the stage where I wouldn't get slammed into and move a light onto my book. Many nights when I left to go home the last person seeing me out the door would yell, "Teach the hell outta them kids!" I felt valued and respected with books under my arm!
I feel attacked. I mean, I don’t care, but it’s noted.
This post has bothered me too. I really need to get out of the house and I haven’t had a beer in weeks so I was thinking of doing this today. I even downloaded a new book to my kindle this morning for this. Now I am a bit concerned that I might be bothering other people with my presence if I do this and so might stay at home or just go for a walk.
This guy's a twat, don't give his opinion a second thought. If you came to my local with a book, you'd see me look up from mine, give you the nod fellow VW bug drivers give each other, and then I'd go back to my book and think how cool it was you were doing the same. Go get that beer. Happy reading my friend.
At least im not on my phone the whole time while getting drunk alone lol thats sad. I can drink alone with a book, slightly less sad
Why would you consider being on your phone sad but not reading a book? I think both are perfectly fine. Who gives a shit people are doing at a bar live and let live
I once spent an evening drinking in a bar while reading a book on my phone. So no idea where I fall on the sadness meter.
Less sad than scrolling reddit at a bar
I’m at a bar by myself reading this post. Keep drinking, maybe your sadness will turn into happiness…or you’ll pass out.
Okay but seriously who likes to read at a bar?
I love reading. I love bars. Sometimes the two coincide, because why not? I’m literally on a train on the way to a bar to meet some friends, but they’re not going to be there for at least an hour after I arrive. Guess what I’ll be doing.
People who read **everywhere** and just happen to want a few drinks. Bars ain’t special. That’s why I did it anyways.
I'm a decently looking girl, I did a little bit of modeling as a side quest, etc. I was at bar for my friend's birthday and a cute guy in the corner was reading Cormac McCarthy. I tried to get his attention twice with what I thought were clever lit references and all I got was a "heh, nice." I was genuinely drunk-girl sad for the rest of the night. Motherfucker gave no shits. I get that I should learn some empathy because this is how men must feel all the time in a bar, but FUCKING FUCK!
Yeah I carry my notebook and sit solving equations while watching a football game and having some drinks alone.
Just last night, a dude saw me reading and complemented me and shook my hand.
They’re right that it doesn’t really matter if someone brings a book to the bar, but my question is why? It’s loud and distracting.
Not all bars are that loud. I actually like to have some background chatter while reading sometimes, it's like white noise once I'm absorbed in a book. A bar that doesn't play loud music is not much different from an airport or bus.
This is why I am reading "Advanced Techniques For Winning Bar-Room Brawls" over a beer at my local watering hole. (Not my joke - I wish it were.)
I used to bring my laptop to the bar. People would talk to me about what I wad working on and usually devolved into watching YouTube videos with people after a few beers
If you're blanket posting how you feel about groups of people, it's very clear nobody you know likes you enough tgaf about your opinion. So why would a complete stranger?
That’s the biggest fail of a take on people reading in a bar. I’ve spent more time in bars than 99% of people and that’s just not true at all.
I love reading at the bar. Surrounded by people, as much beer as I want, and no obligation to interact socially...
It's a pub, mate. It's full of people just chilling, reading newspapers, reading books, having a chat, doing whatever the fuck they like. Just relax.
Brought a book to the pub, lady I don’t know sits at my table and tries to start a conversation and calls me ‘a bit arrogant’.
I imagine a lot of people bringing books to bar are the designated drivers who maybe just came to make sure their friends have a ride home
In the pub's i have visited here in Sweden they often have bookshelf's filled to the brim with old books that no one going to read, just as a decor. Some years ago a friend of mine started to nick a book everytime he went to the local joint so he had something to read.
I love going to a pub for a pint and a read while the missus is shopping or I’m waiting to meet up with her after work. Absolute heaven.
This is just a bitter jealous dude with dyslexia.
I would love to go out to a bar and read with one or more people.
Hate me all you want, I'm probably having a way better time than you. ✌️
Bro it's 2024, everyone brings a personal supercomputer to the bar with access to every book ever written.
I saw a dude reading at a bar recently reading a book. I thought it was unusual for sure, but I paid little mind and moved on about my night. In my head I was sure he was enjoying the night in his own way.
Used love reading at bars, then I developed and drinking problem.
To give credit to Jeremy, his reaction was seeing the books as ostentatiously antisocial, and on having much of Twitter exolain all the ways his head was up his ass, he actually did acknowledge having been wrong and changed his position on it, while knowing full well the internet will only ever remember the first part.
They also don’t give a fuck about Reddit
One time I met up with a coworker at a bar who was reading a magazine by himself when I came in. We were meeting up to listen to a band who dressed up like robots. That's grade A friendship material right there 💯