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How to Have a Conversation About Books
Know how to start a convo around the book you just put down.
Do you ever read a book and completely forget what you read? Here are some tips to help you keep the conversation meaty when you’re talking about your recent reads.
How do I relate to the character(s)?
When you’re at a friends’ dinner party and you realized that you and someone you just met has read the same book as you, use this question to help guide the way you feel about the book. You don’t need to say word for word “I related to Rebecca because …” but you might say something along the lines of “Rebecca was such a great mom but a terrible wife.” You might speak on how a character handles conflict and how you might’ve handled it differently. You might even address certain demographics, like what it’s like having an alcoholic family member like the antagonist of the book. Think of how the lives of the characters are relatable or unrelatable, and use it to drive the convo.
What did you learn for the first time?
“Did you know zeitgebers were like environmental alarm clocks?” Whether they had or hadn’t heard of the word before, a lot of people like learning and teaching. It can be difficult to take some convos past surface level, and one way to do that can be sharing something…
