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Benedict Arnold

Sitting together reading: is it companionable or isolating?

In one of his novels, C.S.Lewis had an older woman advise a newlywed, "You should always talk to your husband when he's reading, my dear. It helps him to concentrate on his book." True or not? 

Posted - March 6, 2017
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Responses


  • 5808
    hahaha
    love it
      March 6, 2017 4:54 PM MST
    2

  • I think Mrs Didge would agree with him, Baba. 
      March 6, 2017 5:56 PM MST
    1

  • 314

    When I was growing up Sunday afternoons we all sat in the frontroom and ate popcorn and read...Mom, Dad, kids......  We shared books.  We bought each other books as presents.  It was something that enlarged us as individuals and brought us closer together.

    And now, my hubby and I do the same.

      March 6, 2017 4:55 PM MST
    3

  • That's nice. Mrs Didge hated books as a child but now she's an even more voracious reader than I am. I must have corrupted her somewhere along the line. 
      March 6, 2017 5:57 PM MST
    1

  • 314

    Lucky you!  It's difficult for a reader and a non-reader.  Great corruption!

    I was fortunate, hubs already had ink in his blood.

      March 6, 2017 6:24 PM MST
    1

  • 3375
    We all used to share the big Sunday paper.  Everyone would take turns with different sections of it.  Did it for years and I did it with my own kids before the Internet made newspapers rather skimpy.
      March 7, 2017 1:58 PM MST
    1

  • 314
    Oh...yes.  We did the same, now I think of it.  Dad would go get the paper on the front porch and hand out the appropriate sections to the appropriate family member.  Great memory...
      March 7, 2017 3:01 PM MST
    1

  • 3375
    Yes!  I loved, loved Sundays because of it.
      March 7, 2017 3:56 PM MST
    1

  • 22891
    i think its companionable
      March 6, 2017 4:59 PM MST
    2

  • So do I, Pearl. You can read with me anytime. :)
      March 6, 2017 5:57 PM MST
    1

  • It's just me here so I don't have to worry about that. So I can't really answer your question Didge. But I will say I prefer quiet when I read.
      March 6, 2017 5:39 PM MST
    5

  • I get a lot of quiet interrupted with a lot of, "Hey listen to this," followed by shared laughter. :)
      March 6, 2017 5:58 PM MST
    1

  • 7795
    For me, it's isolating. I don't get to read that much anymore because of my attention span. IT SUCKS!!!
      March 6, 2017 5:41 PM MST
    4

  • That's not so good. Maybe the focus will come back. 
      March 6, 2017 5:59 PM MST
    2

  • 19937
    Companionable, when there was a companion.  He and I would lie on the couch and read and it was never awkward.  Now that I'm living alone, I don't mind the peace and quiet and I like to read on the bus going and coming home from work. 
      March 6, 2017 6:29 PM MST
    3

  • I didn't think of that. Still, the peace and quiet is good, too. 
      March 6, 2017 9:16 PM MST
    2

  • 19937
    I love peace and quiet. :)
      March 7, 2017 1:54 PM MST
    3

  • 3375
    I find great comfort in sitting there reading with my other half.  It's a sort of peace I really enjoy.  
      March 7, 2017 1:56 PM MST
    3

  • So do we. :)
      March 7, 2017 2:39 PM MST
    2

  • 7280
    Nah---sitting together reading is mostly just parallel play.

    The presence of the beloved is usually comforting.
      March 7, 2017 2:42 PM MST
    0

  • Is it just me or is that quote supposed to illustrate that the more a woman talks the less a man listens. In fact, it focuses his mind on not listening. Ascribing it to a woman, how devious.
      March 8, 2017 2:37 AM MST
    0

  • Yeah. It's a back door joke, yes.
      March 10, 2017 10:02 AM MST
    0

  • Companionable. . .
    I think a good way to measure closeness is by the amount of words not spoken during time together. 
      March 10, 2017 10:01 AM MST
    0