One of my favorite things about the boy-who-would-become-my-husband when we first met was that he was always reading and talking about what he'd read. He reads anything, though the scales usually tip in favor of poetry and nonfiction. Better yet, he was interested in what I was reading and he would listen to me go on and on about my most recent character/book/author obsession without any apparent fatigue. In fact, he wouldn't just listen. He'd ask questions. He'd remember what I said and why I loved it. And sometimes. Sometimes he would ask me to read them to him.
In this manner, we've worked our way through the Mercy Thompson books, the Queen's Thief series, Harry Potter, The Road Home
, the Alanna quartet, Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series, a handful of Sookies, Ender's Game
, and a raft of Stephanie Plums. Among others. This last weekend we were able to sneak out of town to attend a Shakespeare Festival down south and on the way we started a new series. It's a favorite of mine and one I've been telling him he'd love for some time now. We managed to finish the first book just as we were pulling back into town. Can you tell from the picture which book it is?
, the Alanna quartet, Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series, a handful of Sookies, Ender's Game, and a raft of Stephanie Plums. Among others. This last weekend we were able to sneak out of town to attend a Shakespeare Festival down south and on the way we started a new series. It's a favorite of mine and one I've been telling him he'd love for some time now. We managed to finish the first book just as we were pulling back into town. Can you tell from the picture which book it is? 
Why yes--I do do all the voices.
No idea what book it is, but I'd love to know!
ReplyDeleteI think I know, but then I also saw it in your car on Sunday afternoon. ;)
ReplyDeletethis is beautiful. I love the sound of reading aloud + a road trip. Must be why SwingKid loves audio books so much. I think that's the only time I could handle an audio version of a book - only because sometimes I get sick while reading in the car.
There's been a couple of other folks in Bloglandia lately talking about their terrific fellas and I am amazed. My hubby has pretty much zero interest in my reading. He supports me, and he thinks my reading blogging is great - for me. It kind of stops there. If I giggle at something I'm reading he might ask what's so funny, but when I explain it to him, he doesn't get it. He's not a reader like me. I find it so interesting that there are actually partners out there that care that much about what the other is interested in! It doesn't really hurt my feelings that my hubby isn't all that interested. I guess that's why I have YOU guys and gals! :D But how cool is it when partners DO get that into hat the other likes.
ReplyDeleteMAGIC BITES! Oh Kate and Curran! I hope your husband loves them as much as we do. :) Love this post, Angie. I think it's great that you read during long drives. For some reason, I mostly sleep when riding in cars. That's a pretty impressive list that you've worked your way through. I'm glad you've started on Ilona Andrews this time.
ReplyDeleteThats so cool Angie! Sadly...My hubby is a soldier...has no patience for reading. He used to read when he was younger but only books like The Red Badge of Courage etc. Sometimes he'll read a book or two over a deployment but when he's at home...nope. I still marvel sometimes how it came to be that an avid bibliophile such as myself ended up with someone who wasn't...must have been the uniform ;)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could, I love road trips but as soon as I attempt reading my stomach betrays me. He reads a lot, manly not fiction history books and sometimes he reads for me before we fall asleep :)
ReplyDeleteWe've never done this but I love that you guys do. Sounds like an amazing aspect of your lives together. Even though we've never done this, we both read a lot of the same books and talk about them with each other.
ReplyDeleteThat's so awesome that you guys read together like that. I don't know if I'd like reading out loud, plus I get a little queasy reading in the car, but that's a great way to spend some quality time together!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while but on a trip through Virginia I read some of the stories from Everything's Eventual by Stephen King. My man is a Dark Tower groupie :)
ReplyDelete:O so sweet!
ReplyDeleteWe tend to listen to audio books more on road trips. It's been quite a while since I read a book aloud to my hubby (my voice tends to get tired very quickly). I think I'm going to start it up again. And do all the voices :)
ReplyDeleteI'm de-lurking just to say that this is so sweet!:)
ReplyDeleteJust curious though, don't you ever get dizzy when reading while in the car?:)
Angie m'dear this is an awesome post :) How sweet you two are able to share the love for books with each other---the car rides just reading to each other? *sigh* lovely, just lovely. I read aloud to my little sisters and nieces all the time. and yes yes I also read aloud to myself at times---simply because at times there's so much character there it demands to be read aloud. (or I just get tired of reading in my head) Of course that kind of reading is always done in the comfort of my own home, where no one can see or hear and come to absurd conclusions of madness.
ReplyDeleteCan I come live with you guys?
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend reads, but not nearly as much as I do. When he does however, he finishes a book quicker than me. He gets bored if I go on too long about a book, but I can tell when it's about to happen so I'll change the subject to books he's read. We both read quotes, and we've read together sometimes (both our own books), which I love.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds nice, but it would never work for my husband and I for two reasons: first, I get carsick if I even look at a map in the car, reading would do me in; second, my husband would kick me out of the car if I started reading to him. He's not really a book person.
ReplyDeleteNo one reads aloud like my girl. When it comes to reading aloud Angie is utterly tireless. Her voice has never worn out, her interest in pushing on never wavered. And, but for once, she's never gotten sick. To this day I couldn't tell you whether it was the winding road up to Park City that turned her green that day, or the Proust, but, my friends, I tell you she actually glowed with nausea that night, "is there perhaps a straighter road we could be on?" And she still never put the book down.
ReplyDeleteTwo days ago, after reading the first Kate Daniels book to me all day in the car, we climbed into bed and she looks over at me with that little spark in her eye. Pulling out Magic Burns she says, "Up for book two?"
I think it's a precious gift when two people who love each other share an interest such as reading.
ReplyDeleteI've been blessed that way myself--not only is my beloved an avid reader himself, but he has always been interested in my reading tastes (probably more than I am in his, to be honest *wince*).
Through reading together I introduced him to romance novels and he introduced me to Dorothy L. Sayers and Lord Peter Wimsey. We often read a chapter each from whatever book we are reading together--and yes, we do all the voices :grin:
Thank you for sharing this with us, Angie and Aaron.
While I cannot read in the car without getting motion sickness (sadness!), I have read a couple of books with my boyfriend. The first being The Absolute True Story of a Part-time Indian, which he deemed "okay" (it was my pick). The other book was the first in the resident evil game novels. A gruesome tale, I admit, but better than I thought it would be. He loved it.
ReplyDeleteAh, starts with "Magic".. I know it's Ilona Andrews. Yellow font against green, looks like the first one to me.
ReplyDelete*google fu*
Yep. MAGIC BITES. Am I right?
I've read to my husband too, but not too often. He likes the non-fiction being read to him. Memoirs.
This is so sweet! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me want to take a road trip now! My dear spouse and I discovered the delight of reading to each other on trips only about a year ago, while driving 11 hours north to a friend's wedding. Though I can't read in the car to myself b/c I get motion sick, we discovered that I was okay if I hunkered down in the seat and read aloud. The best part was that I ended up BREAKING DAWN aloud to him, since he's also awesome and reads some of the things that I do so we can discuss them. Sounds like we've both got good ones. :D
ReplyDeleteI love this! Even though we're both big readers, my husband and I don't read to each other. Still, our relationship began with a book changing hands (I loaned him Charles DeLint's DREAMS UNDERFOOT) and telling each other stories on the rooftop of his midtown apartment.
ReplyDeleteWe did a read-aloud road trip for the first time, the summer of 1991 right after our wedding. We read, "Everything I needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," and its sequel (of sorts), "It Was on Fire When I Lay Down." Fun, conversational books to read out loud. (All these years later, I still think of that Soviet soldier who was captured because he refused to leave his wife's body after she was killed in a bombing.)
ReplyDeleteWe've read many books since then, but as we've added children, it's become impossible to shout back far enough for the listeners. So, if we're going to read books in the car, we get the audio version from our library (SL County Library has EVERYTHING.)
Fun post. Makes me want to take a road trip.
Love it. So glad you do the voices. I have yet to finish reading a book aloud to Matt. But we've read many parts and I believe it will happen one day! So glad you guys got to go! I love Curran!
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's another blogger out there who can make my heart flutter like you do, Angie. Sweetest post ever. =)
ReplyDeleteAfter coming back and reading Aaron's comment now I'm all dyin' of the romance bliss on the blogs! Take that, you real life romances by that publishing company - who were they again? We can get real life romancing right here at Angie's. :D
ReplyDeleteJanssen, *grin* MAGIC BITES by Ilona Andrews. Top notch urban fantasy.
ReplyDeleteAlicia, lol. You are tricksy. Road trips are my favorite reading aloud venue. You and SwingKid should definitely give it a shot.
Kenda, agreed. It's certainly a perk for me. ;) I thought your hubby was awfully good to come with to the party at BEA and put up with our wild banter.
Chachic, aaaaand we have a winner! lol. Well done. And for the record, he loved it and we're a third of the way into MAGIC BURNS.
Elizabeth, LOL. I'm betting it was the uniform.
Ari, awww. That image makes me happy. Him reading to you as you fall asleep.
Zia, that's wonderful. So much of it is the talking about it together after. It's therapeutic.
Erin, definitely quality time of the highest order.
Jen, ah, one of those kinds of men. :) Mine is a huge King fan as well. Got me to read IT awhile back and I LOVED it.
melissa, do! I love all the voices...
Celina, yay for delurking! Welcome. Sit and stay awhile. :) I don't get dizzy, no. Lucky that way, no doubt.
KIKA, love the idea of a character or a passage that demands to be read aloud. Even when you're all alone. Awesome.
Tiah, LOL. You're more than welcome.
Charlie, just sitting together reading individually is heaven, isn't it? And sharing favorite quotes is wonderful, too.
Brenda, ugh. And also, wow! Sounds like he really isn't a book person. Ah, well. They can't all be can they?
Aaron, love you too babe.
Azteclady, well, it sounds like you two are perfect for each other. I have yet to try the Peter Wimseys, though I've heard nothing but absolutely fantastic things. Out of curiosity, which have been his favorite romances?
Tiffany, different tastes are hard to meld. But I'm glad you've found stuff he loves. As for me, I loved PART-TIME INDIAN. :)
Janice, ah, excellent detective work, my friend. You are right!
a_hoffman, aw, he does sound awesome. And that is so amazing you can read aloud in the car without getting nauseated!
ladyjoust, um, wow? That sounds like the beginning of a story I want to read!
Sally, road trips are the best sometimes. And it's true that the things you read aloud to each other often stick in your brain so much longer. I know exactly what you mean.
Liza, Curran...mmmm.
Christine, awww. Thank you!
Kenda, LOL!! We are here for all your real life romance needs.
This was great. I read to my husband in the car too. We were at my parents' house when A Conspiracy of Kings was released and I managed to wait until the day we drove home (8 hour drive) to read it. My husband insisted it was only fair we both find out what happened at the same time.
ReplyDeleteMy beloved doesn't quite get my book obsession but he still searches for indie bookstores on his GPS whenever we head to a new town. I don't even have to ask.
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous of your story time. I want someone to read to me :(
Kate Daniels!! Yay! How funny, the hubby and I love to do this too - but mostly it's not so much in the car, but just lazing around after the little boy goes to bed. Some of the best memories.
ReplyDeleteI loved IT too! Maybe my favorite "scary" King novel. The Talisman too.
ReplyDeleteBrandy, I have not stopped grinning since I read your comment. It makes me insanely happy that another couple out there have been reading that particular series together as well.
ReplyDeleteJane, that is impossibly sweet, I have to say. There's nothing like exploring indie bookstores in other places.
Michelle, oh the wonderfulness that happens after the kids are in bed. Definitely relax time.
Jen, yep. Scared the bejeezus out of me. Kept looking over my shoulder for glimpses of orange and purple. *shudder*
This is the most awesome thing ever. What a wonderful pair you make and such a great way to spend your time.
ReplyDelete