Few people like going to a bookstore more than I do. It is my safe haven. While I enjoy visits to the library too, you do not have to be quiet at a bookstore. You can strike up conversations with friends, and if the bookstore happens to have a cafe, you can indulge in a chai latte or even a nice scone. It’s the best of all worlds.

The Best Book Recommendation by Place

Barnes and Noble introduced me to one of my dearest friends — Ron Olive. Whenever I came into the bookstore cafe, I saw an older gentleman sitting by the window. He wore a button-up shirt and had a small cup of coffee within reach of the computer he plugged into one of the only available outlets. He chatted up the staff, a good sign that he was likable, and struck up friendly conversations with people who visited the store. When he wasn’t a social butterfly, he typed away on his computer.

Being a writer, I wondered if he was a writer too. Having a writing buddy and a potential beta reader would be great, no? With my curiosity piqued, I walked over and introduced myself. It turned out he wasn’t a writer after all. Ron was an economics professor of all things, and even though we had very different backgrounds, we hit it off and became fast friends. If that’s not a place recommending a person, I don’t know what is!

The Best Book Recommendation by Person

A bookstore is not the only place that can recommend a person. The joy of books is that they can go anywhere. If you’re Rory Gilmore of Gilmore Girls fame (one of the best TV shows of all time!), you always have reading material on hand, whether you are on a park bench, under a tree, or even at a school dance.

Have you ever been on an airplane and the person next to you is reading a book you loved? How about on a bus or train? That’s when a book recommends a person.

This is not to say that you should strike up a conversation with every stranger you meet. The person with the book may be reading to avoid eye contact or interacting with anyone, no matter how in sync your interests are. More importantly, they may be engaged in the story and you could ruin the flow. Don’t you hate when that happens to you?

When they come up for air, you can mention that you’ve read the book too and see how they respond. Watch for social cues; i.e., they smile and chat back (good) or they hunch their shoulders and start checking their phone (bad). Even if you are not a social butterfly, like my dear friend Ron, coming across people who enjoy the same things you do is far better than watching someone peddle things that turn you off. As far as first impressions go, the choice of a good book shows that you are at least, in part, on the same … pun intended … page.

The Best Book Recommendation by a Book

For me, choosing what book to read next can be a daunting task. After all, there are so many great books out there and only so much time to read them. This is when it is helpful for a friend to recommend a book.

A lot of my real-life friends have different interests than I do. That’s awesome and quite frankly how it should be. Diversity, baby! It’s nice to be part of a network for book lovers too, and that’s one of the reasons I often turn to GoodReads. Connecting with people who read the same genres I do, who enjoy the same authors I do, who enjoy the same adventurous humor or romantic sensibilities, helps me to find stories that will bring me joy. I have discovered some amazing books I may have never found on my own. Thank you, my friends.

What am I trying to say with all this? It’s quite simple really. Books bring people together. Wherever you find your inspiration, get reading!