This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2088.
Are you a bookworm?
How to talk about your reading habits in English.
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Are you a reader?
Talking about books is a great way to connect with people.
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Hey Lindsay, how are you?
Hey michelle, i'm doing excellent today.
Things are good.
I'm in boston visiting my family, so i'm feeling great.
How are you?
Yeah, i'm good, i'm good.
Um, i've been reading a lot recently, um more than i had for a while.
What happens to me is i will read a ton of books, i will be super into it, and then i don't.
I'll have maybe a book I didn't like, or I just won't be able to find the next book that I want.
And I lose that momentum.
And then I don't read for a long time.
And then I need something really good to get me back into it.
But now I've gotten back in the habit of getting into bed and reading at night, but I have a very hard time staying awake.
Well, that's fantastic.
That is such a so here's a great expression for that kind of an on again, off again relationship with books.
Right on again, but it's a good thing you're on again.
Yes yes, your relationship with reading, which is so nice, that's better than me i have.
I'm always on my phone reading the new york times, like i, but lately i have been craving a good novel right, especially being here at the beach like you.
Just want to read a good novel at the beach.
But that's cool exactly, Yeah.
Yeah.
So today we have a listener question about reading.
I'm excited to talk about it.
I think it's going to be really fun.
And guys wait until the end of the episode, because if you are listening on Spotify, we have a poll.
We want to get some listener interaction.
We want to get your opinion on this poll question and hear your experience.
So wait until the end because you will get this poll.
But before we do that, we actually have results from another poll we did on another episode, episode 2062.
Right, Lindsay?
Yeah.
And I was really excited to see what you guys thought of this.
Right.
Because people have different philosophies.
And I was wondering if that philosophy could be cultural to Michelle.
What was our poll questions?
So, well, the topic of the episode was about international travel with kids.
So it was international travel with your kids in tow.
Tell us what you think.
And so the question we asked you guys was, do you think it's good to take a big trip with kids?
And I because I am very pro.
And so it looks like and I'm I'm pleasantly surprised to see a lot of people agree.
And that's OK if you don't.
But 70 percent. of our listeners who took the poll said, yes, it's good to take a big trip.
76% Michelle 76.
That's a 20.
Yeah, that is a big and 24% said no.
So that is really interesting.
So these polls are so much fun.
I know they're really cool.
It's cool.
I know we got a good, a great question after that episode too from our listener Miho in Japan, and she wants to follow up Michelle.
So I'll tell we'll we'll get into that another day.
But I think our listeners love that idea of talking about international travel.
You know, our listeners are raising bilingual kids.
Right.
And bicultural kids.
And we're traveling.
We're becoming citizens of the world.
So we can talk about this topic a bit more, I think.
But thanks, guys, for voting in the poll.
Yes.
And make sure you listen in today, because we'll have our next big poll at the end of today's episode.
All right.
That is right.
OK, love it.
So, Lindsay, could you read the question for us?
Yes.
So here is the question.
So our listener says, I'm your listener from Ukraine and I'm so grateful for your podcast.
They help me so much with learning English, and it would be cool if you would discuss in your podcast about your favorite books and about conditionals.
Thank you.
It's from a listener, I can't read their name, but we appreciate you.
And amazing, two very different questions here, Michelle, though.
Yeah, so we can do conditionals another time.
We do have things on conditionals other episodes, so definitely something where you could search.
Yes, or an episode on conditionals, because that's something we have covered, but we can always do more.
So we're going to focus on the reading question today.
Yeah, and I would recommend to this listener or any other listener who has a very specific grammar question write to us, but make it very specific.
So instead of just saying conditionals, it's very broad, right?
We want a very specific question, something you heard that was confusing.
We love answering those questions.
All right, but today let's get into some books.
Let's do it.
So we are going to talk about books today.
And just books really make me happy.
I like to read.
So guys, if you want to listen to another all ears English episode we have, 2077 is what makes you happy how to teach someone in English for connection.
Oh, now.
Yeah, now books.
Yeah, go back and check out that episode, guys.
Because I know Michelle, you've shared with us, you and your brother tease each other a lot, right?
And in your family, this is something you see in families among very close friends.
It is really a cool way to build connection.
So you guys want that English to be able to do it with the people that matter in your life.
Okay.
Go check it out.
Definitely.
Definitely.
And actually I get pretty good recommendations for books from my brother and I'll recommend books to him.
So Lindsay, what kind of books do you like?
Oh well, it's funny that we're talking about this, because I've been, You're reading a lot and I'm at my parents' house and I just sold a bookshelf actually.
I sold a bookshelf, or rather I just had it.
I gave it away and we had to clear some books and we had to donate books and we had to choose which ones to keep.
I like adventure books.
So I just picked off the shelf this book.
It's called The Heart of the Sea.
It's by...
Nathaniel Philbrick.
It's the tragedy of the whale ship, the Essex.
And because I'm in New England you know there's been a lot of whale ship tragedies or just shipwrecks here.
Wow.
Some ships have washed up right here on the honor block back in the 1800s.
Wow.
Yeah.
And so I love getting into that when I'm near the sea.
I want to read like a sea adventure novel.
And it's a famous book as well.
It won a what is this a what's the National Books Award winner.
So that is my one of my favorite books.
Michelle, what do you like to read?
But what is it called again?
The Heart of the... In the Heart of the Sea.
In the Heart of the Sea.
It's a New York Times bestseller.
Yeah.
What do I like to read?
I mean, I like all different things.
I do like mystery.
I like... Yeah, I like something that's just going to keep my attention.
I really need something to keep my attention.
I like historical fiction a lot.
Some of my favorite books are historical fiction.
But I would say thrillers, but not like scary thrillers.
I have had to stop a book because it was too scary.
Really, do you do horror movies?
Do you do?
No no no no okay, do you i do?
I'll do it, and then i regret it for like a week because i can't sleep for a week.
But i'll do them.
No oh, i mean i have, but like i, i prefer not.
But yeah yeah i, i.
There was one book and still to this day i remember what it was that freaked me out And every once in a while when I'm in bed at night I'll think of it and I get scared.
That's hilarious.
Well, what about the classics, Michelle?
Because right now, this microphone is sitting on top of Shakespeare and I probably have a lot of work to do when it comes to the classics.
I mean Moby Dick.
Have you done the classics and do you reread them, or do you kind of not into it as much?
I think in school I probably did a lot of the classics, but there are so many classics that I actually would like to read.
It's always on my list.
And then what happens?
I get kind of into just like a new book and the classics.
I don't get into it.
Lindsay, that's a good word, though.
What does that mean by the classics?
Oh, my gosh.
These are classic pieces of literature.
The great Gatsby, Moby Dick, There are just Robinson Crusoe.
There are so many of them.
I'm just looking at the bookshelf right now.
There's so many.
And the thing is there are still a lot of cultural references that come from the classics, classic literature, which I think we could probably do some episodes on one day.
Yeah, one of them.
So there's, I'm thinking, Flowers for Algernon.
Then there's also, you know, Lord of the Flies.
Oh, yeah, of course.
We read that in school, I think.
That's basically like all the kids take over and everything goes, you know?
Yes, yes.
And sometimes that is.
We should do an episode on this, on book references.
But I'll just say one is like sometimes when things get crazy with my kids or they're with like Like there was one day that it was raining really hard and my son decided that it was just, He just wanted to run around.
Like everybody left the playground and like his friend was like in a stroller, like under something.
But my son was just like...
And so I always, sometimes if things are really crazy, I'll say it's like Lord of the Flies.
It's true.
Actually, I would love to do that.
We should do a series on references from the classics in literature.
I think a lot of our listeners have also read the classics, probably more than I have personally right.
And so we're going to come back to that.
We're going to write that down as a great episode idea.
Guys, hit follow on this show.
It's just getting better and better.
You know, go for it.
Hit follow.
Let us drop right into your queue.
Good stuff.
Yes.
Exactly.
So, guys, we figured, you know, this listener wanted to hear about our favorite book.
So I came up with a list of conversation questions, which we are already.
I mean, we're already before we even got to the list.
We started talking about these things.
So it's very natural.
But I have a bunch of them.
We may not get to all of them, but you can see what a good topic this is and how many vocabulary words can it come out of this so you can get some great conversation topics, some great expressions, some great vocabulary words dealing with books.
Oh my gosh, I'm so excited.
Yeah because, oh my gosh, I mean.
People love books, people love novels and let's not forget, as the internet gets bigger and bigger, as AI and TikTok and all these Trends get bigger and bigger, let's not forget how Nice it is to curl up with a book.
I feel like Jessica and Aubrey will want to be in on this conversation too, because they love reading as well.
I know they do.
Curling up with a book on a rainy day.
There's nothing like it.
Let's not forget.
So this would be a cool way to connect with someone.
And it also shows that you're smart.
Let's not forget that.
There's a little vanity in here, but it's okay.
Sometimes it's okay to want to show you are curious about the world.
You're curious about history.
There's nothing wrong with that.
Okay.
That's funny.
Well, why do you say that?
Why do I say that?
Why do you say that?
I know why you say it, but yeah, tell us more about why you say it's a little vanity.
Well, I think it's a bit of a humble brag when we say, oh, I'm reading Shakespeare right now.
Because it's not easy to go through these big, thick books, right?
It's not easy.
It's easy to pick up our phones and read Instagram, scroll Instagram.
It's easy to watch TikTok.
But if you are someone who does that which, I'd like to do it more, you become a more interesting person, right?
So I think by sharing that, you know, it might be an okay kind of vanity.
You know what I mean?
I know exactly what you mean.
No, I can...
I can appreciate what you mean.
I think if you're talking with somebody who like, reads a lot, and you're talking about reading, I don't think it is.
But I think if it's like to somebody who doesn't read at all and you're like, well, I'd read this.
Yeah.
And also that's just a boring conversation because the person's not going to have anything to say.
So let's pick our audiences.
We've talked a lot on this show recently about choosing your audience.
Do we use huge words that don't make any sense?
Maybe not around people that don't understand them, right?
We have to be a little bit selective for connection.
Yeah, definitely.
All right.
So, well, we already went over some of these, but, uh, so do you like to read for pleasure guys?
So that's a good way to, that you can open this, this discussion read for pleasure, right?
Lindsay.
Oh, yeah.
It's a chunk here in English that we use, right, Michelle?
Important chunk.
Do you like to read for pleasure?
Super common.
And I love your, you know, an answer could be I'm kind of a bookworm.
Love that.
A bookworm.
Yeah, that's basically somebody who likes to read a lot.
You can describe yourself as a bookworm.
This is a really important expression because I feel like this goes back to our school days.
We know it in American English and we use it.
Right, so learn it guys.
Remember this one, write this down.
Did you have deer time at school?
Deer time, okay.
So we had something called dear d-e-a-r.
It was drop everything and read.
Oh, that's cool yeah yeah, so that was.
Yeah, i still remember that to this day.
Yeah, we had things like that.
Like we had a reading contest, like a summer reading contest, right.
Like how many books can you read in the summer?
You challenge, you say you're gonna read 25 books, and there was always that kid that was gonna read 50 books.
And I was like, how is he going to do that?
Because I took it so seriously, you know, like, how is he going to do that?
I can't even, you know?
Yeah, yeah, no, I know.
Same.
No, I and I have friends also, they people do have reading goals for a whole year.
Like my best friend, she had one year where she read a book a week.
And people like yeah, I know people really push themselves to.
Yeah, they kind of compete with themselves.
So it's, I can't do that.
I mean, I think it's even more incredible now, like we said, because we have all these other distractions that are frankly flashier sexier, more fun on the surface level, but less satisfying, right.
To go into Instagram and TikTok.
So even more amazing if you do that now in 2023.
Yeah, yeah.
So then the next question was what is your favorite genre?
We already talked about that one, but genre means your favorite kind of book.
You like mystery?
Do you like romance?
Do you like you know what?
What do you like?
Um yeah yes, and lindsay, what's the next question?
Okay, here's a more up-to-date question.
Right, do you prefer to read on an e-reader or a paper paper book i would say paperback book or a hardcover.
I usually say hardcover as kind of the default of hardcover versus You know what.
I might say physical book.
I might say physical copy.
I agree.
Because obviously hardcover and paperback are different.
Well, that's the next question.
Getting into another... Oh, okay.
That's the next question.
We're having so much fun talking about books, Michelle.
I know.
Okay.
So, well, Lindsay, do you have an e-reader like a Kindle or anything?
No, I don't have one actually.
So I do prefer a physical book.
I would say that's me.
So if I'm going to read, but I prefer paperback over hardcover, just because I travel, I fly a lot and airports and a bag like a bag that can only fit a certain amount of wires for podcasting,
Like I need space for the bag for everything else.
So I can't fit a big hardcover book.
And they're cheaper.
You're right.
Yes, they are cheaper.
So I'm always excited when something comes out in paperback.
But yeah um, i also i'd want a physical copy of a book.
I just i've tried kindles, i've tried, you know, e-readers.
I just i i love the feeling of like seeing how much you've read and just holding it in your hands and the smell.
And that's what a lot of people say, that they love the smell.
It's a true escape.
Right, it's an escape from you.
Just don't want to be looking at a screen again, another screen.
I feel exactly the same way.
And it's so simple to break out a book.
Put all your headphones away, all your wires, all your technology, and just take out a book.
It's really refreshing.
Exactly.
Exactly.
All right.
So we already talked about the next one.
Do you prefer paperback or hardcover?
And then, Lindsay, have you ever been part of a book club?
I don't know that I have in recent memory, Michelle.
How about you?
I haven't.
It's something I would be interested in one day, but I never...
That's never been something that I've had a chance to do in my free time.
But people really, you know, get into it.
They like it.
My mom does book clubs.
Yeah, I think they're great.
You know, it's also a great alternative to a book club, article club.
So I know people who have organized an article club, which is really cool because you get to get together with your friends but you don't have to commit to a 200 page book in two weeks.
You commit to new york times article or something and there's a lot of substance to the conversation, maybe some debate.
That's kind of a cool um alternative.
Yeah yeah yeah definitely um, and then are you a fast or a slow reader?
It depends on what i'm reading, michelle.
If the book's boring, i'll reread the same page over and over again because my brain won't hook into it.
It's the same thing with learning a language.
If our listeners are bored, they're not going to learn.
But if they're intrigued and they want to listen to us, today they are going to learn English with us.
That's right.
Right.
You have to be you have to be hooked, I think, to speed it up.
But I often find that when I'm reading, I have to read the same line a few times sometimes.
I mean, you know, sometimes i'll have to go back to something or i'll realize i stopped paying attention even though like, my eyes are moving, i'm not really absorbing it.
Um so i i'm not a very fast reader.
My sister-in-law is one of those speed readers, very like, lucky her.
I know, i don't know how she does it.
It's so annoying.
No yeah, that is annoying.
That is, she could just sit there and she's like oh, i'm already like it's amazing.
Yeah, um so, and then the last book is do you like a calm book or do you need a page turner, which is we're already kind of talking about this.
There's another great vocabulary piece.
There's some great classic vocabulary here page turner bookworm, the classics, really important for you guys to have in your vocabulary today.
Okay yes, Yes.
All right, Michelle, do you have any favorite books to recommend?
We're going to run out of time here in today's episode.
Yes, I know.
Well, we've been enjoying this conversation so much.
Okay, fine.
I'm going to just recommend one.
I like the book.
It's called The Paris Wife and it's by Paula McLean.
Okay.
And it's about Ernest Hemingway's first wife.
So it's a historical fiction.
It's very good.
Love that.
Love that.
All right.
I'm going to check that out for sure.
Okay, Michelle, we are back.
Let's get into key poll for today, because we want to know what our listeners, what their orientation is to reading, right to books.
Yeah yeah, yeah.
So the key poll guys, if you are listening on Spotify, you can answer this question.
So the key poll is are you a bookworm?
So that means, do you read a lot of books?
And yes or no, let us know and once we get the results, we will announce that on a future podcast so we can find out.
You know, do we have a large group of readers who listen to the podcast?
Yeah, I'm really curious.
I think our listeners are really smart, you know, smart, savvy, in touch with the world.
I'm curious if that extends to reading books or if it's more just being in touch with I don't know, the news and what's going on globally in the world.
Really excited for it, Michelle.
Really good.
For sure.
Let us know.
All right, Lindsay, what's the takeaway for today?
I mean, relaxing reading is a way to go back in time a little bit, guys, to a simpler day.
It's relaxing.
It's fun.
You know, I think it's really and, more importantly, it's important to be able to talk about reading, because if someone is really into books and you open this topic, you're going to grab their hearts.
You're going to connect with them right away.
And you want this vocabulary to do it, Michelle.
Yeah.
And you will kind of realize which of your friends or what people you know are you know into reading, and then you'll always be writing to them.
Do you have another recommendation?
Oh, you have to read this.
You have to read that.
So I have I have like a couple of friends that I know are always reading.
So I know who to go to.
That's amazing.
And now finally I'm reading, too.
And that's amazing.
And not to mention the fact that it's an amazing way to learn vocabulary.
I mean that's true, so we can talk about that another day, the benefits for language learning.
But today guys, now you know how to start a conversation about someone's reading habits.
So good yes, all right.
Okay, lindsay.
Wow, this was a lot of fun.
Gonna go curl up with my book later.
Almost finished with one.
Uh, i'll let you know how.
It is all right, keep us updated.
Michelle, i'll talk to you soon.
Bye, Thanks for listening to all ears English.
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