In The Times (London) last week, journalist Ceci Browning wrote about her experiences at a ‘read-dating’ event, ‘Tinder for book-lovers’. “Being interested in books,” she says, “is one of today’s hottest hobbies” as pop star Dua Lipa recently released a monthly books podcast and Dior released a “chic range of bags adorned with the covers of centuries-old classics.”
And as GenZ turn away from internet-based partner-seeking, if you’re an avid reader, then where better to meet the love of our life than in a book shop, where your eyes can meet across a crowded bookshelf? Apparently, demand for places has ‘sky-rocketed’. After all, if it worked for Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in Notting Hill, could it work for you?
At the UK read-dating events, each participant goes along clutching a book of their own choosing, presumably carefully chosen to signal to potential partners what kind of person they believe they are. What might different titles represent and what would you choose?
“The book I would take with me would be Ali Smith’s How to be Both,” says Robert Pisani, Malta’s most voracious reader and Times2’s regular book columnist. “I guess what I would like it to project that I can be a slightly complex person who likes to do things differently. Also I do have a sly sense of humour in everything I do. It could also say that I enjoy looking at how details are the best part of the bigger picture.”
And “I’d choose The Vegetarian by Han Kang because, well, I’m a vegetarian (currently a pescatarian),” smiles Leanne Ellul, co-coordinator of Inizjamed, Malta’s Mediterranean Literature Festival. “But it’s not just about the title. The novel tells a poignant and unsettling story of Yeong-hye’s quiet refusal to conform, unfolding through shifting perspectives and emotional layers. Its intensity and ambiguity resonate deeply with me.”
“Korean novels often strike that same chord. I’m drawn to stories that are quirky, disquieting, and different, yet still rooted in the tensions of contemporary society, or the one we’re rapidly becoming. What happens when someone simply opts out of what’s expected? This isn’t a comfort read; it’s a provocation. But honestly, I don’t really know how to relax. And yes, I do like to think I’m a bit of a rebel. By the end, Yeong-hye becomes obsessed with the idea of turning into a tree. I haven’t adopted that idea myself, but the idea of having more and more trees isn’t a bad idea at all,” she adds.
“For me,” says Esther Lafferty, Lead Editor of Times2, “the first book that popped into my head was Babel by R.F. Kuang, and having thought it over, I’m still happy with that choice. Although it’s a novel, the title indicates that I’m fascinated by words and language. The book was only published fairly recently (2022) and I tend to read contemporary literary fiction rather than classics, so it seems appropriate on that score too. And importantly, it’s set in Oxford, albeit a parallel version packed with magical realism: I’m very fond of Oxford because it’s where I studied, lived and worked for many years. One of the aspects I love about this book was that it wasn’t simply a great read. It also includes a thought-provoking theme about the rights, wrongs and politics of cultural appropriation, which would make for interesting conversation.”
Back in London, “What would be the worst title one could imagine someone choosing for the event?” muses Ceci Browning. “Mein Kampf?”
Her potential date fails to laugh and she knows instantly they’re not on the same page!
What book would you choose to take with you to a read-dating event, and what do you think it would say about you?
