There have already been countless entries on this subject—some of them mushy, some quite serious, some rather silly—but they prove only one thing: really, and if it’s not too obvious yet, you should date a guy who reads. Specifically, books. More specifically, fiction.
A guy who frequents a bookstore and scours every nook of it. A guy who visits the bargain bin more often than the supermarket. A guy who uses his credit card not for clothes and shoes but for classics and translated books. A guy who has more fictional friends than actual friends. Date a guy who reads on the train because he wants to finish a suspense thriller or a love story. A guy who would rather lie in bed to read than to…eat.
More often than not, a guy who reads is a good catch, and here is why:
He is a talker and a listener.
Since he is well read, he knows a lot of things and is keen on sharing them with you. You’ll never run out of interesting topics to talk about. He knows that the quickest way to your heart is through your smile, which you always do because you can’t help laughing at his stories. But besides being a smooth talker, a guy who reads is also a good listener. He understands the importance of space and silence. He will pay attention to you the way he does to his valuable book collection.
He has a wide imagination.
Having read a crazy assortment of books from William Faulkner to Neil Gaiman, from Mark Twain to Joshua Ferris, from the Nobel laureates to the Nebula prizewinners, he has travelled around and into the world through his mind. There’s no boring moment with a guy who reads; you’ll always learn from him, and you’ll always be a grateful student.
He won’t nag at you.
Whether you’ve kept him waiting for your date or you’ve missed your movie night because of your work, you don’t have to worry. A guy who reads always brings a book to occupy his time. He won’t be mad at you. He will understand you. His time has been well spent.
He is an asset.
A guy who reads is always known for being the guy who reads; he has that look in him that makes him an intelligent man, a charming lover. So when you two find yourselves together at a party, people will always compliment him, will ask for the latest book he’s reading, will ask for his opinion on highly important matters. You can always rely on him to speak eloquently and articulate things as though he were a philosopher and a stand-up comedian rolled into one.
He isn’t petty.
A guy who reads doesn’t dwell on small arguments. He is calm and reasonable. He has a gift for composure, owing to his many years of absorbed reading.
He is sexy.
Why? Because being smart is sexy. Being clever is sexy. Being obsessed with knowledge is sexy. Being inspired by Jack Kerouac is sexy. Intelligence is always a good reason to date a man.