How Do You Hide the fact that you're reading a "Dirty" Book? Or should you hide it?

I had this predicament recently when I was taking the bus to work. The book I was reading is called “Permanent Obscurity,” but the title is not the problem, it’s the cover, which looks …. dirty. And I guess the book IS dirty.

It’s a good book, really fun to read, even funny. Only I had a hard time concealing it … and people kept peeking at it and giving me strange looks. Part of me is annoyed at having to “hide” what I’m reading; another part of me doesn’t want to be bothered … especially by guys who are looking at me weird, like I might be some tramp since the subtitle of the book has the word “pornography” in it. And “drugs” :p

It’s softcover and to put a brown paper bag cover on it seems stupid … and clumsy. Last time I did that, I kept sliding off anyway. Plus that reminds me of school.

Should I just tear off the cover? But then the idea of that makes me mad too. Why can’t we live and let live?

This is the book in question: http://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Obscurity-Cautionary-Misadventures-Pornography/dp/0971341540

Answer #1

Hmmm this is interesting. Considering the cover of the book, it really does look like a dirty book and I guess some people would be offended/wouldn’t understand why you were reading it on the bus. I think you should just paper bag the cover just to stop the weird looks and sniggers. Maybe next time you get a book you could et one less revealing on the cover…

Answer #2

There’s no nudity on it. Just two groovy girls. Why can’t I read what I want, even if it’s a book that looks like this one? Even if it is filthy dirty … on the inside?

Answer #3

I think it’s no one’s business what you’re reading on a bus, honestly. You shouldn’t have to hide it. It’s the “if you don’t like it, don’t look” thing.

Answer #4

Have you ever considered that you may be imagining some of these “dirty” looks? It’s highly possible that since you’re paranoid about this, you’re half imagining these things. Some people might not like it, but who cares? You’re on a bus, and you’ll probably never see those people again. Read whatever pleases you.

Answer #5

Yay!

Answer #6

If you’re worried about the cover, then put a cover on it more effectively, folding over the top and bottom, not just the sides of the original covers. On the other hand, if you don’t care about what people think, then the looks shouldn’t bother you. I’d only be horrified if I ran into someone I know. “Oh, what’re you reading there?”

Answer #7

It’s natural to be curious or enticed and no you shouldn’t be embarrassed about it.

Answer #8

What do you mean by “dirty”? If you mean pornography and you were inside an allmost empty bus very late at night (wich it wasn’t the case), then you should be worried about your safety as much as you should if at the same circumstances you were half naked(no excuses like “live and let live” would help).Besides that i think we all agree it is your own decision what you nourish your mind with, isn’t it?

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