Have you ever recommended a book to a stranger or by a stranger?
 

This question popped out in my mind when my friends and I are shopping for a book or two in bookstore at the mall. We were searching for Plato's Republic actually but we ended buying different books and talking about different books as we browse around the store.

We were at the center where they place the books that were on sale when suddenly a woman came up to us and suggested books from some author I didn't quite understand. It is awkward really. The way she said it was weird too. After she said that she placed the books she was holding back to the stack of books and went out.

So have you had the same experience or gave the same experience?

PS. Could you suggest a good macroeconomics book for me? I am taking up Political Economy you see...

MY ART inspired by my studies LOL
http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/v...rtunedited.jpg

I tend to recommend Good Omens By Pratchett and Gaiman to anyone who is thinking of a different type of book. and most people have enjoyed it. I had a kid come up to be in gym class to thank me for telling him about the book. o.O

Buwhaha yes. xD

That is how I make friends, actually... o_o Besides I used to help out in the library when I was younger.
So it was part of the "job", y'kno? xD Me and strangers get into really in-depth conversations about the
books we like and have read and dislike, often. So it's really not all as awkward as it seems.. :)

That's hilarious how someone thanked ya for that during gym, Longcat! XD

lol nope that never happen to me before

All the time- but I'm a librarian so people kind of expect it from me when I'm at work. :lol:

I have jumped into conversations at parties to do reader advisory or a quick book talk when I overhear a conversation about books going on, especially if it's an area or topic that I like to read

One time someone told me to read Fruits Basket. I lawled and walked away.

Usually I recommend H.P. Lovecraft to people. Only when they ask... Which is rare.

There's been a time where I was in a book store and saw I book I was in love with. Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult. I was like "OMG!" and ran to the book. The few other people that were around me, looked at me and said "Oh, sound like a good one. What's it about?" So I told them the basic things about the book, and reccomended it. I'm not sure if they bought the book or not.

As well the opposite. I was reading Luraine Mcdaniel books in a few hours. My librarain at the school I was going to noticed one day. "Didn't you just take that book out?" "yes, but I finished it already" So she reccomended me on Jodi Picoult. That's how I became a fan of her books.

I was recommended the Harry Potter books before they were popular. Didn't end up reading them until much later though....lol.

Being a cashier at a large, soulsucking store, I have recommended many a book and have been recommended to read many a book. Which reminds me, I need to check out Game of Thorns, I've heard that it was good.. (see what i did there?)

It depends on the subject at hand. If people are looking for books that are better than Twilight, I normally recommend Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and PC and Kristen Cast's House of Night (which is better than Twilight).

When it comes to Pagan/Wiccan/Witch related books I normally recommend Gerald Gardner's books, Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton, Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler. Some of which were recommended to me by other strangers.

I don't think I ever had but I think it would always be nice to give someone something good to read. And I always enjoy a good book recommendation.

Recently I was looking around a bookstore and noticed a woman scoping out the Anita Blake series. I couldn't help but comment that it was a really good series but then started to move along my merry way. We ended up chatting about the series a bit and by the end of our talk, she had went and gotten this other book for me to read. She insisted that I'd love it and should give it a try. Honestly, I can't tell you the name of the book she wanted me to read, but it had been cheap so I got it. By the end of our meeting we were apparently bffs, and she told me to say hi next time she was in town and we'd catch up.

....I am still slightly confused by the meeting and haven't even opened the book yet. Hopefully soon. xD I wanna say it's the Outlander series but...can't say more than that. @[email protected]

Not if it was that awkward. I've probably been guilty of randomly recommending books once or twice, because I'm that much of a nerd. But I normally try to at least know the person a little bit before I dump an entire library on top of them.
As for being recommended books - its normally friends and family that recommend books to me. I've never been randomly approached.

I dont think it counts, but whenever ive finished a book at a hotel/holiday/hostel type place, i leave it somewhere another guest can find it so they can decide whether or not to read and enjoy it to.

I've left a couple on a train too, and also found one with a note in the front page saying "hope you enjoy this book as much as i did" how sweet! Unfortunately i'd already read it so i left it for the next person to pick up xD

Whenever my boyfriends' friends hear I read books they ask for recommendations but I never know what to say so I just...don't give out recommendations.

I have done it before in the past, where I talk to random strangers about books. It's actually quite interesting, because sometimes they can steer you in directions that you wouldn't normally go. But I've worked in the customer service/retail industry for a good while so I guess it's easier to talk to them about things like that.