[LaraAmber]

My Mother-In-Law is a sweet woman.  Really, she is very nice and while we aren't close buddies, she doesn't interfere in our marriage or do any of the evil MIL stuff one hears about in stories.

That said, she keeps trying to lend me books.  This is not a good thing.  She is trying to lend me books I have no interest in ever reading.  I have no interest in reading a book by Dr. Phil, Dr. Phil's wife, or anything else that has the word's "spiritual" "uplifting" or "life-affirming" in the description.  Sometimes when she sends these books back with my husband I wonder if she thinks I'm some sort of depressed neurotic.  (I'm not.)  I've yet to figure out how to politely say "you know, that book just doesn't interest me."  I don't want to hurt her feelings (okay so I'm a little protective and see her as china doll fragile).  So they show up at my house for a few months and quietly get returned, unread.

Anyone else have that special someone in their life that when they say "I have this book I think you would like" you think "oh crap"?

Lara Amber

 

[Ann in Arlington]

She probably knows you read a lot but doesn't know what. . . .so she just passes on books that either she likes or she thinks she (or you) are supposed to like.  I mean, some of those books are very popular in the sense that it's "in" to know about them or be seen reading them.  (I'm a rebel and refuse to do it, but there you go.  )  If she's not a reader herself she may be trying to give you gifts she thinks you'll like but not having a clue what that is she's going by the self-help best seller lists.  Maybe you should start loaning (o.k. you'd have to buy them just for her) books that you really like. . . . .

Ann

 

[Forster]

Well I don't get loaned books but my in-laws buy me books every year for my b-day/Christmas as they know I like to read.  Their heart is in the right place but some of the books are not to my taste and I have several that I will never read.  But.........I always thank them.

Now the good news, I overheard the Mrs talking to her mother last weekend trying to figure out what books she should get me, my dear lovely wife who I adore oh so much, told her mother oh he won't want books cause he's got one of those kindle things.......why don't you just get him an Amazon gift card so he can buy some books for it. 

 

[Kathy]

My boss. She is so nice and knows I have the Kindle, but she still brings me her books. Mostly spiritual, she is a devout catholic and I think she is trying to convert me. Since my husband is catholic and his family hasn't been able to convert me I think she has taken up the cause. LOL Since I was raised Baptist and my children and grandchildren are members of the Baptist church I don't feel like converting. I just take them and wait a few days and bring them back. There have been a couple that I liked, but now that I have the Kindle I like to have my books on it. 

 

[drenee]

I have a friend who does the same thing.  Very nice gentleman, but is constantly dropping off books at my house, or bringing them to our board of director meetings.  Like you all have said, I simply return them, mostly unread.  The problem I have is that it's just one more thing I have to move around, comment on, remember to return, etc.  It's beginning to be time consuming and I wish I would have stopped it before it got this far. 
deb

 

[LaraAmber]

Well it's good to know I'm not some unfeeling brat for returning the books unread.  My unacknowledged guilt is squashed for now.

Lara Amber 

 

[bookfiend]

Simalar problem, I have a neighbor who is really sweet, (we pet sit for eachother when out of town) but she is young, in alot of ways.  She keeps forcing DVDs on me, movies that I really wouldn't be interested in, in a million years.  Why would I sit inside watching a bad movie (which most of them are anymore) when I could be out back reading?  But she's very sweet, so they go back a week later unwatched.  I now leave them when shes not home, because when she finds out I "didn't have time to watch" she refuses to leave with them.  I actually have had 2 for 6 mo, cuz they are her "Way Fav, I just Gotta see 'em".

 

[Angela]

My mom, with whom I have shared many a book with, is still pushing her books on me. Although she likes the books I have sent her way, most of what she reads doesn't appeal to me. I usually just take them, keep them for a while and return them. Since I have gotten the Kindle, she has backed off a bit because she knows I prefer to read on the Kindle instead.