Activity Quote by Tom Robbins
“Serious reading is hardly a social activity and every halfway serious reader is perpetually subject to a form of coitus interruptus. Family members or friends who lack the desire, the courage, or the opportunity to burst in on you when there's some indication that you could be sexually entwined will seldom hesitate to interject themselves between you and a page, even though the act of reading is often as intimate and intense as a full-fledged carnal embrace.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: 1995, "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting" collection, Tom Robbins on reading intimacy
Reading is a deeply personal, almost erotic experience that can be disrupted by others
In simple terms: Reading feels intimate and can be interrupted by social intrusions
Key Takeaway
Protect reading time and set boundaries for focus
Themes
intimacy
distraction
literature
Mood
contemplative
playful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- library study
- late‑night reading
- creative writing sessions
- academic research
- quiet cafés
Key Concepts
psychology of reading
social dynamics
personal space
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you negotiate personal reading space with others?
- What rituals enhance reading intimacy?
A Different Perspective
Some may view reading as solitary, missing its communal aspects
![“I believe we have an obligation to read for pleasure, in private and in public places. If we read for pleasure, if others see us reading, then we learn, we exercise our imaginations. We show others that reading is a good thing." [ The Guardian , 15 October 2013]” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/357/neil-gaiman-29_books_i-believe-we-have-an-obligation-to-read_1054526.jpg)
