Goodness, this reminds me of Bill Hicks’ Waffle House waitress sketch that is contained within this one question: “Watcha reading for?”

I never go out without a book and I read everywhere. In line in stores, on public transport, in cafés…

But what’s totally normal in Europe passes for an almost seditious, rebellious act in many places in America, for some reason. Watching Netflix on your phone? Normal. Reading a book made of paper and glue? Eccentric. Weird. Suspicious even.

Thank you for this piece, Vanessa Torre.