11a. If I Ask Him About The Book He’s Reading On The Train? (addendum)
A parable worth remembering, if you hope to be a successful literary flirt, is the story of the guy who tried to fake his way through a conversation about La Ciudad y Los Perros in incompetent Spanish. Discussing Vargas Llosa’s first novel with a cute native speaker in her own language is a bold move. At best, you’ll impress her with your willingness to try. At worst, you’ll come off as patronizing or ill-informed. So, what did the girl in our story do? She smiled, nodded, and got off at the next stop.
We reiterate: book-flirting is one of the most deeply satisfying forms of flirting, when it’s done right, and that’s a good reason to know your stuff.
