In 2019, in an article, we reflected on the potential success of a hypothetical dating app based on users’ reading tastes, if it ever happened to be invented.
Indeed, over the years, similar projects have landed on the stores of various operating systems; and precisely on September 10 last year, a launch party for readme was held at a New York venue, an app whose goal is to unite users according to preferred genres and titles.
An extra piece in the world of dating apps
The idea came from artist Emily Segal and Banu Guler, co-founder of Co-Star (the astrology app that creates personalized horoscopes and natal charts, and that sends daily motivational quotes to users who have downloaded it).
In a world where it seems increasingly difficult to form bonds and relationships starting from physical encounters, apps that allow people to meet and date are growing in popularity. The two creators, however, felt the need to add an extra piece to the world of existing dating apps which, in their view, merely flatten users’ personalities and overlook the physical dimension, essential to the connection between two people.
Recreating the romance of meeting in a bookstore
In an interview with FeedMe, a Substack newsletter linked to the entrepreneurial world, the two co-founders stated: “Although our friends were always in bookstores, we never really saw anyone experience that famous ‘romantic bookstore encounter.’ We realized that perhaps we could create this kind of experience for more people. We’re glad, because clearly literary tastes offer more insight into someone’s true personality than a cringe line crafted for a typical dating app.”
How does readme work?
So how does it work, then, readme? Each user completes a test to uncover their reading archetype, after which they enter their books of the heart and their preferred quote.
The app then connects exclusively with like-minded people, and it is only at that point that a “match” is possible; for now.
By the way, readme isn’t yet available in Italy, but in May 2023 the project “Te lo leggo negli occhi”, developed by Libraccio, saw its first meeting at the Ostello Bello in Milan and the second at the Genova hostel (and later returning to other cities such as Como, Florence, and Rome): it is an itinerant speed-dating aperitif, where conversations about books helped break the ice, enabling people to make new connections and compare their opinions on works and authors.
After all, it is known: a conversation born from a shared passion for the same titles can lead to stimulating exchanges and interesting exchanges of ideas. And it can also be the springboard for a new love story, as happened to Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, who fell in love after discovering they were reading the same book…
