FAQ
Why did you decide to start this blog?
Hot Guys with Baby Animals was already on the internet.
I wanted to show how sexy it is when men read books.
I thought this was going to be photos of Chippendale models who happened to be reading books! Why do the guys look so ordinary?
For one thing, the purpose of the blog is not to show male models with greasy hard pecs posing with their nose in a hardcover. This book is how reading makes “ordinary” (although I would say, still pretty darn good looking) guys hotter.
I like that the guys are “real” and not models (at least as far as I know). Most submissions are from the guy’s wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, friend or other type of acquaintance who adds how much he enjoys reading. This is awesome.
(However, I will accept submissions that contain guys with hard pecs.)
Secondly, this blog is submission based. If you don’t think the guys are hot enough, and you think you can do better, please submit! I look forward to it.
Isn’t taking pictures of guys reading in public places illegal?
No, it isn’t. Read this article for more information (thanks, Christinaheartsyou!). Any photos I receive of photos of men who appear to be reading within their own homes, I assume that they have given permission to be photographed. This means that you, the photographer, must ask your boyfriend or friend or roommate permission before your photograph him reading inside.
I find a photo of me/a photo I took on your blog and I would like it if you would please remove it.
Email me: I will remove it for you as soon as I am able. (I do work full time and so I can’t always respond to a removal request that very second.) Thank you for asking so nicely!
Hey, I submitted over a photo a week ago and I still haven’t seen it on the blog yet. What gives?
It’s possible your submission was rejected, but most likely it’s just stuck in the queue. As of the writing of this FAQ I have over 500 photos in the queue. (I know, at one point in time I complained about a lack of submissions. That point in time is over.) Since I only post 5 photos a week, that’s a very long wait period. I work full-time and HGRB is a project I do for fun in my spare time, so I don’t have time to email everyone and let them know the status of their submission. I try to email people when I post their submission IF they submit by email. If you submitted using the submit feature in Tumblr, you’ll just have to wait for it to appear (or not). Please don’t submit twice. I get confused.
How do you decide what photos get accepted or rejected?
Most submissions get accepted on the spot. On a rare occasion I will reject a submission automatically. If I’m not sure about a photo, I will send it along to my team of Hotness Experts for Quality Assurance testing. If they approve the photo, then it gets accepted.
You don’t have enough of a specific type of man! Why are you discriminating against certain ages/races/other characteristics?
I’m not discriminating. I post submissions. I would love to have a larger variety of guys, so please send me photos of whoever you think is missing!
This blog is sexist because you’re just posting photos of men!
One of my main reasons for doing this blog (that I touched on briefly in response to the first question) is that somehow there’s been this rift in society where more women are seen reading books and viewed as readers than men, and where some publishing companies are marketing specifically towards women. (You should’ve seen my English classes in college!) I say that it’s totally sexy for men to read books, too. If that still sounds sexist to you, I’ve failed somehow.
This blog is sexist because you’re encouraging people to ogle men!
People ogle other people. There are many more, shall we say websites, dedicated to ogling women. Let’s ogle some men for once, and let’s do it for a really awesome reason: reading!
I think your blog is kind of creepy! Don’t you think maybe you’re legitimizing stalking?
Taking a photo or two of a guy in public is not stalking, and I don’t find it creepy. I also highly suggest talking to the person you want to photograph. It’s a great way to introduce yourself, and if I ever hear of a couple getting together through HGRB I will definitely blog about it! Also, I want to be invited to the wedding.
As for stalking, if you follow the guy home, peer into his windows, and dig through his trash, that’s not cool. If you use this blog as an excuse for this behavior (even if you claim to be looking for library receipts) that’s not fair, and I do not condone of this behavior, and if I receive any evidence of actual stalking in emails sent to me I will notify the proper authorities.
A lot of the gushing I do over each photo is for comedic effect. If that wasn’t true I would have computers damaged from all the drool.
(By the way, I am not responsible for the damage of any computer or other equipment as a result of excess salivation that may occur from looking at the blog.)
Are you planning on doing a Hot Girls Reading Books version anytime soon?
No. For one thing, I’m not interested in girls so I wouldn’t know what to post. Also, I don’t think a girls’ version is really necessary. I see girls reading books all over the place, and my college English classes were full of them!
What submissions do you prefer not to get?
Anything that has obviously been published before is a no-go. I prefer photos of people who aren’t celebrities. I like to see the man’s face. The man also has to be reading a book: a newspaper or a Kindle isn’t going to cut it. Nothing that would not be considered to have either a PG or G rating will be accepted. (Shirtless is okay, but anything beyond that is not.)
Can I post some of your photos on my blog?
Yes, but please link back to HGRB. Tumblr reblogs are greatly encouraged!
Is Pete still available?
Yes, and if you’re still interested, send an email with a little about you including where you live (you can be vague) and I’ll pass it along.
What about any of the other guys? Can I get the number of the guy in [this post here]?
I don’t actually know most of the guys, and of the other two that I do: Justin is engaged and I’m not sharing Aaron’s number with you. Sorry!
You’re hilarious! Can I follow you on Twitter?
Thanks! Yes you may, I’m @allirense.

