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20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Last week we asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a problem only book lovers understand? We got over 1,000 amazing responses! So even if non-book lovers don't get your struggle, remember—you're among friends here.
1. "The urge to buy books even though you still have too many books to read at home." (Rie VdWarth)
2. "Feeling sad for people who don't really exist." (Kimberly Moniz)
3. "RUNNING OUT OF SHELF SPACE!!!" (Kim)
4. "Getting interrupted when you are on the last few pages of a book." (Sobe Daya)
5. "The book hangover. When a good book finishes but you can't start a new one because you're still too immersed in the last book to move on." (Meagan Lewis)
6. "Wanting every book in a library section but knowing it is impossible to read all of them." (Richard Azia)
7. "Waiting so long for a sequel that you forget what happened in the first book." (Jessica Luong)
8. "When you're lying in bed and it's all cold in your room—and the hand holding the book freezes to death, even though the rest of you is warm under the blankets." (Alina Marie Swan)
9. "Finishing a book and having to wait a whole year to read the next in the series." (Sarah Scanion)
10. "Trying to keep the book dry while reading in the bath." (Patricia Boland)
11. "Ordering a book online and getting the book with the movie cover. A book with a movie cover just doesn't feel the same." (Anna RN)
12. "Not being able to read and eat lunch at the same time because you don't have a third arm." (Bernadette)
13. "When someone borrows your book and doesn't return it for ages!" (Pallavi B)
14. "Deciding. Which. Book. To. Read. First." (Monique Balsamo)
15. "Getting to a 'can't stop reading' spot in the book and it's 3:00am." (Joan Chesley)
16. "When you have a book with you, but it's not the one you wanted to read right then." (Virginia Osborne)
17. "Being forced to stop reading by other obligations, but choosing to ignore those obligations. Then getting in trouble." (Feel Like Fangirling)
18. "Packing for a trip and never being able to bring enough books." (Erika Gallion)
19. "Having a book fall on your face because you're reading on your back while holding the book up." (Manuel Cedillo)
20. And the ultimate book lovers' dilemma: "So many books, so little time." (Navy Reading)
Have another bibliophile-specific problem? Share it with your fellow Goodreads members in the comments! Chances are you'll find someone (or many someones) who feel your book pain.
(Top image credit: Illustration by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's Matilda.)
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Nov 13, 2015 07:57AM
OMFG SOOO MUCH OF THIS LIST IS ME!!!
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I can relate to each and every one of those.
Loved this list! If there's ever a housing shortage, I think we all could create quite the mansion made out of books.
"Being forced to stop reading by other obligations, but choosing to ignore those obligations. Then getting in trouble." that's me in a nutshell
I can so relate to these! Love them. Except I can't relate to not bringing enough books for vacation...thank goodness for Kindles!
I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness."
As much as you want to share a great book with someone else, you just can't hand it over. All you want to do is hold on tight
Re: #12. I solved that problem by buying a book holder.
When you loan a paperback book to a friend and you get it back with the spine creased and you want to kill them, but they are still your friend, so you are torn (so you just hit them with the book instead).
All of the above, along with strength to carry the 3-4 books that you're currently reading (ebook readers require power). Being unable to go into a book store (budget and literary self-restraint issues)
Since I switched to mostly reading on my Kindle, a lot of these are N/A to me now (like shelf space, book cover issue, not being able to bring enough books on a trip - this is a big one!)What made me laugh is #19 - I have totally dropped my kindle on my face, and it hurts! serves me right for reading at 2am when I'm tired and should be asleep!
E-Reader, Nook, or IPad for traveling... you don't have the weight or the space gobbler on trips.
spending hours in the bookstore just looking, yearning, wanting, craving (or in the library if i'm short on money or space)
Elise wrote: "When you loan a paperback book to a friend and you get it back with the spine creased and you want to kill them, but they are still your friend, so you are torn (so you just hit them with the book ..."Oh my God... the spine creasing!!! And people freak out saying I am overreacting.
for me it find another book I'd give 5 shinning stars to
I agree with all of these, but especially #16. That's what compelled me to buy a Kindle :).
This was soooo true about me.1,2,3,5,7,8,9,
13 my friend would say this about me, i have a couple of her books, still haven't gotten to them yet! :)
14,15,16,17
19 hahahaha, this has happened way to many times. A tablet hurts worse lol
20 AMEN!!!
I bought used paperback copies of favorites to "lend." I don't mind that I never got them back....but I cry with loneliness because I lent very thoughtfully... like a matchmaker, book and friend, and the whole point was that maybe we could have a conversation about this book in the future and I think only one friend in decades has ever read such a lent book and talked to me about it. I quit lending/giving because I can't stand that loneliness.
Zoe wrote: "I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness.""Yes! Also, loving a book that no one you know has read.
Angélique wrote: "Zoe wrote: "I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness.""Yes! Also, loving a book that no one you know has read."
:D talking about a good book is almost as good as reading the said good book. no?
Lol....so many of these are so very much me....lol...
Elise wrote: "When you loan a paperback book to a friend and you get it back with the spine creased and you want to kill them, but they are still your friend, so you are torn (so you just hit them with the book ..."BAH!! You're one of those too. I also feel kinda sad for my book when that happens.
i am 61 years old and have read since i was 4. i lost the centaral vision in my left eye about 10 years ago, now i am losing it in the right...i read never less than a book a week, usually 2, but now i need large print and a maagnifier. what do i do now, i hate audio books...it's like listening to a movie. Heartbroken
i think 'all of the above' will be my answer if it comes as an mcq n mayb more. n i hv found solutions to most of the problems in some way or the other, but one problem that just doesn't go is at point no. 5 (actually i am not even sure i want it to go away because the feeling so freaking awesome). just that it doesn't help in shortening my ever increasing tbr list
A wholehearted "Yep" on 19 out of these 20 statements. The book packing is no longer an issue because of my ereader. I can bring All The Books!
How about when you are reading a book and someone sees you reading and tells you what happens. Or getting halfway thru a book and not being able to stand the suspense so you skip to the end.
Reshma wrote: "Elise wrote: "When you loan a paperback book to a friend and you get it back with the spine creased and you want to kill them, but they are still your friend, so you are torn (so you just hit them ..."I'm glad I'm not the only one too ^^ It just seems like it's physical abuse to my poor book (which is why I only lend my hardcovers out now; too many friendships almost ruined hahaha)
Judy wrote: "i am 61 years old and have read since i was 4. i lost the centaral vision in my left eye about 10 years ago, now i am losing it in the right...i read never less than a book a week, usually 2, but n..."With ebooks you can enlarge the characters as you like
i could relate to all the points mentioned above. In addition i spend a lot of time on book stores deciding which book to buy and which to order online. And when waiting for someone, i pray to make them late so that i can get few more minutes to read the book .
It is crazy how i feel completely concerned with this list!! especially 5 and 17 I'm having those problems right now LOL :)
People who want to borrow books you own but haven't read yet, or pick them up and flick through them. Especially if it is a new book rather than second hand. Those are MY words and I get to read them first.
Angélique wrote: "Zoe wrote: "I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness.""Yes! Also, loving a book that no one you know has read."
I frequently have that problem. I can think of at least 3 series Everyone Loved and I never even finished the first book. Plus, since I read while most of my friends do not I am always getting eye rolls when I go on and on about how good something is.
I agree, to many of the books that everyone else raves about left me feeling something was wrong with me because I didn't love it too!
Answering questions like - "Why do you even like this book?" "Why are you buying a book? It's a waste, you are gonna read it once""Stop over acting! It's just a book, what's the big deal?"
"YOU HAVE SOOOOOOO MANY BOOKS, YOU WANT MORE?"
So true!! Especially number 15... get's me in trouble every time, as I'm not able to get up in the morning when I have to get to work!
1, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 20 are me, me, me. Also these:Ava wrote: "My reading list is longer than my lifespan"
THIS is my reality!
Zoe wrote: "I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness.""
Oh, yes. I have a shelf dedicated to those books.
Cecilia wrote: "spending hours in the bookstore just looking, yearning, wanting, craving (or in the library if i'm short on money or space)"
And online. Good grief, but I need to stay away from the Kindle store.
Harryd wrote: "for me it find another book I'd give 5 shinning stars to"
YES! The eternal search.
Angélique wrote: "Also, loving a book that no one you know has read."
Ah, yes. The forgotten gem. I need to make a shelf for those.
Judy wrote: "i am 61 years old and have read since i was 4. i lost the centaral vision in my left eye about 10 years ago, now i am losing it in the right...i read never less than a book a week, usually 2, but n..."
Oh, Judy. This is one of my worst fears. My heart goes out to you. Do try an ereader as Cecilia said, if you haven't. I can't take audiobooks either, even though I've heard you can speed up the speaking rate now. I hope you find some way to read on.
Vivian wrote: "How about when you are reading a book and someone sees you reading and tells you what happens. Or getting halfway thru a book and not being able to stand the suspense so you skip to the end."
I would never speak to that person again for the first part, but I do the second part! I am so bad! Trying to quit.
beautywithbooks wrote: "And when waiting for someone, i pray to make them late so that i can get few more minutes to read the book ."
Or they get there, and I'm annoyed because I have to stop reading! It's horrible manners.
Heather wrote: "I can think of at least 3 series Everyone Loved and I never even finished the first book. Plus, since I read while most of my friends do not I am always getting eye rolls when I go on and on about how good something is. "
I have a few series like that too. But the second part, that is me to a tee. I am not exactly surrounded by readers. My friends and associates are pretty tolerant, so I'm lucky that way, but it's not the same as being able to talk to someone else excited about the book.
I would add, 'trying to explain what you are reading when someone sees you reading in public and asks.' Always catches me flatfooted. I'm invariably reading something complicated and/or shocking to explain when that happens (e.g. The Sea Came in at Midnight). Sometimes I just lie and tell them about the last easy to explain thing I read.
Ava wrote: "My reading list is longer than my lifespan"I feel you xD
Living in a town where no one reads at all! I'm slowly dying from the loneliness...
Having a reading order list for the hundreds of books you already have, but picking up another book that's either way down on the list, or one that you recently bought and haven't added to the list. And THEN buying a few more books.
I've done at least 15 of the 20. Number 19 cracked me up because that's happened to me several times. I'm just glad the book hasn't been heavy enough to cause any actual damge!
