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.)