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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.)
Comments Showing 401-450 of 1,070 (1070 new)
Totally meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Kevin wrote: "Alex wrote: "Letting someone borrow a hardcover and having them lose or wreck the paper outer cover."I won't lend books out because of them being returned damaged."
I have actually gone so far as to *repair* damaged books that I borrow, be they from a friend or library. A little tape and glue can't fix everything, but they can make me feel better, and deter further damage...
I can understand all these problems especially laying in bed with very cold hands reading my book when the rest of my body is warm and cozy!
Getting a new job that now demands you cannot go on the bus and loses you three hours of reading time per day.
Cecilia wrote: "spending hours in the bookstore just looking, yearning, wanting, craving (or in the library if 'm short on money or space)"OMG the struggle is real
Erma wrote: "Natina wrote: "Having to index all next years reads by publication date so you can put them on hold at the library before the list gets too long.."I've actually had my maximum limit checked out a..."
Do not feel bad!
I was going to say "Chapeau!" :D
Grace wrote: "Is it just me, or do dog eared books make you mad?"I never dog ear pages! With my book that I love I stick little paper scraps in the pages I love to find them again or write the page numbers down on a piece of paper that I keep in the front. That way I am still respectful to the book.
Mel wrote: "Falling asleep mid read and losing the page you were up to :("
I used magnetic bookmarks for awhile to prevent myself froom loosing my page although they slow your reading pace if you keep moving them to your current page.
C-shaw wrote: "Amanda wrote: "This list is brilliant! It certainly made me laugh out loud. It's so recognisable that it's nearly embarrassing. What about telling yourself you're not going to buy books for the tim..."
I only own about 2 medium bookcases but I go to the library probably at least twice a week and have cards for 2 different nearby library systems.
Michelle wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Book wrote: "When a book ends with a Cliffhanger"That is horrible when that happens, especially if you have to wait for the next book to come out. With the Earth Children Series t..."
I know, it really was not the best book on the series. It did have some good plot points but you had to look for them in the sea of research she included. Some would be interesting but not that much. The book seemed like it was 60% research 20% repetition from the previous books and maybe 20% new story.
Vicki wrote: ""Hating a book everyone else loves"When everyone loves the movie created from the book and I hate it because it is nothing like the book except for the title.
Also people are amazed that not only..."
That is a great response! I remember once one of nephews who was not a reader asked me why I bothered reading a book more than once and didn't just watch the movie. As if all great books have movie adaptations and movies are rarely ever as good as the books. Not as much depth.
For us e-readers....how many or close to having to get a second reading device because we are running out of memory space and can't part with a single book to make room for more?I'm probably about 2 to 3 months away I think. Not that I have read everything yet but the mood might strike and I need to have them with me at all times just in case! LOL
going on a long trip and having to consider the weight of your suitcase against your determination to own a book and having to settle for the e-book instead
Erma wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Alex wrote: "Letting someone borrow a hardcover and having them lose or wreck the paper outer cover."I won't lend books out because of them being returned damaged."
I have actually ..."
I do that too! I Always tape the torn pages or covers of my library books because I do not want the damages getting any worse. People can be so disrespectful to their library books.
"Rearranging your bookshelf for the umpteenth time,then finish reading a book and having to AGAIN rearrange the shelf you just rearranged." -Nicollette Gregor
Caro wrote: ""Being forced to stop reading by other obligations, but choosing to ignore those obligations. Then getting in trouble." that's me in a nutshell"
Yes, yes, yes
Inkweaver wrote: "Living in a town where no one reads at all! I'm slowly dying from the loneliness..."Sadia wrote: "Ava wrote: "My reading list is longer than my lifespan"
I feel you xD"
I know this terrible loneliness. Kills me
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."
YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS THE STRUGLE IS REAL! AND YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH THEM BC YOU DON'T WANT TO SPOIL ANYTHING IN CASE THEY WANTED TO READ IT
When someone tell's you the plot or ending of a book you were intending to read.
Kelly wrote: "going on a long trip and having to consider the weight of your suitcase against your determination to own a book and having to settle for the e-book instead"Clicking the invisible "like" button!
Reading in bed, waking up at 3:00am with glasses still on and my belly is the bookmark.
I tried to explain #5 to a friend a couple days ago! It felt like I was trying to teach a monkey how to do my Math homework.
Black Butterfly wrote: "I tried to explain #5 to a friend a couple days ago! It felt like I was trying to teach a monkey how to do my Math homework."I feel you! It's the hardest one to explain, usually I just end up with people giving me a weird look and saying something along the lines of 'You need to get out more'
Vicki wrote: ""Hating a book everyone else loves"When everyone loves the movie created from the book and I hate it because it is nothing like the book except for the title.
Also people are amazed that not only..."
Oh My Gosh, yes!
Sage wrote: "I agree with all of the above and the comments as well...except I need an actual book. Kindles, ereaders just aren't the same as a real book. I love the feel, the smell, turning the pages. I don't ..."I can understand this, but when I go out of town, I tend to take three or four books with me because I don't know what I'll want to read and half the time I'll never get to any of it. With my kindle, I only add a few ounces to my luggage, and I can have hundreds of books with me. I don't like reading on an iPad though. I thought I wouldn't like the Kindle, but I do. Not the same but almost as good.
Warren wrote: "they forgot not having enough money to buy books and pay the bills :("I work at a library, and my dad's like, "Just use the library." I say that it's not the same. I want to admire my bookcase...which is spotless while the rest of my room is a total disaster.
Cassandra wrote: "Warren wrote: "they forgot not having enough money to buy books and pay the bills :("I work at a library, and my dad's like, "Just use the library." I say that it's not the same. I want to admire..."
Same here (the bookshelf part). It's like I don't want to clean my room, so I organize my bookshelves instead.
I relate with pretty much all of these, and add "people trying to start a conversation with you when you are clearly immersed in something."
Jessmuhs wrote: "I relate with pretty much all of these, and add "people trying to start a conversation with you when you are clearly immersed in something.""I know right? It's like why are you trying to talk to me when I'm clearly reading something. This should be a rule: If I'm reading a book, don't talk to me.
Book wrote: "Sometimes I wonder if my life was a book would it be interesting. Does anybody else have these thoughts?"No.
Oh my goodness, these are literally all my problems! Not enough time!!!
Having a library that sucks.
Zombieslayer/Alienhunter{Only Way i'm Leaving is Dead} wrote: "Having a library that sucks."Yeah, that sucks. Especially when they don't have the book you want and the bookshelves in your town also don't have the book that you want.
Grace wrote: "Zombieslayer/Alienhunter{Only Way i'm Leaving is Dead} wrote: "Having a library that sucks."Yeah, that sucks. Especially when they don't have the book you want and the bookshelves in your town al..."
Exactly.
19. "Having a book fall on your face because you're reading on your back while holding the book up." I read only on my kindle (because where I live books are awfully expensive) so when that happens it HURTS! I can't count how many times I've split my lip by having my kindle fall on my face
Knowing I won't live long enough to read all the books I want to read. (Sigh!)And Or possibly not living long enough or living longer than the author who is in the process of writing the books in the series I want to finish.... Egads what a dreadful thought!
1, 3, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 20--all sound like me.I'd like to add: Starting multiple books at once, then having to lay some aside because you can't ACTUALLY finish that many at one time. :)
Zoe wrote: "I would also add: "Hating a book that everyone loves, tell me about loneliness.""Or loving the book everyone hates :)
Ava wrote: "My reading list is longer than my lifespan"LOL, I hear you. :D
Laarni wrote: "This! I can still remember how shocked I was when my sister returned my Coraline and there was this thick crease on the spine. I hated it so much that I gave the book away as a present. ...
I guess that was overreacting but the crease."
I've done that too! My friend borrowed my brother's Artemis Fowl book that I lent her and when I got it back the entire spine was just mangled. I gave it to the library and bought my brother a hardcover edition. It made me sad to even see it like that.
Reading a book in afternoon while it's getting darker and darker but you just can't lay down the book to turn the lights on. (:
This list is spot on!!! My list is way out of control....it's so laughable!
Chelsea wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Book wrote: "When a book ends with a Cliffhanger"That is horrible when that happens, especially if you have to wait for the next book to come out. With the Earth ..."
Oh I had forgotten about the constant repetition. Ayla was different because she had grown up elsewhere and her accent was different etc etc etc, yeah i got that four books ago....
Erica wrote: "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 ..."
Omg! I know that feeling! It's especially frustrating if you actually took the time and EXPLAINS it to them and they STILL don't understand / ask the same question again. -.- I swear, it happens every time I go to the bookstore/library with a non-book lover.
Honestly, too much of this list relates to me. :)But I do have a solution for problem 12. Use your phone as weight to keep the pages down! Works perfectly, all you need to do is push it up and down while you read.
And 21: Knowing no one who reads as much and as happy as myself. :)
#1 and #6. I have more books than I could ever read and yet I still order more.And #16 "having a book with you but it is not the one you want to read right then." That is why I am always reading 3 books at once. i can switch to one of the others, depending on my mood
12. "Not being able to read and eat lunch at the same time because you don't have a third arm."This is a dilemma, but if you get the Overdrive app and connect to your local library, you can get audio eBooks to listen to. I do this all the time.
18. "Packing for a trip and never being able to bring enough books."
I am a fan of physical books, but this is where the eReader comes in handy. Unlimited books. And once again, the Overdrive app works for this. Perfect solution!
"Stop over acting! It's just a book, what's the big deal?"
"YOU ..."
I'm buying the book because all books needs a loving home. There are NEVER too many books . . . they keep shelves from being empty and feeling lonely.