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20 Problems Only Book Lovers Understand
Non-bibliophiles don't always feel your pain…but you're among friends here! We asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a problem only book lovers understand? We got more than 1,000 amazing responses. Check out some of our favorites and share your own bookish struggles in the comments.
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
Don't see your reader-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.
Check out more recent blogs:
7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week
Your Most Successful Book Club Picks
Readers to the Rescue: Your Best Book Club Tips
(Top image credit: Illustration by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's Matilda.)
Comments Showing 801-850 of 922 (922 new)
When someone borrows your book and it is returned with a damaged cover and pages."
And when they leave oil marks on the pages
And when they leave oil marks on the pages
When you're rereading a book in a popular series and people come up to you saying "Oh my gosh you haven't read that" . "There's such a thing as rereading!!!!!!" my mind shouts, but I tell them I'm rereading it and keep reading cuz hey it's a good story.
Simi wrote: "Rouan wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Going to the library and finding out they have the first 2 books in a trilogy but DONT HAVE THE LAST ONE!!!!"Or, they have the last two but not the first one!"
Always attempted to get an entire series for the library I worked at. In fact I kept a series of authors and their series. But now that I'm retired I find the new order librarian doesn't seem to care . So you might the first four then the fifth is skipped but they buy the sixth? Why? It's sad.
Pearl wrote: "When you're rereading a book in a popular series and people come up to you saying "Oh my gosh you haven't read that" . "There's such a thing as rereading!!!!!!" my mind shouts, but I tell them I'm ..."Omg this happens all the time.
Laura wrote: "I have a few to add:- Wanting to continue your book but you really can't because student responsibilities and deadlines
- 1 word: READING SLUMP
- Going on goodreads to look up a book someone recommended and ending up adding 10 new books to your to read list
- NO MONEY FOR NEW BOOKS."
Wonderful ... ^_^
I have been guilty of all but have fixed a couple of the issues - I have a Kindle PaperWhite - have thousands of books with me at any given time so that I can read whatever I want
It's good to know that I'm not the only one who suffers from Cold Book-holding-hand Syndrome. And I have dropped a book on my face before.
Pearl wrote: "1) Walk to a bookstore/library to "browse" but come out with 5+ books.2)Changing positions
3)Having the feels in public
4) Being afraid because people will judge your book by its cover
5)Constantl..."
I especially like your #8. It destroys a book when you dog-ear or lay the book down opened.
Matthew wrote: "I might be the only weirdo with this issue. When I cannot get to the end of a chapter, I always like to read until there is a page that a sentence ends on. I look ahead to the page and shoot for th..."You're not the only one.
Pearl and Boy walking in Boy's house
Pearl:Nice house
Boy: Thanks
Pearl:Can I see your bookshelf?
Boy:Sure
(They enter his living room)
Pearl: Have you read all of these books?(Shows signs of surprise )
Boy:Nah, they're just for decoration
Pearl:(Cringes) I'm sorry, I can't be with you. Have a nice day.(Runs out of the house as quickly as possible).
Pearl:Nice house
Boy: Thanks
Pearl:Can I see your bookshelf?
Boy:Sure
(They enter his living room)
Pearl: Have you read all of these books?(Shows signs of surprise )
Boy:Nah, they're just for decoration
Pearl:(Cringes) I'm sorry, I can't be with you. Have a nice day.(Runs out of the house as quickly as possible).
Yvette wrote: "Sitting in public reading and you come across a funny witty passage! You laugh out loud and people look at you as if you've lost your marbles."And sitting on the school bus and being called a freak because you always have your head in a book.
Thinking you have about 50 pages left in a book, then its turns out to be a preview for another book.
I have spent years trying to convince my friends that stacks of books everywhere is a legitimate form of decor--and I give most of my books away after I read them.
John wrote: "Simi wrote: "Rouan wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Going to the library and finding out they have the first 2 books in a trilogy but DONT HAVE THE LAST ONE!!!!"Or, they have the last two but not the firs..."
These days that"librarian" making the decision is sometimes a computer algoritm. I read an interesting article a few months back about human librarians gaming the system by getting library cards under false names, checking out the books and later returning them.
I am amazed at some of the books I bought as library discards, in that while they were very good books, they did not seem the type a library would have obtained multiple copies of.
I prefer physical books, but need to recycle many through thrift, library, or secondhand stores. If I die before my wife does, the ones I still have would likely be trashed, and what a waste that would be.
Having my glasses fog up while trying to read in the tub.
Felicia wrote: "I have no shame in saying I suffer from all the above-stated problems."Yep, I completely agree with this except for the bathtub one. I can't bear getting in the tub and bringing a book with me, the terror of dropping my book in the water is too great to risk. I've gladly given up nice long baths to read books instead.
I must admit to all of these behaviours. Now that I have a Kindle, I am able to carry all the books I need whe travelling.
Steven wrote: "I too suffer from most of the mentioned problems, most notably lack of shelf space. We have remodeled twice now to increase shelf space. Now we either need another, major remodel or a move to an al..."agreed! the real thing is so much better!
I have fallen victim to all of the sad situations above, but another one for me is: going on a trip and someone orders you not to bring books because they know that you'll spend more time stuck in a book than you will spend with them.....
Lottie wrote: "Also should I choose paperback or hardcover? Hardcover looks better but paperback is easier to read!"Once you get a Kindle, the question becomes: paperback, hardcover or kindle? :D
James wrote: "Having to buy additional luggage when traveling because of all the books I bought during the trip."Wow... that's incredible! Additional luggage is the only reason that stops me from buying more books. Perhaps I should consider adding more luggage next time too :)
Vanessa wrote: "Going to the library and finding out they have the first 2 books in a trilogy but DONT HAVE THE LAST ONE!!!!"Or they have the second and third, but not the first one !
your friends wont help you move because of your books.
I agree Vanessa. Wouldn't you think that Libraries would commit to a series in total. Only get rid of them when the last in the series meets its used by date.
Feeling the feel that whatever the book people feels : sad, happy, desperate, brave..
Wow, I need to show these remarks to my husband! People like me DO exist!
Steampunk wrote: "Maya wrote: "Oh my gosh. ALL of these apply to me! I hate when people tell me I can't read and walk at the same time. When you've mastered the art, you've nothing to fear."
So True"
I agree!!!
Kimberly wrote: "Wow, I need to show these remarks to my husband! People like me DO exist!"We do!!! We do exist!!
#21 - Having 10 books ready to be started, but none of them have the tone you want right then.#22 - Tripping over the giant stack of books that don't fit on the shelf.
My biggest problem is one I don't see up there. I guess it is a little more unique to me than most book lovers, although I know that there are others who share my pain. I'm a librarian at a busy high school library. My problem is seeing so many good books bombarding me all day long and starting way too many at once...but even worse, really not having time or it really being appropriate to read all day long at work. (Yes...librarians really have work to do and can't simply read all day long on the job)
Also, when one of the books you are reading is both wider and shorter than the other so that there is no possible way to stack them so that the smaller book is on top.
I had to take the PSAT in the school library, so I went early so that I could peruse the bookshelves beforehand and check out any good ones on the shelf in front of my spot so that I wouldn't stare at the books all through the test.
When you have to write down all the books you've read in the last year and you don't have enough room to write them all down. Or even when you had to write down how many books you've read when you've read too many to count.
Sara wrote: "When you have to write down all the books you've read in the last year and you don't have enough room to write them all down. Or even when you had to write down how many books you've read when you'..."Or when you forget to write them down and you can't remember. Currently trying to update my goodreads shelf...impossible to get them all.
Angel wrote: "I have fallen victim to all of the sad situations above, but another one for me is: going on a trip and someone orders you not to bring books because they know that you'll spend more time stuck in..."
That has happened to me many times.
Priscilla wrote: "My biggest problem is one I don't see up there. I guess it is a little more unique to me than most book lovers, although I know that there are others who share my pain. I'm a librarian at a busy hi..."I often start 2 or 3 at once and then a day or two later drop them all and focus on something else. I am a restless reader. LOL.
When you know more book lovers on Goodreads than in real life.
Oh my goodness this is too funny! I laughed out loud at a lot of these that are so true!
Angel wrote: "Steampunk wrote: "Maya wrote: "Oh my gosh. ALL of these apply to me! I hate when people tell me I can't read and walk at the same time. When you've mastered the art, you've nothing to fear."
So ..."
And it's hereditary. My children do it too... walking alongside a busy road ARRGGHH
Annerlee wrote: "Angel wrote: "Steampunk wrote: "Maya wrote: "Oh my gosh. ALL of these apply to me! I hate when people tell me I can't read and walk at the same time. When you've mastered the art, you've nothing ..."
I was doing that, when I was very young. Only in desolate places.
I fit all these, but I did find a solution to #18 - Nook or Kindle, makes going on trips so much easier. Yes, I prefer the real thing, but for trips one small book for the suitcase, as many books as you want for the trip!
Rudely waking the kitten who was curled on my lap, by dropping the paperback on her, as I nodded off at 1am. Then woke up and got a few pages further on, before I did it again. Too gripping to give up completely, and had finished the book by 2am, but kitten gave up and slept beside me after that!
Funny no-one has mentioned the vortex that book stores have. I cannot pass a book store without getting sucked into the store, it is like I have no control over my body.And as for downloading the Kindle free books, it is some sort of obsession with me.
Rouan wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Going to the library and finding out they have the first 2 books in a trilogy but DONT HAVE THE LAST ONE!!!!"Or, they have the last two but not the first one!"
YEESSSSSSS! Why don't libraries every buy the whole series?
I completely relate to all of these, but I have 3 to add.1. A book you loved becomes a movie, but the movie screws it up and the characters look completely wrong.
2. You finish a book at 3 am and the book store is closed so you have to wait to read the next one in the series.
Caroline wrote: "I completely relate to all of these, but I have 3 to add.1. A book you loved becomes a movie, but the movie screws it up and the characters look completely wrong.
2. You finish a book at 3 am and ..."
Definitely your second point, but didn't you say there's a third?
Or when you find a phrase you agree with and be like "Oh my goodness yeah" and people just stare.