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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 301-350 of 922 (922 new)
message 301:
by
Kourtney
(new)
Mar 15, 2017 10:07PM
This list speaks to my bookish soul! Although I don't mind about the movie cover. My number 21 would be feeling sorry for people who ask me what I am reading, and then reply with "oh. I don't read." WHAAAAA?
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Michelle wrote: "Mwanamali wrote: "Trying to keep the book dry while reading in the bath." Patricia BolandFAVOURITE"
this was me yesterday!! I've only ever dropped one in once. I was ashamed."
HOW COULD YOU?????? haha jk!!!
Being in the middle of an important moment in a book reading/listening and then someone suddenly yells disturbing you out of the book by wanting you to do something.
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 re..."
Totaly Agree~
I can agree to all mentioned problems, though I would never dare to read a book in bath. To add my own two cents:- standing before my overflowing bookshelf in desperation because I just can't decide which book to read next
- then remembering a book that must be in there somewhere but not being able to find it
- lying in bed, desperately wanting to read a couple more pages, but falling asleep every few seconds, so reading the same passage over and over again before finally capitulating to Morpheus' pull with a growing headache.
Kira wrote: ""Problems of a Book Nerd" blog on tumblr has 980 problems if somebody wants more. (This is not an ad.)"Nice blog, thanks for mentioning it. Guess it would work great as a whole book or as postcards, printed t-shirts... Though I would never be able to settle for just one slogan ;)
One of my favorite T-shirts says it all for me: "There is no such thing as too many books."
Oh so many! Constantly adding to my library wishlist and never being able to keep up or decide which one I feel like picking up next. Near-misses with bikes, cars, people and telephone poles because I have my nose buried in a book while I walk! And having to explain to co-workers that "no thanks, I'd rather eat lunch here with a book than go out." Also being compelled to reread an ENTIRE series when the new one finally finally comes out.
Felicia wrote: "I have no shame in saying I suffer from all the above-stated problems."Same
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 re..."
YOU & ME BOTH :) :) :) i always have to wait until i can find some to purchase at ThriftBooks ... don't always get them in order ~ if they are in a series ~
right now i'm in a slump :( :( :( i've been looking for a discussion group that shares my love of christian fiction ... but within the older section of books rather than brand new ones which i cannot afford to purchase !!!
I can relate to most of them. I think for me my kindle is way too precious than anything!Confessions of bookaholic is my situation! I love them, adore them, value them etc. Just cannot control buying them.
Have given up my bookshelves and switched to kindle.
Addicted to my kindle. I can leave my house without my phone or money but never without my kindle. Absolutely gorgeous and beautiful companion (Husband is already jealous!)
If we had a fire at my house, I would grab two things: my cat and my Kindle (not necessarily in that order).
Spoilers!!!Don't you even dare tell me what happens next!
Oh my! Someone just shared all those feelings of mine....!
Yes. Yes to all of them. I love being part of a community who gets it!!
This list of problems made my day.I am guilty as charged of all the problems mentioned.
Can't say I've ever read in the bath. I've listened to audiobooks in the shower, though. But it sounds nice in theory.
One more issue for me - I think I'm in the black list in 3 libraries. I just want to bring them all home, so I take maximum that they allow (usually 5 or so) and somehow always fail to bring them back before the deadline.
All of them! Also, getting to the amazing part of the book but you can't squeal or laugh because it's three in the morning and everyone else is asleep.
It's terribly true! #20 holds true in every way possible. So much to do and make, but so little time we have.
Do Your Reading wrote: "My problem is starting too many books at the same time because I'll be in the middle of a good book but find something else that is so much more interesting that I have to start it even before I fi..."Same here. While reading one book i see another book with an interesting title or plot and feel just a few pages can't hurt. I can definitely follow two stories at once. But the same thing happens again and all of a sudden i am reading three to four books at once.
Not exactly a problem but if you move around town with public transportation you know what I speak of:
Getting the stink or the is s/he crazy? eye because you laugh out loud/smile/crack up because of something in the story you're reading and you are in a bus/train/subway.
EDIT:
Btw the getting interrupted isn't just at the end that it's annoying, but at points like the MCs finally getting together, while you are in the middle of angst, when the MCs are getting their shit together and resolve things, or practically any point in a book that has you high on feelings!!
Getting the stink or the is s/he crazy? eye because you laugh out loud/smile/crack up because of something in the story you're reading and you are in a bus/train/subway.
EDIT:
Btw the getting interrupted isn't just at the end that it's annoying, but at points like the MCs finally getting together, while you are in the middle of angst, when the MCs are getting their shit together and resolve things, or practically any point in a book that has you high on feelings!!
Sonia189 wrote: "For me, all are true dilemmas except #10. I never get my books close to the tub..."Thank you. Exactly what I was thinking.
Oh, and #12 isn't usually an issue.
Vanessa wrote: "Going to the library and finding out they have the first 2 books in a trilogy but DONT HAVE THE LAST ONE!!!!"Going to the library, finding the second book in a series, checking in whenever you go back over a period of a couple months, looking it up and realising they don't actually have the first one.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....how did you know all my book problems?
Experienced all above. Maybe except 10 - I am more a "shower person" - and no books during a shower.Ebookreaders solved my luggage-problems. "Before ebookreaders" I decided to travel to New Zealand via the US, because baggage allowance was 2 x 32 kg per person, while routing via Asia only allows 1 x 20 kg. It was impossible to pack clothing and books for 5 weeks and not exceed 20 kg....
Fortunately nobody in my family or traveling with me questioned this decision
Maybe it's blasphemy for many book lovers but some of these points can be solved with ebooks.Like:
'16. "When you have a book with you, but it's not the one you wanted to read right then." Virginia Osborne'
or
'18. "Packing for a trip and never being able to bring enough books." Erika Gallion'
I have all of my books with me all the time, and I read what I want.
Thought it raises a new one:
Not finding the ebook version of the book you want to read anywhere, and you don't want to go back to paper.
That's my biggest problem.
They missed the other problem with travelling: Packing too many books to make sure the one you want to read at the given time is among them - causing backpain. Oh, and of course reading in public transport, where people can't shut up and you forgot your headphones.
Trying to hold the book and turn pages while standing on one leg in an overcrowded tram/subway/bus and holding two bags in the same hand as the book... That´s the challenge :D
Bookworm wrote: "David wrote: "When someone asks, "What are you reading now?" and you wonder which of the three books to tell them about.Or, you tell them about all three, and watch their eyes glaze over..."
LOL!..."
Lol 4books at once, that's cute.
Also, running into some road signs etc. because sometimes I even read walking from point A to B. In winter it's so challenging to turn a page with gloves on!
Do Your Reading wrote: "My problem is starting too many books at the same time because I'll be in the middle of a good book but find something else that is so much more interesting that I have to start it even before I fi..."That is definitely me. And I reach a point where I think I'll never finish any of them... and just die eventually under a pile of half-read books
My complete inability to DNF a book, no matter how bad.
Mine one is:Sleep takes over while reading the book and waking up again to finish it and the cycle goes on and on...
Another one: when you stop at the red light and say "Oh, I'll just take a look". Then you start to read and when you notice, someone is honking behind you because the light has already turned green.
i thought i was the only one, they all think am crazy haha
The dilemma between wanting to make someone close to you read a book you loved by giving it to them as a present, and wanting to keep it. Woe betide!
"When someone borrows your book and doesn't return it for ages!" Pallavi BNo, never. A book is like a lover; I never lend mine and I never borrow someone else's...
Taryn wrote: "My dilemma is closer to when I can't find a place to stop reading... and it's 6:00am, I have been binge reading a series, and I have a test that day that I should have been studying for."This is too relatable. Oh dear.
Sometimes I start a book that Is moving slowly and thinking, oh I wished I picked the other one and wishing that for the next 30 chapters. Having so much on your to read list means you resent any book that doesn't prick your fancy right from the start. Often too , they turn out to be the best books.
Since having a Kindle I still have these problems :) Far too many books on my device waiting to be read yet a growing wish list that grows daily and almost daily buys it is far too easy to grow a book collection (as it should be!) I will never stop being an avid book reader and I like that my love of books is relatable to so many others :)
Linda wrote: "Autumn wrote: "Knowing that someday I will die and my to-read list will be just as full as it is today."Or even longer, considering I add 3-5 new books for each one I read."
Amen to this!
1. is expressed more in "adding books to want-to-read even though you still have 80+ books on that list (not counting sequels)"2. Yes!
3. I have this with a lot of my possessions, not just books ...
4. I always read during my commute, and I'm often near the end of a chapter when I need to get off the train.
5. Yes. But I still start a new one immediately after anyways, because I have nothing else to do during my commute :)
6. I rarely go to a library anymore tbh ...
7. Yes! Especially ASOIAF. Still haven't read Dance With Dragons because books 6 and 7 aren't out yet anyways, and I remember little from the first 4 books.
8. Yes!
9. I usually start series when all the books are written already.
10. I always take a shower :) Without a book of course!
11. True.
12. Every morning when I eat oatmeal. Except when I'm using my e-reader.
13. I rarely lend out books.
14. Yes!
15. In bed, no. On the train, most definitely.
16-19. Haven't really had those issues yet I think.
20. Yes!
