Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion
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How/when did your addiction start?
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Chris
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Jul 27, 2011 04:10PM
The earliest signs of my impending book buying addiction appeared when I was a kid. I used to love getting the little Scholastic books newsletter thing in school and would spend a long time poring over it to choose which books I wanted. Also every Christmas my Uncle would give me a Barnes & Noble giftcard, and my dad's side of the family would all go to the huge B&N in South Bend, IN. I thought it was the greatest place ever. I still remember being chastised by my dad when I tried to purchase 20 books at once, and when I got home with the ones I was allowed to buy, I read 4 straight before he forced me to stop reading
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I can't actually remember the time when I couldn't read. There were always books around me, since my mum is a huge bookworm, and just as hopelessly addicted to buying books as I am. I guess she just passed that gene onto me (neither my dad nor my sister are readers and they always look at mum & me as if we're lunatics). Ever since I can remember I wanted more books, my letters to Santa were usually just long lists of new books I wanted, same for my birthday or any other pending occasion. My pocket money was usually spent in more or less equal parts on books and lollipops (don't ask, I'm cured of this obsession at least :P ). And it never stopped.
I too dont remember not reading.
My dad is a big reader and our house is full of them.
like chrissy I remember the Schoolastic newsletter and book fair that came around to our school...mum thought it was a night mare taking me cause well I would want everything...and most of them not from my "suited age group". I remember once dad took me...and the lady told me the book I had picked up had some hard words and scary themes best suited to 14 year olds or something...my father just looked at her and said..my daughter can read whatever she wants.
I know have a goal the own more books then dad.
my mother still looks at us like we are crazy...but it doesn't stop her coming into my room and taking books I have bought lol.
I dont think the addiction will ever leave...and I dont want it too!
My dad is a big reader and our house is full of them.
like chrissy I remember the Schoolastic newsletter and book fair that came around to our school...mum thought it was a night mare taking me cause well I would want everything...and most of them not from my "suited age group". I remember once dad took me...and the lady told me the book I had picked up had some hard words and scary themes best suited to 14 year olds or something...my father just looked at her and said..my daughter can read whatever she wants.
I know have a goal the own more books then dad.
my mother still looks at us like we are crazy...but it doesn't stop her coming into my room and taking books I have bought lol.
I dont think the addiction will ever leave...and I dont want it too!
I remember those Scholastic newsletters! I discovered the wonderful Marguerite Henry horse stories that way, back in the (gulp) early 70s. I became a serious bookbuying addict with the advent of Barnes & Noble, and got much much worse when I discovered Amazon. Amazon has become my crack.
Yay for Scholastic!! Loved getting those.
so great I found Heartland Collection: Coming Home, After the Storm, Breaking Free, Taking Chances, Come What May, One Day You'll Know, Out of the Darkness, Thicker Than Water, Etc. I used to be obsessed with horse books when I was little lol
I was obsessed with horse and dog books when I was little. The Thoroughbred series was the greatest ever. I fell in love from the very first book and have every one from 1-70ish. I was bummed when they switched authors repeatedly, but it was still a great series
:O I remember that series...I dont think I read them all, thats a lot of books lol
I know how my addiction started although I'm not sure how old I was. Every Saturday after dinner, my dad would drive us four kids (we were the average baby boomer family) to Woolworth's and let us pick out a Little Golden book. Then he would take us to the local ice cream parlour. We would sit in the back seat, eat our ice cream and read our books - I suspect our parents saw it as quiet time but, for us, it was time with our dad. Thus, book ownership became equated with happiness and so an addiction was born.
Ditto on not being able to remember not reading, and on Scholastic. And my sister got me a library card at a crazy early age; my poor sainted father drove me and waited for me at least once a month, and I always brought home as many as I could carry. But I've always preferred owning to borrowing. Always.
hhaha My parents thought the library was the best idea for me to...hours of waiting for me and the piles of books i bought home soon got old hahah
Those Scholastic newsletters used to get me in trouble! Once (around 1968) I had to tell my folks that I had ordered $20 worth of books! Ouch!!! That was a whole lot of $$$. I blame it on them, though...my Mom signed me up to get The Happy Hollisters delivered to our house every month. I was in a book club at 7 yrs old!I am told I could read at 4, but don't remember ever NOT reading. For me it was The Black Stallion books, Dr. Doolittle, The Happy Hollisters, Little House on the Prairie, Conan the Barbarian. Basically anything I could get my hands on. In third grade I actually asked the school librarian to help me figure out what order I should read the Little House books in. Needless to say, she was a little surprised that I would care about the order.
Neither of my parents read much, My mum read her first propper novel about a year ago because I demanded that she did. Ive only ever saw my Dad with one book and he didn't read it all.But both my parents were big on my reading. The beggining of every summer holiday Mum would take me into town to get paints, new crayons/Chalks/Charcholes, matching pencil cases and folders and a trip to the library on the way back to join the summer book club.
At about 6 years old I asked my dad to buy me some of my own books and I ended up with lord of the rings and the hobbit. (brilliant first propper book, but I struggled)
Once I got to secondary school I saved my dinner money and brought books. But the addiction didnt start untill I got to college and started work at 16. Since then my piles of beautiful books just gets bigger :D
Samantha wrote: "Neither of my parents read much, My mum read her first propper novel about a year ago because I demanded that she did. Ive only ever saw my Dad with one book and he didn't read it all.But both ..."
Samantha, just like you, Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings were the first books i read, when i was about 8 or 9. I agree, great first books to read, but to appreciate Tolkien, one must really look past his long-winded passages and over-worded descriptions. LOTR is where I began my journey of obsessive reading. It took a while for me to read them if i remember correctly, but I have grown accustomed to this wonderful story and I try to make the effort to read it once a year.
Like most of you, I can't remember ever NOT loving to read. My brother was 12 years older than me and every Friday when he got paid he would take me to the drug store and buy me 10 comic books, which was $1.00 back in those days! I thought he was the greatest brother (and still do).
Both my parents are into reading and they must have passed it on to us kids. As a baby, I wasn't interested in toys, just books. And now it's an obsession.I remember those Scholastic order forms that we'd get in school. Those were bad news for me. Or for my parents, rather. We didn't have a lot of money so they'd have to tell me 'no' more often than not. Any money I got I saved up to order books. They did always make sure to have enough money to buy each of us four kids at least one book when the Scholastic book fair came to our school every year. That was pure heaven for me.
They were good about bringing us to the library and I'm another one that would walk out with as many books as I could carry. We all had our own library cards as soon as we were able and when we got old enough to walk there on our own, that's where I'd always be. Good times.
Right until my early 20's I was actually fine with going to the library - a lot - and bringing home piles of books to read and then return. I still very very rarely read a book more than once, but while I studied literature at the university I bought my books (so I could keep them and write notes in them), and discovered nice editions, and THEN I went to work in a bookshop, where I got a discount, and I started reading more and more fantasy and books in English - that they didn't have in the library, and it was sort of downhill from there!
old enough to read by myself about 6 I think. I read at a high school level in middle school and I was in a reading group by myself when I started 1st grade.
My grandmother on my mom's side used to be a teacher. She would have us read Hooked on Phonics everyday before we could go out and play, and for some strange reason, I loved it. I used to read everything I could get my hands on, but at that time it was only short stories. I was like five, give me some slack. But when I was nine, we got evicted from mmy first home and certain things couldn't come along with us. Namely, my books. My mom said "you've already read them, why keep them?" she didn't understand. Those stories were memories, they were little trinkets of my childhood, that reminded me of good times that I had while I was reading the book. That's when my addiction started. But I've always loved to read, and I'd borrow books, more than I bought them, but everytime I get a little money that I can just spend on anything, the first place I go is to the bookstore.
Louise wrote: "and THEN I went to work in a bookshop, where I got a discount..."Yeah, that didn't help in my case, either. :) Between that discount and friends-of-the-library sales in the area, I think my hoard doubled in size in the year and a half I worked for Barnes & Noble.
I firmly believe I'll have to have a job at a bookstore when I retire if I'm gonna be able to continue my addiction....
I have always been a collector. The sight of repeated objects aligned and on display sends a chill through my body. Anything in mass has this affect on me be it postage stamps, antique maps or automobiles. What is more natural than a shelf lined with books; proud, stiff, tall and upright like a line of soldiers. The aesthetic aspect of books was what first attracted me to them at a very early age. I had quite an impressive collection before I could actually read. In grade school we were stimulated to read by means of awards, handed out at the end of each school year. These impressive pages of parchment were adorned with shiny golden seals, each representing a certain number of books read. The sight of a multitude of glistening stamped emblems again sent that shiver down my spine and encouraged me to concentrate on collecting as many as I could. My first tactic was to read all of the skinniest books in the local library (after all, a book is a book). When they became scarce I attacked the heavily illustrated ones. My quest was incessant and at the year’s end I had achieved very impressive numbers. My pride was short-lived as I had to prepare for the next school year. I spent my summer vacation either in the local library or with my head in a book. Easy pickings were becoming scarce so I had to expand my horizons. Zane Gray’s “Fighting Caravans” was the book that finally opened the world of literature for its own sake and not exclusively for the golden seals. This was the first of many. This was the first book void of pictures (page after page of written words); it was also the first to break the 100 page mark. It was, most importantly, the first book to show me that books were more than soldiers in a line or stamps on a piece of paper. Books had become friends that stayed with me wherever I went. Imagine, I read “Fighting Caravans” more than fifty years ago and I still remember it as if it was yesterday.
Hello all! I saw the name of this group and knew I had to be a part of it. I honestly don't remember a time when reading wasn't my number one hobby. I also used to get those Scholastic newsletters at school and without fail at least half of it would be highlighted for my mom to buy for me. When I couldn't afford books or my mom couldn't pay for them the library was like my second home. I have hundreds of books and all my bookshelves are stacked 2 or 3 deep at least...and still don't have room. Now I have a Nook e-reader and my book buying is insane. I have over 275 books on my Nook and don't even have to find shelf room for them! And yet, not only am I buying ebooks but I still find myself buying paper books too. What can I say, I'm a hopeless addict.
I really didn't begin reading heavy till I was in my 20s. My wife and I took off on a trip hitchhiking around the world in December of 1970. We learned real quick that if we went out of an evening to a bar or nightclub with fellow travelers we would burn two or three days travel so we stayed in and read books. That's how I got started reading. However, I really became an addict after I read "Booked to Die" by John Dunning in 2001. Now I can't go to a used book store without someone who will pull me out of there before I run my credit card to the max.
When I was a child, it would be a huge treat for me to go into a bookstore with my mum and be allowed to choose a book or two. She's the person who has always encouraged my addiction... I mean, my literary pursuits. If I'm um-ing and ah-ing over whether to buy a book or not, she'll tell me to do it! She's my enabler.I also remember going to the library a lot as a child. The book limit was forever a hindrance to me. Luckily, now I'm earning my own money I can buy books and there's no limit. Apart from space, money and time, of course.
my addiction started when my library started to not carry all the books I wanted to read, and then really got worse when my library system changed and started charging everyone who happen to live one inch out of their tax range. And now buying books is my stress reliever, and I get a huge thrill either ordering them online or walking into my favorite bookstore and grabbing as many books as I can carry.
My addiction started before I even entered elementary school. My older sister talks about how I used to pull all the books off our bookshelves because I wanted to "read" them. Twenty-five years later i am still pulling books off shelves to read them, but there are now coming from a bookstore into my house!!
I have loved books since I was very little. My mother had a little christian bookstore in what had been the living room of our home. I would sit on the floor and look at the children's books. Sometimes a salesman would be visiting when I was there and would give me a handful of new titles coming out. I loved that! Then when I was in the 4th grade (1966/67) I started reading the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, then whatever I could get my hands on from the libraries (school, public). I am still gravitate to books anywhere!
I also can't remember a time I didn't read. The Scholastic order form was heaven on earth. The trouble was narrowing down the choices to what I could talk my mother into buying. The pocketbook had limits.The first big (long/novel) book I ever owned was Little Women. My big sister bought it for me one year for Christmas and I loved it.
In the third grade, my teacher noticed I needed glasses. She called my parents. One, omg, the world wasn't fuzzy! Two, why did she think seeing to read books was so important? Three, reading is easy and fun now that I can see the shapes so clear! Four, books are only 5 cents each at the Salvation Army and free at the library one block from my elementary school! Five, in books I can find out about science, history, other cultures, travel to Venus with a funny deer or ride a black stallion all over the world or fight with Musketeers or escape from prison with a Count in the 1800's or live on deserted island with a family, or go pirating on the high seas, or etc. Etc. Etc. My most read books in elementary school: the Complete Sherlock Holmes, the Black Stallion books, O. Henry, and everything science fiction. Reading was the most exciting, greatest, and funnest thing to EVER happen. I'd had exciting things that weren't fun, but reading was the safest way to do exciting. I bless my third grade teacher every day. A BIG shout out to old Mrs. Arnold, in heaven!
My addiction started when I discovered that books that I wanted had gone out of print and became difficult (if not even impossible) to find - coming from a small country (Denmark), this is something that actually happens. Another drawback from coming from a small country is that not everything is released it (I'm not even thinking about translation, I'm specifically thinking about import) - what you find is typically what is "hot" at the moment, so checking out on-line stores with all their temptations and bargains only fuels this addiction. But luckily some specialised book stores do take special orders.
I grew up in a little village in Austria, and the only access to books was the tiny church library open only for an hour after Sunday service. I used to load up on books for the week, and by the time I was 11 I had read and re-read all the available children's books, so that the very kind librarian offered to let me read some of the adult works. I can't begin to remember how often I read the Enid Blyton series...
Rita wrote: "My addiction started when I discovered that books that I wanted had gone out of print and became difficult (if not even impossible) to find - coming from a small country (Denmark), this is somethin..."Holland isn't much larger but books (in any language) are plentiful and easy to find.
Hi! I'm new to this group and I stumbled across it because of my ridiculous need to buy and collect books. I recently purchased two books at my local Borders (which is going out of business) that simply looked interesting and because they were on sale, so I had to find something! Anyway, when I looked the book up here on Goodreads to log it into my list of TBR books, I found this group linked at the bottom. I didn't know this group existed, but if I didn't join, my husband would have signed me up. I not only read as much as I can, but I have to buy the books rather than get them at the library (which drives my husband crazy). I love knowing they are mine so I can go back to them any time I feel drawn to one in particular. I can't remember not being able to read, but I was an anomaly in my house - neither of my parents were readers nor was my brother. But each time I collected enough money from chores or babysitting, I would con someone into taking me down to the local used book store and browse for a couple of hours before loading up and heading home. I also find myself having to buy all the books in a given series, just in case I can't find them later. Sometimes I buy books because I love the author, because the cover is beautiful, or simply because it just sounds interesting.
Thom wrote: "Rita wrote: "My addiction started when I discovered that books that I wanted had gone out of print and became difficult (if not even impossible) to find - coming from a small country (Denmark), thi..."Actually, when you look at the size of the population, then Holland is a lot bigger than Denmark: 16.7 million opposed to 5.6 million, so it's no wonder that the market here is bigger!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...
Marsha wrote: "Hi! I'm new to this group and I stumbled across it because of my ridiculous need to buy and collect books. I recently purchased two books at my local Borders (which is going out of business) that ..."LOL ;) are you sure that we're not the same person together with the same guy ;-) hehehe
Welcome to the group by the way :)
Hi Steve,You sound like the proverbial mouse in the bakery or dog in the butcher shop. I’m sure the first reaction of many on this site is that you are in heaven. I can see both sides of the coin and think you may have many internal and external conflicts. I empathize with your dilemma. I wouldn’t want to be that close to my passion. Welcome to our elite and ever-expanding group.
I can identify with that! I am always on the prowl for new shops and new buys I never knew I coundn't live without.
Sammie =^.^= wrote: "my addiction started when my library started to not carry all the books I wanted to read, and then really got worse when my library system changed and started charging everyone who happen to live o..."I believe mine started when I moved because the library system in the new county did not have enough books to read and megabookstores were just opening up everywhere. Now with online bookstores the need to own the titles myself is just multiplied.
I don't remember not being able to read either! When I really little I loved my "baby" books, I had some little square ones about bears that were all hard thick pages. I think it was Scholastic that we got in school as well, I used to want sooo many books of it but I was limited as to how many I was actually allowed to order.I used to look forward to getting my pocket money at the weekend and tortured my mum to take me to the nearest Easons, NPO or Smyths (toy & book shop in a seaside town)... the worst part was deciding which book to buy that week!
I'm no better now... I cant walk past somewhere selling books without at least looking!
My whole family are great readers although neither of my daughters likes to read. I dont remember a time when we weren't at the library and all reading something. We would go through phases where we would all be reading the same author (eg Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Josephine Tey, Ngaio Marsh) and as soon as we'd finish one book we'd pass it onto someone else in the family.I think growing up with that happening, with a high importance placed on reading for pleasure as well as knowledge,meant that I didn't have much choice - sink or swim. Luckily I love reading, and from that love has come a desire to own books.
Like Vikki, I cant walk past anywhere selling books without looking.
Apparently for me it started even before I could read when I was a baby. My parents said I would play with books instead of my toys. After I learned to read, whenever I become interested in something, my mom would take me to the bookstore or the library and find books for me on that subject to encourage my reading. So I guess I was doomed to being a book buying addict fom the begining. Not that that's a bad thing!
For my tenth birthday my parents gave me a complete set of Jack London. I worked my way through all those books, and after that I always requested books for gifts.
My book buying addiction really took off once my kids started going to school all day. Before then I was really to busy to read a book and too tired at the end of the day. Now I go to the local thrift store at least once a week to get my book buying fix. Every few months I plan a trip to the "big" town to their multiple thrift stores. Then I come home with boxes of books. I just love it. It's calming and relaxing to me. I love to reorganize and look at all the books I get to choose from. I do occasionally give a book or two away.
As soon as I learned to read I was addicted. I not only loved to read but I also loved books. My Mom was exactly the same so I guess it maybe really started at birth! LOL
I also remember the Scholastic book flyers. (they're still around btw!--very powerful things!) I remember getting the first three The Little House Collection books in my first grade flyer. I was so excited! I think I would probably date my true obsession to fifth grade however. That is when I lent my A Little Princess book to a friend and she dropped it in a puddle. It was still readable, but it was puffy. I remember irritating my mom because I insisted on spending my birthday money on a book I already had--to replace the ruined copy!
My book-buying addiction started when I was at my undergraduate studies at university. I loved reading books way before this time, but it was during my tertiary studies that I started buying books in hordes due to the extra money I was amassing from my part-time work. Before I knew it, I have all these books that I just can't seem to fit anywhere in my room...
Ooops...I hadn't realized, that Amazon's follow your orders section, had this little piece of info on top of the page
94 orders placed in 2011
My husband wasn't all that impressed... ;)
I can't remember a time when I didn't read. I was the nerdy little girl with the cat-eye glasses and big ponytails. We could never afford the Scholastic book sales at school, but I always hit the library. I love reading and cannot see NOT having a book at all times. I think I spent more time poring over the scholastic lists for my kids, than they did!! ... gosh I love books... the smell, the texture of the pages... aaahhh
I've always been a reader, though in my younger days it was magazines. I guess I started with comic books, Archie and Richie Rich progressed to Batman and Superman. We always had Reader's Digest in the house, as long as I can remember. I started with Laughter, the Best Medicine and the other humor sections. And junior high study hall had Readers Digest annuals going back to about to the beginning.
Book Buying Addicts Anonymous
Books mentioned in this topic
The Little House Collection (other topics)A Little Princess (other topics)
