While eBooks and audiobooks are quickly taking the world by storm, the feel of a book in my hands will always be my preference. If you are like me, you still find yourself drawn into the world of the pages that make you want more. Here are five signs that you may be a bibliophile.
1. You have more books than you have clothes.
If I had as many clothes and shoes as I have books, I would never be out of things to wear. While that would make doing laundry a marathon event, it would be beneficial when finding something to wear on date night. If you are like me it probably started out small—you bought a couple of books then a few more, and now you just cannot stop. There is nothing wrong with it—I quite enjoy being a bibliophile. It is a little tough on the wallet when supporting such a passion, which is why used bookstores are a sacred blessing bestowed upon us bibliophiles.
2. Your 'to be read' is slowly outgrowing your ‘read’ collection.
At first, you may have bought one book and waited until you finished it to buy another. Then one day you began buying multiple books at a time. You may have realized by now that you are buying more books than you are reading, but you just cannot help yourself. They are beautiful, enticing books that you just have to have. At this point, I have a shelf dedicated to books that I need to read. It is a collection in itself that taunts me every time I return home from a bookstore. I always feel immense pride when I move a book from the ‘to be read’ shelf to the read collection. Don’t worry, though—You’ll get through your ‘to be read’ collection eventually, and fill it back up again.
3. Bookstores are an all day event.
Sadly, bookstores just are not as popular as they used to be. If you asked a select number of random people when the last time they went into a bookstore was, a majority would probably say that they shop online for books or they just don't read anymore. Luckily, there are still a few of us old souls out there that keep used and new bookstores in business. I prefer used bookstores as they offer books in pristine conditions for low prices. I always feel like I am adopting an animal from a shelter when I buy used books. I can’t help but wonder how someone didn't want the books that line the shelves of a used bookstore. I have books that are duplicate copies, and I still cannot bring myself to give away or sell any of them. If you are a bibliophile like me, then you probably have to limit yourself when you go into bookstores. I usually have to give myself a price limit or a time limit. Otherwise, I will spend hours strolling through every aisle and reading the summaries on every book. Still, I somehow end up leaving the store with more books than I can read in a month’s time.
4. Books are always on the top of your wish list.
My husband always says that I am hard to shop for, but all I want are books. I guess he finds it hard to buy books he thinks I will like, but as long as they can be put on my shelf, then I will be happy. For holidays and birthdays, I am usually being asked by family and friends what books I want. It seems to be a given that books will be on my wish list, and they always are. As a bibliophile, you are probably always asking for books as gifts or at least wishing for them. You may try to deny yourself these desires due to the copious amount of unread novels on your shelves, but the desire to collect more books usually wins out in the end.
5. You destress and unwind in the company of your books.
After a long stressful day, I know I can always find solace when surrounded by my books. If you are a bibliophile like me, then you probably understand the unique feeling that being around a collection of books offers. Whether it be the bookstore down the street or the shelves in my home, I know that I can count on the company of books to alleviate my troubles if only for a little while. Each time I add more books to my collection, I find joy at the sight of new worlds on my shelves. Books are an escape from reality, a place to become someone else and be somewhere else. Each book is a different world and haven. I know that I will always be able to count on books to transport me to a different place and time while teaching me new things.
I do not think I could ever have enough books or enough shelves to fill. If this makes me a bibliophile, then I suppose that is what I am. There is no problem or shame in being a collector of books—there are worse things that we could be collecting.
