Is there a 12 step program available for people with an addiction to books? Bibliophile is about the closest thing that I can find to describe someone who loves books . That does not even describe how I feel about books most days.
As I was cleaning in preparation for company later in the week I made a shocking discovery. I have a lot of books. 
The coffee table stash is a reminder of just how many books are piling up around my house. This stash includes books I have borrowed from the Connestee Library as well as a few that I have bought or were given to me.
The nightstand stash shows even more books. On the bottom is my devotional and Bible stash that changes out over time. The middle shelf houses a bunch of books that I won in giveaways or bought in various places. The top shelf includes books that I am currently reading or have recently finished.
Of course I have other spots in the house with book stashes. There are several Longaberger baskets that are overflowing with books and my bookshelves both upstairs and downstairs hold a myriad of books. Many have been read but chances are many of them are on the yet to be read list.
I just completed a Chaotic Goddess book swap and am anxiously awaiting the package that will bring 3 more books my way. Oh yes—I am.
I have not even begun to tell you about my Kindle and how many unread books I have downloaded. Kindle First allows me to download one free book a month because I am an Amazon Prime member. I love my Kindle and use it a lot but it has been worth its weight in gold when I travel. No more lugging books along when I can have them all at my fingertips. With several weeks of travel coming up I am thrilled to have a loaded Kindle to carry in my purse. Honestly I take it with me everywhere because you never know when you are going to have to wait, right?
What is your addiction? Do you have loads of books in your stash or does your addiction something entirely different? I would love to hear what you “collect” and can’t seem to get enough of. Let me know in the comment section and remember that all comments made this month will mean a 50 cent donation to our Comments for a Cause –Special Books for Special Kids. Don’t forget to enter to win a couple of books of your own from my new friend Jena C. Henry. Just go to this post and leave a comment to be in the drawing.
26 Comments
Leave a commentWe have a lot in common. Book addiction, stacks and stacks, pictures of stacks, blog posts of pictures of stacks. The Way of Tea and Justice is even in one of my present stacks too!
Yep. I’m drowning in the books….on the nightstand, the dresser, stacked up the stairs, on the bathtub, the coffee table….etc if you find that 12-step program, could you be my sponsor?
Really? you have The Way of Tea and Justice? I picked it up this summer in Lakeside and have only gotten a few chapters read but I need to finish it. It is pretty intriguing. I am drowning in books as well so not sure if I would be a good sponsor. I think I might be an enabler….
Oh for me it’s definitely books. Though I just took 3 large boxes of them to the library for their book sale fundraiser. It’s hard, even knowing they’ll end up in good homes to let them go.
I agree. Even donating them to good causes or places gives me a little pause at times but I guess we have to think that we are spreading the joy around.
My name is Darlene and I am a book addict, and not ashamed to admit it. I had so many books stashed all over my house in Canada. Of course, I had to get rid of most of them but I have a small collection here in Spain that need to be read. We have also started a book exchange in the community. Just picked up a couple there and donated a couple of course. I also have many on my Sony e-reader. I have come to the acceptance that I will not live long enough to read all the books I want to read. Maybe there should be a 12 step program.
I don’t think it is a bad thing. There are so many worse things that we could be addicted to. Books transport me to places I have not imagined and the words paint stories that stay with me. As an author you understand the value of words and the impact they have. So yes—books are part of your life as well as mine.
No, it is not a bad thing, unless you spend all the grocery money on books!! I am glad we have this in common as well as a few other things!
Agreed!
Every now and then I look at my ‘stacks’ and remember I can recheck them from the library. So I load them back up and return them. Only to come home with another stack.
Yep. I totally understand this phenomenon. It happens to me all of the time.
I used to be a book addict (as in collecting). Still am a book addict (as in reading). When we moved, I discovered that the collecting part was also a very heavy part of packing, so I trimmed drastically and kept only my beloved ones. The library is now my best friend.
Books are very heavy indeed! Libraries are fabulous places and the Transylvania one is no exception. We are so blessed to have books available at our fingertips any time we want them.
I, too, love to read, but apparently not as much as you. Most of my books, however, come from the public library. It is my son who has the major book collection in our house. He reads science fiction and fantasy, which I never read. I wonder how long I need to keep his books? The next time he’s back in Minnesota, I must ask him about this. The rule here is that “once you get a house, you get your stuff.” But exceptions may need to be made.
🙂 Exceptions might have to be made — very true. I get a lot of books from the library as well and I have gotten rid of a lot of books since the move but I still have shelves full that I am not ready to part with. You never know when you might want to read that one again…
Yes! Book addict here, too! Bookcases, piles, stacks of books everywhere. I used to keep a box of unread books just to read during a blizzard. I didn’t want to be snowed in without anything to read! A few years ago I gave away most of my “real” books. My husband worked for a rubber company that has a plantation and community in Africa. The company was collecting books to send to the school. I pictured a charming school in a hut- but the school system has 16,000 students! So I gave all my books to this cause. I liked the idea of my books traveling by container ship to Africa. Now I am like Beth Ann and many of you- the kindle is loaded and ready- blizzards, beach time, waiting rooms, lots of good reads!
Perfect place for all of your books! What a neat idea to be able to share them and with such a great cause in mind. I love it. I have a lot of signed books by authors who have gifted me their books for reviews, etc. that I can’t part with yet. Like my Charli books. 🙂
As if I needed another reason to like you! Books are life! More books = good thing.
Books books books! Totally agree. We are birds of a feather.
Well…I’ve been posting about a different book that I *am* willing to part with, every day, for *years* and there’s no end in sight. As long as I can get’em online, I’ve got plenty of books to write about. I’ve not even started to think of reviews of the books I intend to keep! What’s “The Way of Tea and Justice”? If you’re willing to part with it, send it to me!
I understand that there are so many books to write about–stacks and stacks. The Tea and Justice book is interesting and I have not delved into it very far yet but it might be one I can part with when I am done. Let me read it all and then I will get with you on it. this is the description:”What started as an impossible dream-to build a café that employs women recovering from prostitution and addiction-is helping to fuel an astonishing movement to bring freedom and fair wages to women producers worldwide where tea and trafficking are linked by oppression and the opiate wars. ” So it more than a book about tea–it is about a woman who started a movement and it is really good so far.
Books… There can never be too many! Happy reading.
Amen, Josh. Amen!
I believe in simplifying nearly everything in my life, but books? Books I can’t part with, no how. 🙂
Totally my philosophy as well!
Some might say those stacked books are clutter. I say they are ART! 🙂
Enjoy.
Oh I like that ! Art it is!