I'm A Book Nerd

Wow! I could have written this! I guess it's because I am around the same age and maybe have had similar experience with books. My uncle owned a well-known bookstore and used to send me books as a child, but I always loved to read books and I still do. To me, there is something sterile about reading electronically (I too am in systems analysis, so spend all my working day on the computer). Each book, to me, at least, has its own character - the artwork on the jacket, the typeface, the quality and color of the paper, the print size, the smell (musty, new, etc.), the thickness - I just don't see how you can get those things from electronic media. Thanks for this - now I don't feel so alone!

Good point about the e-readers. Yes the point is to be reading if you can unrestrained by place and time of day. I know it's personal but to me, there's nothing like a real book by the fire place. An ultimate pleasure. Maybe I'll change but to me its kind of like passionately kissing an robot.

I love reading on my phone or ereader. It brought reading back into my life after about eight years (and four babies)...of being too busy to read. I read about 4-6 books a week. I bought my ten year old am reader and stocked him up with public domain books from Gutenberg.org. I don't understand paper book snobbery. To me the point is to read. Read great literature, read brain candy, even the worst book is better than staring at the television for hours a day letting your brain atrophy. I can read in all those snippets of time when I used to be wasting time...standing in line, on my morning bus ride and waiting for my occasional movie to start (unless I am with a friend lol). Reading is awesome and wonderful. If you are reading it doesn't matter how or with what. My mother has an ereader because she needed large type books but her arthritis wouldn't allow her to hold the very large volumes. Now she is back to reading voraciously again and it is a miracle. If you are a reader, read. If you aren't then start. Read through whatever medium you want as long as you are reading!! And if you see me buried in my eye phone don't roll your eyes and assume I am a computer addict lol...I am probably rereading Tolkien or Jane Eyre again :D

I am the same way! So nice to hear there are more of us. My books adorn my walls in mostly home-made unfinished shelves. They are my treasures I feel beauty of the efforts of so many impassioned thoughts that went into each of them. From fiction to biographies. I like the feel of a home adorned with books. The way they feel individually and the way they smell to me is so existential. .

Unfortunately this up-in-coming generation will never understand or appreciate what it is to read a book!

Are you sure you are all American? As you seem to be talking about reading...

Also the concern to some would be - are you reading non-fiction or fiction?
After all, you can be sure just by numbers alone that most books published are not "literature" or have a chance of being remembered as classics and some of us question the reason for wasting paper on anything below this standard.
Non-fiction is always more interesting... but more important is that reading science etc is
useful to life. Exceptions might be when accepted authorities on something write a novel - such as Graham Hancock or Stephen Fry.

Also dont you hate it when a pretentious author says "am researching my new book"
well if you have to research - then you shouldnt be writing it - you have admitted you are a fraud - not that that is in doubt. Scientists research - writers write from what they know.
An other problem is that anyone can write - and as well as the average standard of fiction -
most people are motivated to write because of a combination of only two reasons -

i. money

ii. arrogance -

it is just a coincidence no doubt, that most authors are now women am sure...and that most fiction is treated as disposably as food wrapping and toilet paper.

First money - a selfish and shallow motivation that ensures that the product is not art or in this class- literature
second -
most people published now do so because of incredible arrogance - they believe based on nothing more than ego that they are a brilliant writer and should be published. They have an agent and get published for dubious reasons - including connections, nepotism and plagiarism.
If you consider what fiction writing is - then from the distance of psychology it looks bad - the belief that many thousands of other people should take the time out of their busy lives to read and listen to the writers inner thoughts. Is there anything more arrogant and pretentious? It assumes superiority on the part of the "writer" and the inferiority in the reader.

If you arent in a Russian prison exiled from the cities because you're more intelligent than most - then what are the chances you have anything useful, interesting or passionate to write?
If you arent writing to stay sane then is it likely the story is any good?

I like books too

I've loved books since I got my Mother Goose book when I was 5 and learning to read. This was followed by Call of the Wild and Beautiful Joe - and I have all 3 of them still! When I grew up, for school we could buy used books from other children that had passed to the next grade. But if the curriculum changed and we had to have new books, well, the smell that came from them is one that I remember to this day. It was special, I was special because I had a new book, one that smelled new. Not all new books smell like this but the ones that do, I open them just to smell them and relive the learning to read years! My mother loved to read and I inherited her love of literature. I feel sorry for people that say they don't read - their world and imagination is so limited! I have a Kindle but there's a total of 6 books on it and I've had it for 2 years! It's just not the same - the feel of the pages, the smell, the physical joy of holding a book! I thank my mother from the bottom of my heart for imparting her love of reading to me!

I love books!! Everyone I know tells me to get a kindle and I ask them what is the fun in that? I too love the smell of books and the feel of a brand new novel. I have every book I've read since the age of 10 and my husband always ask me why I still have them if I have already read them and I look at him and say " I always read them more than once". Children these days are all into electronics and it breaks my heart. I encourage my children to read and read from a book not the e book. So far so good.

Especially the smell of a new book Books mean evrything to me and to my wife. Not interested in E books. I love a real book

I rememberb when paperbacks came out at low prices. Great idea. We could afford books and they were pocketsize

I oftenwonder how printed or written language evolved. How did we comunicate before that Who taught us nouns and verbs etc Now we have books

if you like reading so much, you should check out this awesome website!

http://100waystodie.webs.com/

i know what you mean...jus luv em.

don't you notice how books from different eras/decades smell different from others?

i love old books that you have be tender with...like a lover...lest they pages fall apart...mmm books.

all of ya'll are so awesome and share my feelings. Because I have arthritis in my fingers my family keeps saying "let us get you an e book or a nook book' or what ever those weird things are. but I keep telling them they don't understand. I like touching books, and looking at books, everything about a book you can feel or imagine.

Being an only child living with adults was lonesome. My parents frowned upon childhood whoops or noisy games. In this way books were the quietest and most constant of my friends. As an adult i realised books are the only places where you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive thought without having it blow up in your face. It's one of the few havens remaining where my mind can get both provocation and privacy; and in my life I need that.

There is nothing like a good book. Actualy I own very few but am always going to the library . Thank heaven for the public library system . I dont like electronic books. but they are popular. I hope we will always have real physical books

What is the world coming to? We go on EP and get cyber friends we cant touch or see. Now books we cant hold. We still haave imagination

I can't agree with you more! The look and feel of a book in one's hand. Whether its a paperback or hardcover. Most of my friends are now getting electronic toys with which to read. And I confess to on occasion loading a book or two on my mac. But i still can't imagine reading in a park or at the beach and holding a flat screen tablet. I just can't comprehend it. Thanks for a lovely post!

love books. it is what I hope for whenver I get a gift. I have shelves full of pure fantasy novels by random authors. anyway this is a little off topic but, does anyone here know anything about dream guardians? please answer ASAP!

SK, I dreamed of that too!

Know exactly what you mean! My book shelves testify to that!

I love to go into book shops and really breath in, especially antique book shops. It is like all the knowledge is in the air!

I agree with you. Books are marvelous and the writers a God's gift.



When I finished reading one I stay a long time thinking. I fly with the author and I would like to have received this gift too.

Wow backdress this is a beautiful post... it seems almost like you were describing how I feel inside about my precious books. Thank you so much for sharing!

There is nothing like the musty, dusty smell of a well thumbed book!



Mizz

Love you all, so glad I found this - I am not alone in the world with my book dedication. This is delightful to discover fellow bibilophiles.

blessings and shalom

Yes, I really enjoy the feel and look of a book, When I get a new book, I carefully open it and gradually smooth the pages back to each side to make sure I preserve the binding. When I finish a new book you could put it back on the shelf and sell it as new.



I agree completely on libraries. All parents should get their children library cards and take them to the library at least every two weeks. Teaching someone to treasure and enjoy good books is a gift of a lifetime.

I'm amazed at the kindred spirits here! It's cool to know there are fellow book smellers!



And @beautific - wanting to read all the books in the world also...wow, I thought I was the only nerd-girl who had that wish. @NIL, your library sounds like heaven. I have always longed for a library exactly as you describe. @sassy, you make an excellent point about sharing books. @Analyzer, that's a cute story. I get books every Christmas and give them too.



Thank you all for your comments!

We are just alike, Blackdress. Although I do own a Kindle, nothing will ever take the place of books in my library or my heart. One of the first things I do when I pick up a book at the store is to fan the pages and inhale deeply of the ink and paper. I've been known to blow my lunch money on a new book!

I've come to the right place. I sell special books. Some are rare, others have exciting inscriptions with stories behind them. To search my catalog google usedbooksinternational.

My perfect day is curling up with a book and just reading reading reading. Can't curl up with one of those dumb electronic devices. :-P And unless everyone owns a kindle you can't share the stories like you can share a book with your friends.

Books are so moving, and having the physical book in your hands makes you feel like you can do anything! I've always wanted to read all the books in the world as well!

Ah yes, you are so right! How about falling asleep while reading a good book? Nothing better to guarantee great dreams!

Nothing like holding a book in your hands. Their is magic in every page. You cannot get that from a kindle!