Be it a beautiful sunny day on the beach or a dreary autumn afternoon indoors, there is nothing quite as satisfying as curling up with a good book. Some book lovers take their love of reading to a whole new level; you likely never see them not holding a book. These people are bookaholics. Yes, the “bookaholic” condition is real! Want to know the signs and symptoms of bookaholism? Read on to diagnose yourself.
5 Signs That You Are a Bookaholic
1 – You Finish a Whole Book in One Sitting
Most people like to savor a book over a period of a week or two, but we’ve all had those books we just can’t put down. Maybe you’ve even missed baby showers, doctor’s appointments, and blind dates because you had “car trouble” (i.e., your car wouldn’t start, because you couldn’t work the keys with a book in your hands).
You were probably (or maybe you still are) that kid in school who wouldn’t stop reading their book when they were walking down the hallways between classes, and for that, we salute you. History and science have both proven that books are the correct choice over pretty much anything; the rare exceptions include eating a well-balanced breakfast, bathing regularly, and… actually, it’s only those two.
2 – The Book is Always Better
Everyone loves to see their favorite novels adapted into films, but you’re the type who always prefers the original version — and rightfully so! You prefer the full story, the one that allows you to spend some real time with the characters and gives you all the little details that really bring the narrative to life.
While the rest of your friends are enjoying the abridged version of the story with some popcorn and soda, you’re diving into the extended version and letting your imagination run wild — all from the comfort of your home.
3 – You Buy the Book AND the Audiobook
If you really love books and want to drink them in to their fullest extent, you’ve probably purchased both the print version and audiobook versions of some of your favorites to give yourself a both the reading and listening experience. But, if you’ve ever read along in the book while listening to the audiobook narration, savoring a multimedia feast for your eyes and ears, then chalk up two check marks in the bookaholic column. Go on, enjoy the beauty and cleverness of your favorite author’s prose while listening to the narrator’s interpretation of the characters’ voices. You deserve this little indulgence.
The aural flow of the writing can help you appreciate the book in ways you’d never considered before. In the unlikely event that you, my fellow bookaholic, haven’t already tried this, we highly recommend trying it the next time you want to re-read a personal favorite!
4 – You Keep a Reading Inventory
If you’re blowing through books at a rapid rate, of course you’re also keeping an inventory of everything you’ve ever read. Maybe you track your books on GoodReads or your track them in spreadsheet, but one way or another you have an account of every book you’ve ever read. Bookaholics don’t just like to read books; they also like to think about books, talk about them with their friends, dissect them as works of art, and rate/compare them with other books they’ve read.
In addition to keeping track of your reading history, you also jot down a quick (or sometimes not-so-quick) review of each book you’ve read. Maybe you don’t write for the New York Times Book Review yet, but you’ve got to keep your critical-analysis skills sharp for when they come knocking at your door in search of your bookaholic wisdom.
5 – Four or more of these statements applies to you
If four or more of these statements apply to you, then yes, you might have a reading addiction:
- You say no to party invitations so you can stay home and read
- You daydream about being in the world of your current book
- You’re exhausted most days at work from staying up too late reading
- You are happy to sit in the doctor’s waiting room for an hour because it means you can read and be “productive” at the same time
- You’ve missed your stop while reading on the bus
- You’ve walked into a pole while read and walking
- You prefer to read at lunch instead of eating with coworkers
- You have a tattoo of your favorite author or book
- You have an “I’d rather be reading” bumper sticker
- You consider reading to be a victimless activity.
- You get angry when people interrupt your reading
- You turn down sex so you can keep reading
- You talk and scream at your book, much like sports fan scream at the TV
The Reading Addiction Cure
Well, you could get on a program to ween off and then stop reading all together. But why? Reading is the best! The next time you need to feed your book addiction, do so safely — and for free — with the help of Gagaoverbooks.com and our awesome selection of free and low-cost books for Kindle!