Is it normal to keep buying books even when you have plenty?

[MsGreying]

People often ask me why I'm always buying more books. The truth is, I have a genetic condition where my body doesn't produce books on its own, so I have to supplement.

Ah, my people! I too suffer with this condition.

I pre-order as many female-authored books from long/shortlists as I can afford, I WILL read them all I just haven't yet.

And then there are Kindle books... I should quit my job to read them all but I need to pay bills, eat, etc.

I recently added my DS13 to my kindle, he pointed out I have an obscene number of books sitting unread - and decided he’d work through the ones marked unread for me. I also have a pile of physical books, and am rarely found without a book on my person.

@PuzzledObserver I am in awe, but also feel totally enabled to continue my own behaviour

Me too. Apparently some people think this is hoarding and you just need to... deep breath... 'de clutter'. Gulp

No thank you.

Dh is a compulsive book buyer but also a very slow reader (nearly all heavy NF) so IMO even if he lives to 110 he’s never going to get through his vast to-be-read pile.

OTOH I read very fast and largely the less heavy sort of fiction, so most of mine is either from the library, charity shops, or 99p Kindle jobs from Amazon. I read far too fast to buy new, except v occasionally.

Explain “plenty of books” to me please, I don’t understand it.

Yes. Perfectly normal. Essential even.

I've always got four on the go (bedtime, handbag, bath and living room) and a pile ready to start. And bookcases full in every room, more than one in some rooms.

Lots, but not enough, I would say.

@ProfessorInkling @likelysuspect oh no you don’t! You don’t get to use the severity of my husband’s compulsion to justify your own!

When we are browsing places where books can be obtained, I sometimes say that I would enjoy the one in my hand, but I already have too many books I haven’t read, so decide not to get it. He says the phrase “too many books” has no meaning. I’m obviously not quite so far gone. Yet.

I hope so as I have piles of very dusty books. I have 5 stacks of tbr by my bed. I tell myself that it's good for my young grandchildren to be surrounded by books when they're here. Subliminal influence and all that.

Having lots of TBR makes you a better person, IMO. It means you realise your knowledge is lacking in many areas, and also that the classics (old and modern) should be read in order to round out your education. That's what I tell myself, anyway.
But I do use the library a lot rather than buying. I have got to the point where I allow myself to give up on a book if I want to, rather than feeling morally obliged to finish it. Apart from the one someone chose for Book Group and I did have to. But anyway, yes. I could go on and on and on. Read more books! And then keep (or buy) the good ones to re-read one day when you're too decrepit to get out of the house!

I cannot imagine ever getting to the stage of having no books waiting to be read, so yep, the buying is constant. I have a kindle for holiday reading but need normal books for in the house so have crafted new shelves to house the TBR pile in the bedroom. These are totally different shelves than the groaning ones in the hallway, which are on a strict 'one in, one out' diet right now.

The struggle is real.

I have this condition!
It’s perfectly normal. In fact it’s to be encouraged or you may become ill. 🤓

There are two distinct hobbies relating to books. One is reading them, the other is buying them. I enjoy both, quite separately.

Waterstones is all very good, but there is something about a quirky little independent bookshop on holiday, or a charity second-hand book shop. Has everyone here been to Barter Books in Northumberland? I come out with a stack every time!

There is much comfort to be had from a pile of books waiting to be read.

I love this!! I am going to start telling people this!

Completely normal…

Even to keep buying books when you have run out of bookcases to put them in (or even places to put bookcases to put the books in)…

At least I assume that’s the case :)

Oh Barter Books! Beautiful building and the scones are ace too 🥰

I am never lonely, never bored, rarely unhappy.

This is because I self-medicate with lovely, lovely books.

This is totally normal in my opinion, not only do I have a large pile of TBR fiction, I also find it really helpful to buy books that promise to help solve a particular problem that I may have, I may or may not read them or even finish them if I start them.

I have found my tribe.

I don't think overdosing is possible, OP.

I used to but am trying to cure myself!

In that I am reading them and donating once read, when I get down to a shelf of unread I can start buying more

There are of course some exceptions to this rule.

See also : plants

Oh God I’m such a control freak! I only buy books one at a time and stick with books I hate. I don’t have a stack of books waiting to be read. If I can’t find a new book I think I will love I reread books I already own. I read every day - what is wrong with me?