To not understand why some people don't read books and don't have any in the house?

[Kasterborous]

I can understand that people don't read books due to not having any time, or not being able to very easily. But how come other people don't? There are so many different books to read. I don't read anything literary or too heavy going, but I love reading. I even go to bed early when DH is on nights to read. I always remember looking round a house when we were looking to buy one, and this house didn't have a single book in it.

I'm not being a judge or having a go at anyone who chooses not to read, just curious. they probably have interesting hobbies and better things to do with their time.

Soon people will be along bragging about how they have piles on the stairs, stacks in the bathroom, mounds on the landing etc etc

Yep. That's me!

Although I love books space is limited so I am quite ruthless about waving books off to the charity shops. I only keep books that I really love or have sentimental value.

I buy a book, read it, then it's off to the charity shop. I never read a book twice so don't need to keep them cluttering the place up. Don't know why you would need to keep hold of them .

I am not into novels about some woman living with a mother that is suffering from dementia or a novel about some woman looking back on three different marriages spread over 30 years.

I am not into books about some alternative universe where magic is real or where Man has formed some galactic empire that spans a thousand worlds.

Neither am I into stories about some ex SAS operative who keeps bedding twenty something Russian blondes with PhDs.

Because books are lovely to look at. They smell gorgeous and just make a house seem so much more inviting imo.

Lovely to look at? Like ornaments then?

Pressed Post too soon...

Basically, it's not that I'm not into reading. I'm just not interested in reading whats bring published these days.

We read but have very few books, we use kindles and donate most books to the local Oxfam bookshop. No books doesn't mean no readers.

I love reading and its something I have passed onto my kids. Me and my sisters are big readers but my brothers arent but are into music and sport in a big way. Each to their own I suppose but I find hard to understand the absence of books in some homes.

I have trouble passing my books on I too like looking at them on the shelves insane I know. I love reading to DD as I get to read all the children's books again though if I have to read What a busy baby again I might go insane!

I read every day, as does DH and 11y DD. But we no longer have hoards of books in the house. We have a couple of bookcases and just keep key books, I guess mainly classics or non-fiction. DD has a bookcase too, again with just selected titles.

Me and DD have Kindles. I don't eve keep loads on that. Once read I remove them from my device. DH keeps his current books by/under the bed. He passes them on when finished.

Exactly IKnow. I read but I haven't got a bookcase/books. And I am glad I haven't if people have a good old nosy in them trying to find out what I am like.

If other people have a bookcase I don't go looking at it either.

I love books so much I work in a library. :o

I am very happy that my DCs have inherited this love. DH does enjoy reading too but tends to fall out of the habit - but I have started keeping an out for his 'type' and borrowing them for him as I am obviously more likely to see new titles.

Ours are even piled in the laundry basket atm (don't ask!)

I'm sure we have a few too many, but `i simply can't discover which ones are surplus to requirements!

We have loads of books but a casual visitor to our house would never know, as they are all on bookshelves on our study, a room where visitors never go.

I love reading or books but have small non-sleeping DCs and never get to read anything other than the Internet there days.

Everytime I go into a house without books a kitten dies.
It drowns in my tears

Yes MrsDeVere this house had a child with no books and it was before kindles! Though again I'm not judging as they may well have used the library or school books.

YANBU, I think it's incredibly sad when children have no books either (which is surprisingly common) and when parents don't read with their children, too.

A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read.

Mark Twain

If you came in my house you would think we had no books.

We recently had a big clear out and got rid of a load that we will never read again. You wouldn't see the several thousand we still have in the house because we have used a spare bedroom as a study, and no one but us goes in there.

I really don't get the obsession with publicly displaying your books. So unless someone actively tells you they don't read books how can you ever know?