Book Lover Problems

book

Lists like this exist in a lot of places on the Internet, but these problems speak to the true heart of any book lover so I’d like to share my top ten book lover problems.

1. When you finish a book and have to wait a yearΒ  (or longer) for the sequel. As an author, I appreciate the difficulty of cranking out more than one novel a year, but as a reader I want them to appear more frequently–maybe monthly? weekly?

2. When someone says you read too much. Who are they to decide on ‘too much’? Do they play too many video games or spend too much time on sports? Obviously, ‘too much time’ is an irrelevant notion to a true lover of books.

3. When you forget to eat or sleep because a book is so good. Or you do fall asleep and dream yourself into the story. Ah, exquisite torture!

4. When someone interrupts your reading. I remember one of the Harry Potter books that was released on my birthday. I received the book as a gift, but also uninterrupted time to read it. I curled on the couch and lost myself for twelve hours. Bliss.

5. When someone asks you to pick your favorite book and you can’t pick just one. My students are always asking for my favorite book. I can say I love historical fiction and fantasy, but once I start remembering great books the titles spill from me. Choosing one just seems unfair to the rest of them.

6. When someon tells you they don’t like to read. My first reaction is, “Oh, we’ll change THAT by the end of the year!” And we usually do. If not, I am truly saddened.

7. When your favorite character dies. In one book, it’s unexpected, but if you’ve followed a character through a series then that character’s death is a blow.

8. When someone spoils the ending of a book. Sure, I’ll continue to read it anyway, but something special is missing if I already know how it’s going to go. I don’t tell you the score of the game you recorded, do I?

9. When you lend someone a book and get it back in terrible condition or not al all. As a teacher, I lend books every day. I see students laying them face down on the desk or stuffing them inside it. Covers get rumpled and torn. I don’t mind well-loved usage, but neglect gets me angry. Even worse is if it’s not returned at all. It’s not unusual for me to lose 100 books a year out of my classroom library.

10. When a book makes you cry in public and everyone thinks you’re crazy. One of the books I sometimes read aloud to my class is Where the Red Fern Grows. I have a big note on it: Don’t read chapter 19 aloud! That is the chapter where the boy’s beloved dogs die, and I simply can’t read it without crying. Every time.

That’s my top ten. Which resonated with you? Do you have any other book lover problems? feel free to share in comments!

13 responses to “Book Lover Problems”

  1. I totally agree with the first problem. Sometimes, the book is published in hardcover fist, and I like paperbacks better, since they are cheaper, and more comforting to me. Then I have to wait a year and a half for the paperback to come out! πŸ™ I also agree with the fourth problem. I just want to read on the weekends, but I have classes. (Sigh)

  2. Oh yeah, and I have one problem. Sometimes, I just like rereading a book or series so much, I can’t get enough! :p People tell me I should move on, but the problem is, I can’t! I just like the book so much.

  3. I agree with the first problem. If the book is in a series, I can’t stop reading it, then I have to wait one whole year to find out what happens. But once it comes out, I’m just not interested in it anymore. I have moved on to another series.

  4. My main problem is that when I get a book for my birthday I just want to sit down and read the entire book but I know I have to do things with the friends that I invited.

  5. Every time that I finish a series, especially if it ends with a cliffhanger, I just have to read more of it, even if there isn’t a next book. So, as a result, I become obsessed with it and can’t do anything for the next few days. Also, I have been told repeatedly to move away from fiction and put reading non-fiction into my daily basis. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE! Non-fiction was and still is the object of several of my worst nightmares. Besides, history repeats itself, so what’s the point of writing so many different books? The world may never know.

    1. I like fiction MUCH better, too!

  6. And, um…one more thing, (Sorry to comment so much on this blog), The word ‘someone’ in the sixth question is misspelled. You forgot a ‘e’ at the end. Sorry to comment so much on this blog…. πŸ˜€

  7. Yeah, I agree with Allen. I hate books that end with cliffhangers. Also, I agree with the eighth problem. I have friends that have different book “flavors” than me. They have finished some of the books that I am reading and vice versa.

  8. This connects with me because my parents interrupt me while I’m in the middle of the book This always gets me, and I hate putting a good book down It makes me forget all of the events that I just read. Plus, if they should make a sequel, the author should have ideas for the book first-hand so he/she wouldn’t have to waist a week or two just coming up with good ideas that don’t work with the prequel. Things can never be good for a reader that is waiting for a sequel of a book. *sigh πŸ™

  9. They sometimes spoil the ending, which I hate!

  10. I also hate it when you have to wait to get a popular, new book! There are so many people waiting to buy the book or reserve it from the library.

  11. This post is one of my favorites! It is very understandable and relatable
    for many people. I can definitely agree with number one. It always bugs me when authors leave you hanging on the last page of the book, and you have to wait another year to read the next one! I think something you could add would be how many book lovers don’t have anyone to relate about the books they read to. My friends and parents don’t care much about the books I read, because our tastes in books are all different. Number ten is also very true. Why do you think authors make important, lovable characters die?

    1. The most important thing authors want is for their books to be remembered. All these things are intended to do that. I understand about not having anyone to relate to with reading. None of my family has read any of my own books!

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