I think I safely say from the state of my bookshelves that I'm a book person. (Those are double stacked, thank you very much!) But I saw this article the other day and rated myself against it. Turns out my bookshelves were right! Let's examine the evidence, shall we?
1. You get antsy if the stranger seated next to you on a train or airplane engages you in conversation for more than five minutes because they’re cutting into your eagerly anticipated hours of uninterrupted reading time.
This doesn't happen every single time I'm sitting by someone who wants to talk. Sometimes I want to talk too! But it has happened. Not on a train because I never ride one, but certainly on an airplane.
2. You’re running out of room for your existing possessions but you are still accumulating books anyway and lying to yourself that stacks of used paperbacks give your apartment scholarly charm.
TRUE! Well, I've never thought about whether they give my apartment scholarly charm or not, but I absolutely can't seem to stop collecting books. As you can see from my bookshelves above!
3. You get more excited about likes on your Goodreads reviews than on your Facebook updates.
Okay, I admit it. I do get secretly excited when someone likes one of my reviews on Goodreads. Or posts a question or responds to me on there. And I hardly ever check Facebook anymore. So there. I admitted it. Out loud. Er.....online anyway. Which as we all know, if it goes on the internet, it must be true! ;P
4. You will buy another copy of a book you already own if you encounter a particularly beautiful edition. Fancy endpapers! Genuine leather binding! It’s a collector’s item, really. You’d be foolish NOT to buy it.
I do have a few multiple copies of real books but not a whole lot. I do, however, have several Kindle books and real books alike. Cause I always have my Kindle with me, but not my real books.
5. On at least one occasion you’ve pulled an all-nighter or temporarily withdrawn from civilized society to power through a riveting novel, and upon finishing, experienced a sense of exhausted satisfaction as though you’d completed a half marathon or thoroughly cleaned your closet.
One occasion? How about bunches and bunches of occasions? I am terrible (or excellent? you decide) at staying up way too late to finish a book that I cannot put down.
6. You are the friend or family member who gives books as gifts, even to people you know are not fond of reading: “But it’s about that thing/place/person you like! Just try it!”
Actually, I don't really do this. I only gift books if I know the other person really wants to read it. Although I have given books as wedding gifts before.
7. You don’t have a Kindle. Or, conversely, you do have one, and are completely enamored with the way it delivers books to you on-demand and travels so easily – but you feel kind of guilty about it, like when you finally got rid of your favorite stuffed animals from when you were a little kid.
Oh yeah. I have a Kindle and kinda do feel slight guilt. But the prices and deals are so awesome! And did I mention the fact that I can take loads of books practically everywhere?! So basically, the guilt might be there, but it's overpowered by the awesome. :D
8. You’re only reading this post because you left your current book at home, or you’re in between books and haven’t yet decided what to dive into next.
This was kind of true the day that I first read the article. So yeah.
How do you rate? Are you a book person too? :)
I am SO with you on #5.
ReplyDeleteHa! Good to know I'm not the only one like that. :D
Delete#1 -- Absolutely! I used to read on my lunch breaks when I worked, and I would give one of Paddington Bear's Hard Stares to anyone who tried to chat.
ReplyDelete#2 -- Kinda. I'm trying to de-stuff our house right now, and I've actually pared down my books to just the ones I love and will read over and over. We still have 6 book cases full, and a dozen boxes in the basement we have no shelf room for.
#3 -- I don't do Goodreads reviews, but I do get more excited over comments on my blog.
#4 -- Guilty. I have 2 copies of Jane Eyre and The Count of Monte Cristo, and eight or ten of Hamlet.
#5 -- Now and then. I'm more likely to go to bed on time and then wake up early to read.
#6 -- Guilty. "Maybe this is the book that will get them to love reading!"
#7 -- No Kindle or Nook.
#8 -- I'm reading this post to procrastinate writing a book review for my blog. I didn't like the book as well as I'd hoped, and those are hard reviews to write.
That's a hard stare indeed, Hamlette! Glad I'm not on the receiving end of one of those. :D
DeleteAh yes. Going through books to weed out can feel like a never ending job, can't it? I know that feeling all too well!
I totally get excited over blog comments! For example, this comment of yours (above) showed up in my email this morning when I woke. Definitely a nice thing to wake up to! :)
I wish I could wake up early. But I find it way easier to stay up late. My bed feels too wonderful in the morning and I stay in it until the last possible moment. But I admire anyone that is an early bird! I truly wish I were more that way.
I don't enjoy trying to write reviews for books that I didn't love either. I want to be honest yet not scathing with my opinion. And realize that others may disagree with me. It's hard work!
This looks like a fun idea, Kara. Glad you shared it with us all! :)
ReplyDeleteAgree with your answer to six and also four - I REAllY want those watercolor classics despite a.) I never read classic lit and b.) we likely have many classics on our bookshelves already.
Rissi, I want those watercolor classics too! At least the Jane Austen ones. I keep looking at them and looking at them. One of these days I'll put them in my Amazon cart. I'm sure of it. :D I want all her books, even Northanger Abbey which I can never get interested in reading! So I understand you completely. ;P
DeleteKara, it took me years and years to finally read NA -- I just read it for the first time last year, at last. And it's hilarious! If P&P makes you laugh, NA will too. It's suddenly tied with P&P for my second-fave Austen (after Persuasion, natch). And it's really short, so even if you don't like it, you won't be out much reading time :-)
DeleteReally? It's funny? Based on the adaptations, I wouldn't have thought that, hence why I haven't wanted to read it. But you reassure me! And make me curious. I'll have to give in and read it sometime then. Thanks for explaining it for me! :)
DeleteIt is an awesome send-up of all sorts of silly gothic romances! She's always talking about how Catherine just can't be the heroine of a novel because she's not beautiful, not an orphan, not subjected to cruelty at home -- you have me wanting to reread it because I'm giggling just remembering. Which is partly why I haven't seen any adaptations, because I'm afraid the humor just won't work.
DeleteWell! You're definitely convincing! ;D
DeleteAs for adaptations? I tried watching the one from the '80s and couldn't finish it. The more recent one I really enjoy. But I read that it was somewhat different from the book maybe? So that made me hesitate to read it also. But I'm thinking I'm going to have to read it now. As I said, you're very convincing! :)
I do my best ;-)
DeleteI've heard that version is different too, that it adds some fantasies that aren't in the book. Catherine does have a very fertile imagination (I hesitate to compare her to Anne Shirley, but there are a few similarities), but I haven't seen any adaptations, so can't speak to how they are.
If she's (kind of) similar to Anne in imagination, that certainly makes me more curious about the book! That adaptation shows her imagination through fantasies, but I wasn't sure how the book actually portrayed it. I will say I really enjoy Felicity Jones portrayal! She does innocent and cute really well.
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