Tsundoku, Bibliomania and The Joy Of Owning (So Many)Books
Confessions of a Bibliophile
Books. Just the word conjures worlds and ideas and possibilities. If you are a book lover, chances are you have a stack of books right now waiting for you to read them. And if you are like me, you may have more books on your shelves than you will ever read. And yet, if you are also like me, this does not keep you from buying more.
The Japanese have a word for this tendency — tsundoku. Roughly this word translates to “collecting stacks of books you’ll never read.” This is not a word that carries any negative stigma in Japan. Tsundoku carries the underlying understanding that there is at least an intention to read the books you collect.
By contrast, bibliomania, as defined by Wikipedia “can be a symptom of obsessive–compulsive disorder which involves the collecting or even hoarding of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged.” I am happy to say that my health and social relations are in good shape, despite my desire to buy more books.
So I continue to haunt all my favorite bookstores. There is nothing more intoxicating than walking into a quirky little shop jammed with books from floor to ceiling. It’s a heady experience and no matter how many unread books I have on my shelves, I always find more to…
