You Know You're Addicted To Books When...

Barnes & Nobles' Facebook page asked this question of it's fans last week. There really are people out there like me! Here's a sampling of some of the comments that I found to be very relatable:

• "You buy a purse that a book will fit into all the time." (I'm actually looking for one now although e-books tide me over occasionally.)


• "You have books piled in front of your bookshelf as well as stacked on every single shelf." (...and by the bed, and the couch...)


• "Everyone knows your name at the bookstore."


• "When you know that new books come out every Tuesday and you have dates of each writer you like and when the books come out."


• "Your biggest budget item is B&N."


• "You read two books in less than 24 hours and yes they were more than 300 pages a piece."


• "You don't have room in your backpack for school books in your backpack because there are too many 'for fun' books."


• "You forget to eat." (or consciously decide to wait to eat until after you finish your book - even if it's not going to be for another hour).


• "You've read a whole section of the library." (I did this in elementary and middle school.)


• "You lose sleep because you have to finish a book." (I now have a rule I try to follow: don't pick up a book after 9 PM on a work day.)


• "You take 5 paperbacks with you for a two day trip."


• "You get in trouble for reading in school, and your parents tell you to stop reading so much." (Could have been worse if my teachers had caught on to my "book in the lap with the text book on the desk" trick.)


• "You read your favorites over and over and..."


• "You're bored so you look at your old books to re-read."


• "You snap at loved ones when they talk while you are reading."

I wonder if there's a help group for book addicts. Really, we suffer from addiction symptoms like junkies. I get cranky if I don't get to read every few days (if not more often). I know the location of every major bookseller in town (as well as a few independent and used book stores). I use e-books to tide me until the next release date. All my extra money goes to supporting my habit. I skip meals (and let's not even talk about house chores) in order to finish a book instead. I spend more time reading than I do interacting with other humans (I assume talking with others similarly addicted does not count as socializing).

Hello, my name is Eva, and I'm a book addict.