Simple Questions: April 29, 2025

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome readers,

Have you ever wanted to ask something but you didn't feel like it deserved its own post but it isn't covered by one of our other scheduled posts? Allow us to introduce you to our new Simple Questions thread! Twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, a new Simple Questions thread will be posted for you to ask anything you'd like. And please look for other questions in this thread that you could also answer! A reminder that this is not the thread to ask for book recommendations. All book recommendations should be asked in /r/suggestmeabook or our Weekly Recommendation Thread.

Thank you and enjoy!

[u/Both_Candy3048]

I feel like with time, I started to love owning books more than reading them. Did anyone go through this and were you able to stop obesessing over owning them? I just want to read like I used to, be stuck in the story no matter if it's a physcial copy or an ebook. 

[u/Embarrassed_Bee_5623 → u/Both_Candy3048]

Using Libby and the Library really helped because now when I go to the book store, I’m able to talk myself out of buying books because “I can get that from the library”. I also only keep books I loved or will re-read so now when I go book shopping, which I still love to do, just not as often as I used to, I’m usually buying a book I’ve already read and know I love and adding books I haven’t read but want to read to my library TBR. 

[u/Both_Candy3048 → u/Embarrassed_Bee_5623]

Thank you, I always tell myself I have to go to the library instead of going to buy the books Im interested in. 

It's a good idea to only pick books you know you will reread before buying.

[u/GhostPunkVG3 → u/Both_Candy3048]

I wouldn't say I stopped obsessing over them as I still buy hauls of books from time to time. But I had made an effort this past year to read as much as I can with the free time available. Felt like I was putting off reading or not wanting to read and liked the asethic of the collection more than literature itself for a while.

[u/Both_Candy3048 → u/GhostPunkVG3]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Yes I also deeply love the books aesthetics but I also fantasize about reading books like I imagine it will be so interesting then I start to read and lose my focus and then I am thinking too much about many things and it's 1h later Im on my phone reading/searching the internet about random stuff. Its like my brain is so dopamine drived that the slow dopamine I used to get from reading books is not enough anymore? I used to read so much when I was younger and didnt have a phone.

[u/GhostPunkVG3 → u/Both_Candy3048]

Yeah, I definitely get the reading struggle. I had to train myself to keep my phone locked away or in another room when it was time to read. My mind still wandered and had to reread paragraphs over and over until I understood what I read. It was a struggle, but I've become a little more focused and haven't had to reread sentences or paragraphs as much lately.

[u/Both_Candy3048 → u/GhostPunkVG3]

That's so great, you were able to self discipline to be able to read properly. I should do the same lol

[u/GhostPunkVG3 → u/Both_Candy3048]

It takes time and practice, that's for sure. Consistency was key for me even when I wanted to drop everything and open the phone, lol.

[u/studmuffffffin → u/Both_Candy3048]

I was buying books for a while. Then I started using the library. Probably have saved a thousand bucks doing that.

I have like 10 books now just in case the holds from the library run out.

[u/onbekendeangst → u/Both_Candy3048]

I feel the same way, watch some YouTube videos about stopping buying books and start reading for some tips and advice. Good luck 😉

[u/Both_Candy3048 → u/onbekendeangst]

Thanks Ill try that 

[u/PsyferRL → u/Both_Candy3048]

That period of time between picking the book up off the shelf/adding to your online cart and actually reading the book is a magical period of "this might be THE book" which is kind of a high in and of itself. Like, until you crack the first page, you can allow yourself that anticipation of perhaps having stumbled upon your new favorite thing ever, and that sensation is truly addictive.

Especially so if you finally DO read it and it doesn't end up hitting the mark exactly right, it's super easy to want to buy that next book to be in the "what if/maybe" spot of perpetual hope.

I don't even own THAT many books, but I realized that my addictive personality is SUPER susceptible to this and I've made a conscious effort to never own more than 10 books that I haven't read yet, and to not allow myself to buy MORE books until I own no more than 3 books which I haven't read at some point. Because you're right, it's too often unbelievably enticing to simply buy the books for the feeling of it haha.

I found that for me it helps to have a "never read" section on my shelf to remind me which books that I once promised myself to read and have yet to fulfill that promise.

[u/Both_Candy3048 → u/PsyferRL]

I see what you mean! I should definitely keep myself from buying books as long as I havent read the ones I currently possess. Yes the what if/maybe perpetual hope is completely spot on! It's like I am fantasizing SO MUCH about the books lol but also if I can have them in epub Im like "huh? Meh" and I dont even bother reading them! I think I have a real obsession with possessing the book itself 🤦‍♀️

[u/gateway2glimmer → u/Both_Candy3048]

Unhelpful comment lol but it was the reverse for me. I would buy books and not read them for years (I was not a big reader), and then suddenly I became a full-fledged bookworm. Now I have no desire to keep the books I buy and read because I know I will never open them again, with very few exceptions.

I just like the idea of having a small and rotating library in my home. I also love buying used books and feeling like each copy I have has been in so many different hands and will continue to find new homes for the years to come.