We’ve all been there. You walk into a bookstore—maybe just for a coffee, or to "browse" for five minutes—and you emerge an hour later, blinking at the sunlight, clutching a brown paper bag like it contains the Lost Ark of the Covenant.
My bedside table is currently a structural hazard. My "To-Be-Read" (TBR) pile has officially transitioned from a list to a sentient landmass with its own gravitational pull.
If you, like me, suffer from Tsundoku (the Japanese art of acquiring books and letting them pile up), let’s indulge in a little communal therapy.
The 5 Stages of Buying a New Book
The Rationalization: "I’ve had a long week. I deserve a treat. Plus, this is an indie bookstore; I’m basically a philanthropist."
The Hunt: You spot a cover with beautiful gold foil or a testimonial from an author you love. Your heart rate increases.
The Commitment: You carry it around the store. It feels right. It fits your hand. You are already imagining the aesthetic Instagram photo you’ll take of it next to a latte.
The Purchase: The dopamine hit as the receipt prints. Pure bliss.
The Guilt (Optional): Walking past the 42 unread books on your shelf at home. You avoid eye contact with them. They know what you did.
Why the TBR Pile is Actually a Good Thing
Some people call it "clutter." I call it "The Library of Potential Versions of Myself." * That 800-page biography of a 17th-century botanist? That’s for "Smart, Intellectual Me."
The high-stakes dragon-riding fantasy? That’s for "Escapist, Weekend Me."
The self-help book about waking up at 5:00 AM? That’s for "A Version of Me That Doesn't Exist Yet."
Books are the only decor that also doubles as a promise of a future adventure. Even if I don't read them all this year, they are there, waiting for the exact moment I need them.
Let's chat in the comments: What is the one book you keep buying copies of, even though you already own it? Or, better yet, tell me the title of the "sentient landmass" currently sitting on your nightstand.
No comments:
Post a Comment