'fessing up - Karen Bush

Hallo. My name is Karen, and I am a bookaholic. Haven't been able to say no to them for years and years and years, and it affects my everyday life in many, many ways ...

  • If I have to make a choice between buying a book or something for dinner, it's a no-brainer. Even if I am a little tired of beans on toast.
  • I can't pass a charity shop: I always have to go in because there are always so many books in there, all desperately looking for good homes.
  • While everyone else is whining on about it, I never mind being stuck in a queue as I always have a book or my e-reader with me.
  • While everyone else is out at the cinema I'm at home reading the book of the film. Which by all accounts is much better as well as cheaper.
  • If I'm dragged off to the pub, I'm the one sitting in the corner with a book. My partner used to complain until he saw sense after I pointed out that it was the price of my being the designated driver, and that although there was little that I could contribute to conversations about motorbikes, I was perfectly happy to discuss the book I was currently reading.
  • Long drive somewhere? Yippee - I love listening to audio books, and have even been known to sit in the car for a few more minutes after reaching my destination if I'm in the middle of a good bit.
  • Should anyone ask what I'd like for a birthday/Christmas present, the answer is, obviously, a book token. Or alternatively, baked beans to stock up my kitchen cupboards so I can then spend more money on books.
  • One of the reasons I like e-readers is because they are so much easier to prop up on the table so I can read while I'm eating my beans on toast.

I could give you many other examples, but I'm sure you get the idea. My name is Karen, and I am a bookaholic. Is there a cure? Goodness, I do hope not ...



The Curse of the Baked Bean Bonanza.
Chapter One
It was a dark and stormy night, 
and Angel was alarmed by a strange noise ...


Comments

Bill Kirton said…
Thanks, Karen. Good to start the day on an upbeat. What a shame that some of the others, in their 'normal' routines, don't realise how many different worlds are available.
Sandra Horn said…
Thank you for coming out, dear fellow bookaholic. By the way, the post-baked beans phenomenon is internationally celebrated: Takemitsu has set it to music - 'And then I knew t'was the wind'. Seriously.
Penny Dolan said…
Wishing you much happy reading, Karen. The worst - or best - has to be our local library book sales where despite the shadow of the cuts and the implications of the laden book sale tables, I rarely come away with less than eight, unless I'd been in the day before and "collected". These sales happen quite unexpectedly and there are always so many books about so many interesting things. Of course I have so much more shelving space than the library does, don't I? Ahem.
Lydia Bennet said…
I thought you were a wippittoholic! Brave of you to come out, this is one addiction you don't need a Readers Anonymous for. I am a reading addict but not a book addict - now I've my kindle, I only buy dead tree books by friends or at book launches and have, yes, ruthlessly got rid of masses of books from my overloaded house. I'm not ashamed! And I microwave my baked beans, being zeitgeisty and edgy and so forth.
Chris Longmuir said…
From one bookaholic to another I think we need to setup Bookaholics Anonymous, but I hope you'll excuse me if I don't attend. I like my addiction too much. Oh, and cup-a-soup is a good alternative to baked beans plus you don't have a messy pot getting into the way of the reading.
I'm one too - I bought a book from the local charity shop bargain box the other day, only to realise halfway home that I'd already read it (and possibly even donated it to the charity in the first place...) Now, that's something amazon won't let you do with an ebook - buy it twice - though if other people are anything like me, they are probably losing quite a bit of revenue!
Susan Price said…
Is there anybody on this site who will stand up and admit they are NOT a bookaholic? I have been one since a child - hopelessly addicted to Just William and the Jungle Books - and then introduced by my mother to Georgette Heyer and Norah Lofts - and by my father to Asimov and Aldiss. I shall have a reading light installed in my coffin - or maybe just leave instructions for my Fire to be placed beside me.
JO said…
Me too! I'm not one for stuff - and have given so much to charity shops as I simply don't need them, but books ... That's completely different.
Umberto Tosi said…
Your post is a real page-turner, Karen. Thanks. I'm thinking of a 12-step program for book-a-holics, starting with
1. I admit that I am powerless over books.(I have to read them.)
2. Only a power greater than myself can preserve my sanity - and it can only be found in books. ... etc.

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