During a lull in the conversation yesterday I found myself pining for a book. It was not without guilt that I felt this intense longing to duck away from the conversation, bury myself in my room and read. My brother and sister-in-law were over for their birthday lunch and I absolutely love them visiting. They are two of my favourite people in the whole entire universe. Yet, here I was, after a lovely indulgent lunch of rack of lamb on roast provincial vegetables with a warm salad of roast tomatoes, asparagus, rocket, peas and haloumi and a glass or two of champagne, thinking about running away to read.
My sister-in-law would not have minded, she loves books too, but I decided that a better use of my time would be to enjoy my sister-in-law's company, and I'm glad I did. Yet this strange and all to common feeling I have surprised me as being very anti-social and almost obsessive. It has caused me to reflect upon my book reading practice.
In the past my friends have been offended by my practice of carrying two or three books in my bag when I go out places with them.
Of course, they never understand that I always carry two or three books with me because I never know when I will have to wait in line for a few minutes or if my car may unexpectedly break down, and I cannot be sure which book I would like to read at that particular time so I have to bring a few options. Imagine breaking down and having to wait for the NRMA for half an hour without a book! That would be pure torture. I have also noticed that I tend to think that a day spent in good company could often only be improved by the presence of a good book and some time to read it. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy the company I am in or that I am bored, it just means I really love books.
After being on prac as a Drama teacher all last term I started to feel agitated and grumpy. I couldn't place what was going on until I realised that I hadn't read a book, not properly anyway, for three months! Three months! I had not realised how completely disturbing this lack of book reading was to me until an English teacher I was working with asked me if I preferred teaching Drama or English. "When I don't read, I feel empty inside!" was my reply which was met with "Ah! Spoken like a true Drama teacher."
Am I?
Hat Tip: Waterfall
My sister-in-law would not have minded, she loves books too, but I decided that a better use of my time would be to enjoy my sister-in-law's company, and I'm glad I did. Yet this strange and all to common feeling I have surprised me as being very anti-social and almost obsessive. It has caused me to reflect upon my book reading practice.
In the past my friends have been offended by my practice of carrying two or three books in my bag when I go out places with them.
"What's in your bag, K______? Are you carrying bricks in there or something?"
"No, it's just a couple of books I'm reading at the moment."
"Why did you bring books? Did you think you'd be bored with us, K____?" they ask.
Of course, they never understand that I always carry two or three books with me because I never know when I will have to wait in line for a few minutes or if my car may unexpectedly break down, and I cannot be sure which book I would like to read at that particular time so I have to bring a few options. Imagine breaking down and having to wait for the NRMA for half an hour without a book! That would be pure torture. I have also noticed that I tend to think that a day spent in good company could often only be improved by the presence of a good book and some time to read it. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy the company I am in or that I am bored, it just means I really love books.
After being on prac as a Drama teacher all last term I started to feel agitated and grumpy. I couldn't place what was going on until I realised that I hadn't read a book, not properly anyway, for three months! Three months! I had not realised how completely disturbing this lack of book reading was to me until an English teacher I was working with asked me if I preferred teaching Drama or English. "When I don't read, I feel empty inside!" was my reply which was met with "Ah! Spoken like a true Drama teacher."
It is true though, I do feel empty and unsettled, agitated and cranky if I have not read for a while. It's just because I love books. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not obsessed or anything.
Am I?
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane. | |
| Dedicated Reader | |
| Literate Good Citizen | |
| Book Snob | |
| Non-Reader | |
| Fad Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz | |
I guess that explains the twitching and shaking I feel after not having read a book for a day or two.
How obsessed are you?
posted by missmellifluous at 8:35 am
9 Comments:
I took the quiz, too!
Can you guess my score?
I, too, am an obsessive compulsive bookworm. Surprise, surprise!
Monergism Books, Soli Deo Gloria Books, Banner of Truth Books and Amazon aren't surprised, either.
Neither is my husband.
Yay! I knew I was not alone!
Oh dear...
Your Result: Book Snob
You like to think you're one of the literati, but actually you're just a snob who can read. You read mostly for the social credit you can get out of it.
Having said that, I've had precisely the same "did you think you'd get bored with us?" question...
Have you ever answered, "Yes"?
I was the "Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm" too. Naturally.
I am a literate good citizen. I used to be a obsessive compulsive bookworm until the internet came along.
hmmm - I'm a dedicated reader and think the world would be a better place if everyone read more.
Very true
but...
I'm very surprised that I wasn't classed as an obsessive compulsive bookworm.
I may have let the library community down...
I was also an obsessive-compulsive bookworm, of course, as my hefty book bill will show. And I always need a book to tote places with me or I just feel nude.
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