Top Ten Tuesday: Things Book Bloggers Love That Non-Readers Don’t Understand

~ Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Outrageous Things I’ve Done for the Love of Books.” Aside from maybe staying up a little late to read (11pm is late, right?), I don’t think I’ve done anything too extreme in the name of books. So instead I am listing things that have earned me some questioning looks from non-readers. I’m sure you can all relate.

1. ARCs – No one outside of the book community knows what an ARC is. Advanced Readers Copy means nothing to them either. I’ve tried to explain it many times to outsiders. They just don’t get what the big deal is. 

2. Having unread books on your shelf – Never reveal how many books on your shelf you haven’t read to a non-reader. You will be judged. 

3. Rereading – I love to reread and I don’t often get a chance to, but I really enjoy revisiting old favorites. But try explaining why you want to read a book again for the fourth time to someone who isn’t a huge fan of reading. Puzzled looks guaranteed to follow.

4. Owning multiple editions – I keep it on the down low how many editions of HP I own and how many I still want to buy. I also have so many editions of Jane Austen books as well, which I would only admit to you, my friends.

5. The need to buy more books – Non-readers seem to be under the impression that after reading/buying/borrowing a certain number of books, you no longer want more? 

6. Buying accessories for Instagram – I don’t even try to explain why I am buying more fake flowers when I have tons at home. Explaining book pictures is also quite a conversation. We love to read books, but also love pretty pictures of books! Also, I made an Instagram a few weeks ago if you want to follow me (@akernelofnonsense). Flowers abound.

7. How much time spent book blogging – Yes, I know I spend lots of time on my phone/computer working on my blog. It’s hard but I enjoy it. It’s like any other hobby in that it’s how I choose to spend my free time. 

8. Always carrying a book with me – Why is my handbag so heavy? Aside from the secret snacks I keep in there, I usually keep a book inside. Even when I know I probably won’t have time to read, I take one because what if I do have some time? 

9. The book blogging community – I don’t think many non-readers understand how many people love books. Like, we have a whole book community. We have websites, book twitter, bookstagram, booktube, booklr. We regularly interact with other readers, publishers, and authors. It’s small in the grand scheme of things, but there are so many people who love books out there.

10. Fawning over a book – Whether it be a cover, endpapers, spines, naked hardbacks, how do you explain the beauty that a book is to an outsider who has probably never even given a spare thought to any of these things?

What are some bookish things you love or do that puzzle non-readers in your life? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.

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Published by Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense

Tackling one book at a time in an effort to conquer my TBR pile. It isn't going well. Visit my book blog A Kernel of Nonsense for book reviews and more ~

79 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Things Book Bloggers Love That Non-Readers Don’t Understand”

  1. I relate to buying bookstagram things, unread books, carrying books with me everywhere and of course, the time spent in book blogging. It’s SO time consuming, but also enjoyable and a wonderful learning experience, too. 🙂 Also, this community is THE best.

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  4. Re- reading *nods*. SO true. And ARC’s- oh my gosh again so true. Sometimes they just look at you like huh?? when the subject of ARC’s comes up! And great point with #9. Unless you KNOW the book blogging community I think it’s hard for mundanes to get it??

    Awesome examples!!

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  5. I can relate to all of these 😹😹 also sometimes when I used to take outside pictures for my bookstagram everyone in the park just stared like: why is she taking pictures of a book in the tree?

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  8. Haha love your take on this topic. I do get confused looks for carrying books everywhere with me! I used to unload a stack of books at the library where my friends and I studied together and top it off with a fiction book and get some funny looks 😂 also yesssss on ARCs. I excitedly tell my non bookish friends I got an arc and get a lot of confusion back

    My list: https://bookslifeotheroddities.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/10-crazy-things-all-bookworms-have-done/

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  11. Great list! So many of these are so relatable. 4 is especially one I’ve received weird looks for in the past! I like to own multiple editions of my favourite novels – I have 5 different versions of The Goblin Emperor…

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  16. I had to explain to my parents what ARCs were once and they looked so confused! And yes, my mum is always like, you have all these books that you haven’t read for years, why don’t you get rid of them? *shudders in horror*. She also doesn’t really understand why I constantly buy new books even though I have unread books on my shelves and I’ve stopped bothering trying to explain it.
    My TTT; https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/top-ten-tuesday-206/

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  23. My roommate certainly gives me a look when I try to wander into a bookstore or come home with new books because she knows how many piles of unread books are currently gracing my shelves and floor. But I can’t be stopped!

    Also, yes, always bring a book everywhere. It gets me through lines or waiting for a person to show up (and I can get through my read that much faster, so I can read MORE things).

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  24. OMG THESE GIFS ARE AMAZING I LOVE IT!!!
    Oh yah the time I spend book blogging was on my list too! It’s pretty insane hahaha but it’s part of the book blogging experience right? And yes, the amount of unread titles I have on my shelf is kind of ridiculous – I need to get on that LOL

    For me I would say reading late (where one time I pulled an all nighter and I was so invested I didn’t even realize the time LOL) The logical thing might be to get the sleep we need but when I have an addicting book in my hands, my brain thinks otherwise hehehe

    Great post btw! 🙂

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  25. Lol YES for bookstagram props and trying to explain them! People are always like, “… Okay?” And I’m like, “I really don’t have time to go into the nuances of why bookstagram is so important” haha

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      1. ahaha I didn’t mean for it to sound that way but it totally is! LOL. I felt so self-conscious taking pictures in public, like at a cafe or park. There’s a serious confidence and “IDGAF” attitude you have to have to do that lol.

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        2. Even like, on the corner of my street I’m always like, “Are people staring at me??” Or when I’m like in a library taking a picture of the shelves I’m always so concious of it, haha.

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  32. haha I Can definitely realte to ALL of this! Especially the carrying the books AND carrying bookstagram props with me because I never know when I’ll have the time to photograph books. SO I carry at least a month of “new arrivals” in the car with the props and when I find a time, good light and a good setting to take pics then I do it LOl it could be in a park or a beach and everyone looks at me like I’m totally nuts! LOL

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  34. I do find it puzzling when people have multiple copies of the same book, lol. I think the only book for me for which that is true is The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I had this nice 1992 edition that had all my notes in it. Then, when I started teaching it, all my students would buy the mass market paperback that costs half as much. Grrrr.

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  35. These are 100% accurate. If I had a dollar for every time my friends/family would say, “You want to buy a book AGAIN?” I would probably be filthy rich. They just don’t get my need for an imaginary adventure!! Also, whenever I squeal from excitement if I get approved for an ARC, my family would instantly judge me even though I’ve explained to them countless times why it’s very important to me. *sighs dramatically* Oh well, at least we readers can relate to each other. ❤

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  36. Secret snacks haha! I love it! I have a snack drawer at work 😀 And yes, I always carry a book and/or my kindle in my purse… pretty sure my amount of unread owned books horrifies non-readers/non-bloggers. On the flip side I always find it baffling when people (on facebook for example) have “read all their books and need suggestions.” I will never be done reading all my books lmao.

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