May 19, 2023, Letters From the Nest
https://lettersfromthenest.substack.com/p/book-hoarding
The most frequently used app on my phone is not Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or another commonly used form of social media. It’s not even messages. Sometimes, it’s Google or Apple Maps. But, usually, it’s Libby. Do you know what Libby is? Google says, “Libby is a free app where you can borrow ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library. . . and read anytime, anywhere. All you need to get started is a library card.” Guess how many library cards I have? Well, they’re not just mine--my kids are gracious enough to share with me--but I have eleven. I’m down a couple of cards since our oldest daughter graduated from BYU, and our oldest son’s local library card elapsed while he has been away in Argentina. Check out the recent stats from my library cards:
Digital Books on hold: 180
Digital Books checked out:153
Physical Books Checked Out From Library:17
Physical Books On Hold at Library: 7
TOTAL: 357
Of course, this is just a snapshot, and the numbers fluctuate widely--especially when I’m checking out books for kids over the summer. I won’t include a count of the books I own because I don’t want to count them. I estimate about 1500, but I have room for more. In our family's early lean years, I would only purchase books I had read and liked. Now, my bookshelves hold more books I want to read than books I have read, but I just know I will like them.
Is that a ridiculous amount of books? Why hang on to them? Why not finish a book before I acquire another? Could I have an obsession? Since I’m admitting this in a public essay, the ten people who will read this will know of my problem. Do you want to know something else? I think the problem is genetic.
Evidence of the book-hoarding gene can be found as you observe my children at the library or used book store. At home, you have only to peek into their backpacks, stand by their beds, or try to find a place to sit in the car or on the couch. We are not messy people. Our stacks are nice, but they’re everywhere. You might also observe one of their many evening arguments, “Mom got that book for me. I’m reading that.” “No, I saw that one first. It’s in my pile. I’m reading it!” “But I want it in my pile. I’m reading it!”
There’s a term for this obsession (I guess it’s okay to call it that, even with the associated negative connotation). I found the word in an article on bigthink.com (https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/do-i-own-too-many-books). “Tsundoku is the Japanese word for the stack(s) of books you’ve purchased but haven’t read. Its morphology combines tsunde-oku (letting things pile up) and dokusho (reading books).”
The article defends tsundoku as a worthy practice because it affirms intellectual humility. Theoretically, an unread collection of books could counter the Dunning-Kruger effect, which occurs when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area causes them to overestimate their own competence. In other words, collecting books with the intention of reading them could be a concrete reminder that you don’t know everything about everything, but you can learn something about some things by opening a book or two.
That sounds nice, and it’s probably true that easy access to books can encourage curiosity while also boosting cognitive abilities. But that’s not really why I keep books around.
My justification for hanging onto so many books is not so noble--I don’t like that I-don’t-know-what-to-read feeling. Honestly, I think it might be an avoidance of boredom. I always want something on hand. For me, it’s not social media. It’s a book. If I have a queue of three hundred books I know I want to read, I don’t have to fret when I finish one. I can grab the next without much thought. I also don’t have to worry about forgetting a cool book if I have a hundred high-demand books on hold.
Still, observing my children tells me that tsundoku is more than simple intellectual humility or boredom avoidance. I think the real motivation is potential. Books carry the potential for adventure, learning, and experience, and we want to carry that potential with us. On hot summer days, we can argue about an activity that will satisfy everybody, or we can go to the library. There’s something for everybody. The shelves are stacked with potential. Where do you want to go? What do you want to learn? Open a book, and dive in.
My kids fill their arms and mine with books even though they know they won’t realistically get through all fifty before we return to the library again. In the car, their stacks are on their laps, and the ride home is peaceful.
The possibilities are literally AND figuratively endless.
Not posted on Letters From the Nest are some screenshots of books I found on my phone. I must have been recommending them to somebody.
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