Which of these are you?
- Abibliophobiac – a person who fears being without a book to read
- Bibliobibuli – a person who reads too much
- Biblioclast – a person who rips pages from books
- Bibliographe – a person who writes about books
- Bibliolatrist – one given to a superstitious reverence for a book
- Bibliolestes – a book thief
- Bibliomaniac – one with a mania for collecting or owning books
- Bibliophagist – a voracious reader, a devourer of books
- Bibliopegist – a fancier of book bindings
- Bibliophile – a lover or collector of books (word dates from 1824)
- Biblioriptos – a person who throws books
- Bibliosmiac – one who loves the smell of books
- Bibliotapbe – a person who hides books
- Bookish – fond of books
- Bookworm – a hard reader (word dates from 1580)
- Book-bosomed – one who can’t go anywhere without a book (word coined by Sir Walter Scott in 1805)
- Librocubicularist – one who reads in bed
- Literarian – a person engaged in literary pursuits
- Logophile – a lover of words
- Metrophobiac – a person who fears poetry
- Omnilegent – having read everything
- Reader – one who reads or reads much
Portrait of Charles Nodier by Benjamin Roubaud
I hope none of you are metrophobiacs? I’ve never met anyone who is omnilegent, I do not rip pages from books or throw them, and I don’t think the condition of ‘bibliobibulism’ actually exists (can a person read too much??). However, I think I am probably all the other things listed.
Tonight I plan to indulge in a little librocubicularism. Will you? Would you admit to being a biblioriptos, bibliolestes or a logophile?
Share your little secret with me by leaving a comment (I promise not to tell anyone!)
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andrew Stephen
Dear Susannah,
as a former teacher I find it hard to believe that anyone might not be a book addict. I have just published my second book on Amazon and now I know just how many metrophobiacs there are!
Keep up the good work,
Andrew
Susannah Fullerton
Thanks Andrew. I find it hard to understand anyone who doesn’t want to fill their lives with good books and the joy of reading, but there are strange people out there.
I am so glad you enjoy my newsletters.
M.S. Durham
Reading in bed is a delightful pastime. The bedroom is generally distant from the rooms that we use for meals and general activities, so there are fewer interruptions. Reading while we’re in pyjamas adds a sense of luxury and privacy. But the most special magic happens when we feel we’re no longer reading but inhabiting the book’s ‘world’, all without leaving bed!
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, there’s nothing quite like it – you are warm and comfortable, safe from the interruptions that happens elsewhere in the house, and soon you are travelling back in history, to other lands, meeting such a range of people. Isn’t it wonderful to love reading! Merry Christmas and may 2020 be packed with good books!
Rosna Storey
I am definitely a Librocubicularist ( what a wonderful word!!)I have always loved reading when I get into bed, the trouble is if the book is a page turner I continue to read into the early hours of the morning.
For some reason I only read books in bed, if I am reading the paper or any other form of literature I sit in an arm chair.
Thank you so much for your Notes From A Book Addict.
Susannah Fullerton
I agree! Newspapers and magazines just do not work in bed. It has to be a book. So glad you enjoy my Notes.
Shirley LaPlanche
Suzannah I admit to being a bibliotestes. Last month I took a book that was sitting on a fence up the road. There were five books (all paper back)in two neat piles and I presumed the home owner was a member of those wonderful people who cannot throw away a book they’ve enjoyed so they leave it on a park bench, or a fence, for anther person to take and enjoy. Like a good recipe, good books should be shared and given a dry home. And yes I’m a librocubicularist – I start on my back with the pillows stacked behind me and gradually throw away one pillar after the other until I’ve sunk down onto my left side from where I can reach the bedside light when I’m done.
Susannah Fullerton
I’d have assumed the same if books were sitting on a fence.
Your reading position sounds like mine. If only we had more time to take up such positions and settle down for a long read!
Susanne Gervay
Love this – books rock
Susannah Fullerton
They sure do!
Carolyn Cossgrove
Is there a word for ” one who reads in the bath”? My favourite place to read.
Susannah Fullerton
I also love reading in the bath! Now what could a good word for that be? A bibliobather, perhaps? Anyone have any suggestions?
Marisa Cano
Me? Definitely an Abibliophobiac!
Susannah Fullerton
Isn’t it a fabulous word! I hope to use it often.
Ruth Wilson
I seem to have lost the beginning of this comment so I’ll have to start again! I was accusing you, dear Susannah, of being a book temptress for which I have invented a word of your very own – Biblio-Eve. Thanks to you, I have already broken my reading regime to accommodate the Nicholsons – Juliet’s perfect summer and Adam’s secretaries. And now it looks like A House Full of Daughters to come. And as I am a bibliomaniac it means another trip to Fishpond, because I have to see my books lined up on my shelves – not a library alas, but housed in a spare bedroom so I do get to lie down quite frequently.I am not tempted at all to try Orlando again – I have a love (Mrs Dalloway) hate (Orlando in particular but others too, and many of Virginia’s mean-spirited opinions)relationship with her and most of the’Bloomsberries’.Thanks again, Susannah, for stimulating our minds with your unique combination of knowledge and sense of fun. Ruth
Susannah Fullerton
I do like to think of myself as a ‘book temptress’. What a lovely role to have in life! I am so glad you’ve been reading the Nicolsons – they are soooo good. And I agree that Mrs Dalloway is the best of Virginia Woolf, though even that one doesn’t leave me longing to re-read. You are a true kindred spirit, Ruth.
Annamaria
Dear Susannah
I confess to being a bookish, book-bosomed, bibliophile – a reader for pleasure and purpose. My greatest nightmare would be allowing anyone fitting the description of biblioclast, bibliotestes, biblioriptos, bibliotapbe or metrophobiac in the vicinity of my library – I’m feeling agitated just imagining that scenario!
My partner, however, is appreciative of your posting. He often struggles to find the right words to describe or call out my bookish behaviours, particularly in the late and wee hours when I’m to be found lying on a sofa in my library -yes, reading! I expect the time is nigh when the terms abibliophobiac, bibliobibuli, bibliolatrist, bibliomaniac, bibliophagist, bibliopegist, bibliosmiac, librocubicularist will rain down on this innocent logophile’s and literarian’s head.
I will retort omnilegent I am not and never will be! Always a pleasure to read your posts, Susannah.
Susannah Fullerton
They are rather wonderful words, aren’t they. I am glad I have given your partner some words to describe you. However, I am now feeling envious – you have a library, with a sofa in it!!!!! I am turning green. If I had my own library to which I could retire, I would have some chance of becoming omnilegent.