Embracing your inner bibliophile without the guilt

My husband recently handed me a newspaper article from the Wall Street Journal. It is entitled "E-Books and Life Without Guilt" by Danny Heitman. The author talks about how he always resolves every year to read the same book that is gathering dust on his shelf, and how guilt always gnaws at him because he knows he never will.

Boy, does that sound familiar!

Then, along comes the e-book, Heitman says, and our guilt can be swept away. Instead of seeing these piles of books all around you, simply store them digitally in your ebook reader and clear your shelves. "Electronic versions do not taunt you from a pile like the books I've resolved to read in 2012."

I think he's reading my mind.

Even better, those of us who are hardened bibliophiles can glut our passion (and addiction) by adding hundreds and hundreds of titles to our ebook readers without the guilt. We have the books, be we don't have to see the books, ridding ourselves of our guilt. Heitman says, "I like the reference to courtship here, since it puts a finger on why buying books – and then ditching them unopened or after the briefest of dalliances – is so much fun. This kind of fickle literary speed-dating is, in today's world, probably the only form of promiscuity that can be indulged without too much ruin."

Did he just call me promiscuous??

This was such a fun article to read, and now, as a self-proclaimed bibliophile, I feel so understood! Heitman has essentially said to me, "Yes, it's OK to be the bibliophile you are. You are understood, and you are not alone."

*sob* I am not alone *sob*

Well, I just had to share this moment of enlightenment and empowerment with all of you, my literary friends. You can read Heitman's full article here.

I'm gonna go browse Google books for awhile.
Happy reading!
Bean