That’s definitely the crucial question at the moment in this neck of the woods, as Mount TBR grows ever large and more unstable…
I’ve obviously demonstrated the fact that I’m unable to stop buying books but has my love for the printed word got out of hand?! Wikipedia provides the following definitions:
Bibliomania
(Not to be confused with bibliophilia)
Bibliomania can be a symptom of obsessive–compulsive disorder which involves the collecting or even hoarding of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged. One of several unusual behaviors associated with books, bibliomania is characterized by the collecting of books which have no use to the collector nor any great intrinsic value to a genuine book collector. The purchase of multiple copies of the same book and edition and the accumulation of books beyond possible capacity of use or enjoyment are frequent symptoms of bibliomania.
Bibliophilia
Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. Accordingly a bibliophile is an individual who loves books. A bookworm (sometimes pejorative) is someone who loves books for their content, or who otherwise loves reading. A bibliophile may be, but is not necessarily, a book collector. The classic bibliophile is one who loves to read, admire and collect books, often amassing a large and specialized collection. Bibliophiles do not necessarily want to possess the books they love; an alternative would be unusual bindings, autographed copies, etc.[
Hmmm. Well, assuming we accept those definitions, I think I’m safe in saying that I’m *not* a maniac! I’m pretty sure my social relations and my health are *not* damaged by my love of books, and the ones I collect certainly have a use – I read a lot of them! I’d quibble with a couple of things though – if you love a book very much you might well want to have several copies (Simon T, I’m looking at you, and I’m equally guilty of this myself!) Likewise, I would say that bibliophiles most often *do* want to possess a copy of the books they love. But I feel a little reassured – I don’t think I’m lapsing into mania yet!! So how about you? What’s *your* book collecting habit like? 🙂
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Jan 21, 2014 @ 08:45:30
I have completely given up on trying to control my book buying. Though I made myself a little book jar at the weekend with all the unread books on my shelf (and kindle) and realised I have over 200 books to read when I thought I only had about 60-70 so I really can’t trust my own judgement. I hope I’m more of a bibliophile rather than a bibliomaniac!
Jan 21, 2014 @ 08:58:24
I daren’t even make a book jar……. 🙂
Jan 21, 2014 @ 14:51:35
B-mania would be a toughie… I’m going to go with B-philia! 🙂
Jan 21, 2014 @ 14:57:50
Definitely safer…. 😉
Jan 21, 2014 @ 15:33:35
Whew. I’m glad I’m just a “phile” and not a “maniac”! You’ve brought peace of mind to thousands today — well done.
Jan 21, 2014 @ 15:37:17
Yes, it’s nice to feel you’re not crazy! 🙂
Jan 21, 2014 @ 16:01:02
I’ll own up to both! I do genuinely love books, but am addicted to acquiring them. Sighs…
Jan 21, 2014 @ 16:08:31
🙂 I’ll join you – I don’t seem to be able to stop new books just tiptoeing into the house when I’m not looking…..
Jan 21, 2014 @ 21:20:59
Well it’s quite reassuring. I’d have said I was a bibliomaniac for sure, but I’d never buy a book I wasn’t intending to read – and in the near future, too (though that part may be delusional!). I do keep trying to buy fewer, but that just never seems to happen and I have no idea how they seem to keep creeping in… 😉
Jan 21, 2014 @ 21:43:04
Books are sneaky things aren’t they? And I definitely *do* buy my books with the intention to read them…
Jan 21, 2014 @ 22:22:07
The line is a little fuzzy, but I think I’m on the right side. I’ll never buy a book I don’t plan to read, though I may not get to all the unread books I own in a single lifetime.
Jan 22, 2014 @ 00:11:07
Named and shamed, eek! Well, I think I might be teetering over this line, but able to pull myself back into bibliophilia… Today I even left a book in a charity shop when I reasoned that I didn’t need it (then went to another charity shop and bought a different book, but still…)
Jan 22, 2014 @ 08:27:29
🙂 Well, I was thinking of your multiple copies of Provincial Lady, but then I have several of The Master and Margarita, so I am no better! I think there’s a fine line between the two states, but if we are buying with the intention to read it’s got to be philia! I have been trying to exercise restraint recently, but it’s been very hard, particularly as they keep re-stocking the modern classics and classics sections in the local Oxfam…
Jan 22, 2014 @ 00:55:57
Oh I’m definitely not a bibliomaniac! Fancy buying books just to hoard them and not read; but one must have a copy of loved books. Fortunately for me, I don’t buy books all the time, I go through patches. I bought a lot of secondhand books over the summer (when a local shop was going out of business, and then I got on a hunt for vintage Penguins/Puffins/Piccolos, etc…)then stopped almost completely and took up with adding to my record/cd collection again. No doubt the book spell will start up again sometime, but for now I’m ignoring all the want lists completely!
Jan 22, 2014 @ 08:35:24
Yup – you *definitely* need to be buying to read! I tend to go in waves, too – often depending what’s available in the local charity shops!
Jan 22, 2014 @ 07:41:24
“beyond capacity of.. enjoyment” – no way! I hope that day never comes.
Jan 22, 2014 @ 08:35:43
🙂 Can’t see that happening to me somehow!!
Jan 22, 2014 @ 08:39:02
If there’s such a thing as a schizo-bibliophile-bibliomaniac then I think I qualify! I’d prefer Phile than Manic but as I tripped over The Luminaries lying on the floor as out of shelf space, which led to hurting finger, I think I’ve crossed the divide to being dangerous to health!
Jan 22, 2014 @ 08:54:12
🙂 It’s the teetering piles that are most dangerous to me!
Jan 23, 2014 @ 18:35:37
Karen, I fear I’m a maniac.:) I have multiple copies of Jane Austen’s books and Dickens. Is that hoarding? I do read them, though. Sometimes I feel like a Penguin, sometimes a Modern Library.
But I guess if I read them, I’m not quite a maniac, am I? Perhaps I’m a “bookaholic”, though. Is “holic” or mania” worse?
No, I’m sure I’m just a normal bibliophile, but there is much buying of books here.
Jan 23, 2014 @ 19:13:26
Biblipholic I think is better – it’s addiction but not quite so bad! However, I don’t think having multiple copies makes you a maniac – sometimes I want a McDuff translation of Dostoevsky, sometimes a Magarshack. So it stands to reason that I will have multiples!
Basically, the buying of books is a *good* thing!
Jan 24, 2014 @ 00:56:36
Bibliophile here. Though I’ve acquired multiple copies of quite a few favourites just because they’re in better shape than my original copies, or they have lovely dust jacket, and I will *always* replace a paperback with a vintage hardcover when the opportunity arises. Occasionally I even divest my collection of the paperback copy when that occurs. (Very occasionally. 😉 )
I always regret passing promising books up, and I seldom regret purchasing long shots; I have found some marvelous writers and books by going with that elusive “feeling”, though it is often dreadfully expensive, especially when one is in the vintage section of a really good used book store…
A “large and specialized collection” describes the situation here to a “T”!
Jan 24, 2014 @ 09:12:45
Yes, it’s always worth following a book hunch – you can pick up gems when you least expect it, just through getting a feeling about a book. I am lucky in that most of the haunts I visit are charity shops so it’s rare that the books will cost more than a few pounds. That’s why it’s often hard to resist and why the piles of books get higher and higher….. And I *do* often get a sentimental attachment to particular volumes, for example the first copy of a favourite book. I guess I’m just a hopeless case!!