All Bibliophiles might not have similar taste in books, but they do have some things in common. Whether it is the book sniffing habit or spending hours in libraries and bookstores, there are things that all book readers just easily relate to.
Similarly, when I talk about reading habits, there are some things that almost all book lovers identify with. Don’t call yourself a Bibliophile if you haven’t tried these things.
Sneakily Reading Novels in Class
Unless you are a literature student, you know what I am talking about. Unlike those who chose to follow their passion and decided to opt for literature as a career choice, there are hardcore bibliophiles who evaded the boredom of daily lectures by reading novels in class.
I remember the times when I used to skip classes to sneak into the library to finish a fast-paced thriller. Moreover, if you are like me, you must have tried reading a novel by putting it inside a more significant coursebook and pretending to study harder than the entire class. This reading habit also backfired when you got caught (hopefully not in the middle of a good chapter).
Reading Books in the Bath
An excruciating cliffhanger waits for none. So, when you finally have the second book in the series and a strong urge to finish it as soon as possible, you take your chances with the most fragile of things — your book. Reading in the bath is the most fun and most terrifying experience.
Fun, because you can relax in the bathtub while being lost in imaginary worlds and terrifying because you don’t wish for the book to fall in. You don’t want to touch it with wet hands either and finger pruning, let’s all agree to it, that is the worst thing.
Reading under your Blanket with a Flashlight
It may be reading comics in your childhood or young adult novels as a teenager. If I’m more honest, even reading erotica in your youth. We have all tried reading under the blanket with a flashlight. When your mom told you to sleep, and the entire house was silent, you would slowly turn the pages and curiously read the chapters. It was always and almost never the last chapter before you went to sleep.
The Test for your Arms’ Strength
Even if you have never exercised in your life and only wear yoga pants because they are comfortable, as a book reader, one’s arms get plenty of exercises. Elbows on the bed or table and head resting in your arms is the favorite position of every bibliophile until your arms start hurting.
Laying on your back and holding the book over your face is the next position to be tried until that, too, starts hurting and you drop your book on your face accidentally.
Carrying so Many Books while Traveling
You know you are a book lover if your backpack has more books than clothes and minimalism is just no concept for your ever-growing TBR pile. There is always that internal conflict of whether you should carry the precious hardback that you have wanted to read for ages or the paperback that is half-finished on your shelf.
Moreover, how to pack is a more significant challenge than what to pack because you don’t want your precious book to have bent corners or a broken spine. Everything else can be adjusted afterward. The books are always the priority. How else will you spend your time by the window side of the car/train/plane looking lost in dreams? Only by reading, of course.
The nostalgic thrill of these might appease us, yet, with the changing times, there are some products that have made reading a lot easier. From reading books under the blanket with a flashlight to reading carefully in a bath, these are matters of the old generation.
How to Sneak Read a Book?
Mobile apps and ereaders have made sneaking books easier, and you can always read a novel while pretending to be researching an important topic. Moon+ Reader Pro and Media 365 Book reader are the most recommended mobile apps because of their flexibility in size and font. They are compatible with different formats of ebooks like Epub, Mobi, PDF.
No need to skip lunch or to have to sneak into the library, you can sit anywhere and read without worrying about being called a bookworm. After all, everyone is on their phones these days.
So, you keep your secret nerd identity safe, escape the boring lecture while being in class and finish the book that had been on your TBR. It’s a win-win.
Don’t Put your Book at Risk
Audiobooks are the answer to the wet fingers problem. Reading in baths is much easier when you can close your eyes, relax and listen to an audiobook being played on your phone. Plus, no more finger pruning because you can read anywhere. Just plug in your headphones and read while traveling, cooking or even while walking around.
Audible is a wonderful audiobook app that has over 200,000 books. Keep the phone at a distance and enjoy good literature with a fantastic warm bath.
How to read comfortably?
Kindle has solved most of the reading problems faced by bibliophiles. You can keep one in your lap and read without worrying that it would close or fall on your face. Even reading in bed, beneath the blanket is made easier by this device. After all, who needs a flashlight when the book itself is glowing brightly?
Kindle Paperwhite is much preferred for all because of its screen resolution. It is also waterproof and will fit in your budget.
Another solution is to get a bedside reading lamp such as Regency Hill Table Lamp because it gives efficient light and also costs little. However, given a choice, I sure do like the Kindle Paperwhite better.
Be super-ready with your Travel-TBR
See, technology saves the day again. You can still get your killer Instagram shot with a book while keeping most of the books safe back at home.
About the Author
Pallavi Sareen is an avid reader, a harsh critic, bibliophile, and a dreamer. Accustomed to telling stories, she spends her time amidst the pages of either a book or her diary.