My name is Anjum and I am an addict: I collect books. I'm a bookworm who just can’t get enough of that sweet, sweet bibliochor smell. I have tsundoku which is the Japanese term for the act of acquiring reading materials and letting them pile up without reading them. And let me tell you, my pile is massive. I've got books, comics, graphic novels and magazines stacked on my bedside table, dining room table and have a heaving pile on my bookshelf.
It's not that I don't want to read them, it's just that there are so many books I want to read there is so little time to do so. Every time I go to the bookshop, charity shop or newsagents, I come home with some new piece of reading material or two, convinced that I'll have plenty of time to read them later. But "later" never seems to come.
My wife often teases me about my book hoarding, calling me a collector of stuff and, to be honest, she may have a point. However, I do have a wide range of interests and I'm always eager to learn new things but sometimes it feels like I'm drowning in a sea of unread material.
Despite my tsundoku tendencies, I do manage to read a fair amount, especially during the summer holidays when I have more free time. But even then, I can't resist the urge to buy more books.
So, what's the solution to my tsundoku problem? I'm not sure. Perhaps I should try to be more selective about the books I buy. Or maybe I should set aside specific times for reading each day. Whatever the solution, I know that I need to do something to get a handle on my ever-growing book pile. Nah! Life’s short so do what you can to get through it and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.