27 Genuine Reasons I Have Bought Books

Because it was a nicer copy of a book I already loved

Because it had a painting I liked on the cover

Because of the lovely musty smell

Because my friend was so enthusiastic (even though I knew I wouldn’t keep it)

Because I was in an independent bookshop and hadn’t found anything I wanted

Because Persephone had once mentioned thinking about publishing it

Because it was a shade of blue I loved

Because of the book’s unusual height

Because I’d read in P.G. Wodehouse’s collected letters that he liked it

Because I wanted a souvenir (and there weren’t many books in English)

Because it was mentioned by the Provincial Lady

Because it had the word ‘spinster’ in the title

Because I needed change for the bus

Because I don’t often see books set in Worcestershire

Because I liked the sound it made when it closed (I later discovered I already owned this book)

Because I’d read something else by that author, and hadn’t really liked it, but wished I had

Because it felt wrong for an English Literature student not to have the book

Because I wanted to talk to the author at a signing

Because the author is my friend

Because the author is my friend’s sister

Because of the font on the spine

Because Q.D. Leavis wrote about it

Because it matched other books I had by that author (which I hadn’t read)

Because I liked the wordplay in the title

Because the author is related to an author I like

Because the author had the same surname as an author I like (though I knew they weren’t related)

Oh, and because I wanted to read it.

47 thoughts on “27 Genuine Reasons I Have Bought Books

  • November 4, 2020 at 11:00 am
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    My favourite is ‘because I needed change for the bus’….

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    • November 4, 2020 at 11:36 am
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      The most economically practical one :D

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  • November 4, 2020 at 11:14 am
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    Because a bookseller enthused about it even though I was absolutely sure I would not like it.

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    • November 4, 2020 at 11:37 am
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      Oohh yes, have done that! He was so excited that I lived in Oxford that he pressed a book about Oxford on me that I knew I would not read. 15 years later, I have not read it.

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  • November 4, 2020 at 11:22 am
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    A super list, connected with many of those! Add: because I liked the sound /look of the signature on the flyleaf of previous owner.

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    • November 4, 2020 at 11:37 am
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      Yes, good one! I have bought books for their lovely past dedications before, including someone who’d written a poem.

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  • November 4, 2020 at 12:11 pm
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    Because it matched other books I had by that author (which I hadn’t read) – have you taken a look inside my mind???
    Also:
    Because I couldn’t remember if I had a copy at home or not, so better safe than sorry.
    Because I’m going on holiday and might run out of reading matter.
    Because someone I dislike thought this was a bad book.
    Above all: Because it was mentioned on Backlisted Podcast, or enthused over by my favourite book bloggers.

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    • November 4, 2020 at 12:56 pm
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      Oh yes, blogger recommendations are certainly v high on the list! Love the idea of buying one because someone you dislike didn’t like it :D

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  • November 4, 2020 at 12:21 pm
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    Thanks for giving me several laughs on a day when I sorely needed them.
    I worked in a used-and-rare bookstore years ago and I was worried about one of our customers — I told the owner that I knew he’d buy multiple copies of books. “Yes,” he replied to me, “and once I told him, gently, that I knew he already had a copy of the book he was buying. And he said to me that he didn’t know where that copy was, and he wanted to read it that weekend.” (ps: his wife eventually left him because the foundation of their rather impressive house cracked because of the weight of the books.) (another ps: I am myself a bibliomaniac who has a few books in multiple copies, too. But so far the foundation of my house is intact.)

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    • November 4, 2020 at 12:56 pm
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      Oh gosh, that really is something! I loved Jacques Bonnet’s Phantom on the Bookshelf, non-fic about owning tens of thousands of books. I do worry a little, cos I’m in a first-floor flat, but fingers crossed for my downstairs neighbour.

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  • November 4, 2020 at 12:32 pm
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    Lovely! I too have done many of the above, but also
    – To support an indie bookshop or publisher during the pandemic
    – To get the free bag / bookmark
    – To give as a gift but then kept for myself instead
    – Because e-books just don’t do it for me
    – Because of the lovely illustrations

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    • November 4, 2020 at 12:55 pm
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      Great additions to the list!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 12:38 pm
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    You buy copies because of the smell! If a book smells musty, that’s a turn off for me.
    Love the excuse of needing change for the bus.

    Other reasons
    – because I’d run out of reading material while on holiday
    – because I was afraid the book I had with me to read on a long flight wouldn’t be good/long enough
    – because I felt guilty at having spent so long in the shop and couldn’t leave without buying at least one thing
    – because I cannot leave a bookshop empty handed

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    • November 4, 2020 at 12:55 pm
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      I know, some people love the new-book smell, which I really don’t like. For some reason, I love the smell of musty, damp books!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 1:00 pm
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    All excellent reasons!

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      • November 5, 2020 at 10:08 am
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        Is there such thing as a bad reason tbh

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  • November 4, 2020 at 3:15 pm
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    I feel like this is the start of a never-ending list! Which is just as it should be – there should be as many reasons to buy books as there are books.

    My contribution:
    -Because I want to share my love of a book with a friend but need to buy them their own copy so that my own precious copy is never out of my possession

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:09 am
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      I’m loving all the contributions! This is, of course, an excellent one.

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  • November 4, 2020 at 3:17 pm
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    Fun list! Too many are true of me, but it was generally a candy bar to get change for the bus.

    I’ll add: because I had dirhams (UAE) left over & thought I wouldn’t be going back.

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:10 am
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      Oh that’s a good reason. Money at the end of a time in a different country basically doesn’t count. Free books!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 4:25 pm
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    Your list raised a big smile!

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:11 am
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      We all needed it yesterday! And today…

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:16 am
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      Amen, Karen!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 5:45 pm
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    Because I collect books with X on the cover (in my case, skulls or skeletons).
    Because I want to own every edition of every book by the author (Rex Stout).
    Because the book cover is illustrated by a particular artist (Tom Adams or Robert McGinnis).
    Because the book has a good introduction.
    Because the type is large enough for me to read and my paperback copy has tiny print.

    I also often buy books in independent book stores mainly to support the store.

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:18 am
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      Oo skulls on the cover is interesting! Tracy, you are in danger of making me have a nice collecting addiction… mine might be country houses, though that does seem too broad.

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    • November 8, 2020 at 4:29 pm
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      Exactly one of my best reasons, Tracy:
      Because the type is large enough for me to read and my paperback copy has tiny print.
      Those paperbacks from the 1970s of all my D E Stevensons. Mind you, I’m not getting rid of them…

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  • November 4, 2020 at 6:25 pm
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    What a brilliant list! Because it was mentioned by the Provincial Lady – I love books that talk about books and always feel the need to read them too.

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:18 am
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      I debated making a reading project where I read everything she mentioned… one day, maybe!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 6:46 pm
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    Love it! Just what I needed today. I’ve definitely been guilty of some of these. Another one for me is Because he’s a former archbishop and goes to my church (even though he has some hateful opinions).

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:19 am
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      I’d love that; please do!

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  • November 4, 2020 at 9:21 pm
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    I have not counted up the number of times I’ve used the same reasoning as you, but it was definitely more often than not. I also have:
    * Because it had a vintage bookmark in it that I wanted (and the book sounded okay)
    * Because I liked the sound of the title
    * Because I’d never seen a book by an author of that country in English before

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:19 am
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      How lovely to find a vintage bookmark in it! And to buy the book as its carrier :D

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  • November 4, 2020 at 10:11 pm
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    i have also been guilty of buying a book because it was nicer than a copy I already had. Naughty! And I have bought books because they were mentioned in other books I loved. And speaking of which, I know you have recommended Cluny Brown several times, Simon. I just read it, and I loved it. I guess I thought I had read something by Margery Sharp before, but it turns out I haven’t.

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:20 am
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      Oh I’m so pleased you liked Cluny Brown, Kay! Such a lovely, funny book.

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  • November 5, 2020 at 7:48 am
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    Because the author had recently died and I felt guilty that I hadn’t ever read anything of theirs.

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    • November 5, 2020 at 10:25 am
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      Ah, yes, great addition!

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  • November 5, 2020 at 11:40 am
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    I once accidentally walked out of a bookshop with a book I hadn’t paid for under my arm. I was so embarrassed I went back in and bought it, even though I’d decided I didn’t want it when I was browsing.

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  • November 5, 2020 at 2:29 pm
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    All eminently sensible reasons! Mine include:
    *my train was cancelled/delayed
    *I ran out of books on holiday
    *I decided I needed a treat/reward
    *I saw a film based on it (but only if I enjoyed the film, of course).

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  • November 5, 2020 at 8:15 pm
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    More reasons!
    — Because the author was hand-selling it in the front of Waterstones and I couldn’t escape from him
    — Because my running club was mentioned in it and a friend of mine was in one of the photos in the book
    — Because I felt sorry for it because it was on the outside bookshelves at the Castle Bookshop in Hay.

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  • November 5, 2020 at 8:46 pm
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    I love this list! Here are a couple of my own: Because a friend of mine was the inspiration for one of the book’s characters. Because I got a bookstore gift card for my birthday. Because I ***didn’t*** get a bookstore gift card for my birthday.

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  • November 10, 2020 at 12:06 pm
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    Great list. I once bought a batch of books for the somewhat perverse reason that someone who shares my reading taste said she hated them. Inevitably, I agreed with her, but it was an interesting experament.

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    • November 10, 2020 at 9:17 pm
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      Haha! Galling nevertheless.

      Reply

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