The Strange Life of a Tsundokuist.

Well this is a new word for me. Tsundoku. Up until this this weekend this word did not exist in my vocabulary I have never heard of this before. It is apparently a Japanese word used to describe a collector of books that does not read. I thought it both a stange word and concept, why buy a book and then not read it? Then I thought about it.

It always surprises me when someone comes into my house and notices all my books and then asks the question; Have you read all these books? My first thought is; what a stupid question, but perhaps it has not been, perhaps they imagined me a Tsundoku- ist.

In a small way I suppose that I am as there is the odd book here and there upon my shelves that I have not read, sometimes received as presents, sometimes loaned to me as a recommendation that I have not fancied that much, but mainly I have read all the books I have and very many more. Yet, and here is the reason for my comment, were I not a reader then I suspect that I would be a Tsundokuist (if that is indeed the collective for people of that persuasion) as I just love the look and feel of books much as I did in the Seventies with Albums (having also, once owned, a large collection of records). I love the artwork and lettering, the style, smell and feel of books almost as much as love the stories contained therein. Yet who could have such wonders scattered around them and not be tempted to browse. Not I.