Being bookish is so rewarding, but it means something different for everyone. There’s no strict definition, as books and reading have their own special places in people’s hearts. That’s what make it so interesting, after all. I asked the Bookstr team what being bookish means to them, and here are their responses.
Books Are Life
Books and reading factor into every aspect of my life. Whether it’s a chance to escape, a moment of entertainment, a conversational connection between myself and another human, or even about how I decorate my home, being bookish is a personality trait. It can be a pain to know and love me because books have always been a significant factor in my personal and social identity.
But that also makes me super easy to please. Want to have a coffee and bookshop date? I’m there. Unsure what to get me for a special occasion? Any book will do, even if I already own it. What I love most about being bookish, though, is the opportunity it gives me to chat with another person, someone I already know, or a stranger I see reading a particular novel I enjoy. Books are human connections, and I love that.
Kristi Eskew, Executive Editor
Books Enrich Our Lives
Being bookish is a lifestyle you can’t escape. Books are everywhere, and there is always a special book out there for everyone, even when they don’t like to read. Books connect people and continuously teach us more about ourselves and others. It’s a community where you can truly find your tribe.
Jazmine B., Social and Outreach
Books Offer a Friend to Help Us Heal
Books have played an incredibly powerful part in my life. I spent so long alone, feeling awkward when it came to making friends. Books are what got me through the darkest times by offering healing with every turn of the page. They always had, and continue to have, the perfect words anytime I need a friend. Books offer healing and I will always look to them.
Blaise Senkel, Social and Editorial
Books Can Connect People
I’ll never forget how I made one of my first bookish friends. We were at school, and we’d never talked until she came up to me and said, “Hi, do you like books?” Apparently, she’d seen me reading in class when I was supposed to be paying attention. That was something that connected us, and for a year, we were good friends and often talked about books.
To me, that shows the power books have to bring people together. Being able to talk about books with someone is a joy unlike any other, especially if we like the same genres.
Danielle Tomlinson, Editorial
Books are Joy
Being bookish means diving headfirst into a world where magic isn’t just real — it’s a daily occurrence. It’s getting lost in pages that whisk you away to far-off lands, ancient times, or futuristic universes. It’s the thrill of discovering a new favorite character who feels like an old friend and the comfort of familiar stories that never grow old.
Being bookish is about the smell of fresh ink on crisp pages, the quiet rustle of turning pages, and the satisfying weight of a tome in your hands. It’s the joy of exploring countless lives and adventures from the cozy nook of your favorite reading spot, where every book is a new portal to endless imagination and wonder.
Trish G, Editorial
Books Are a Break
As a mom and graduate student currently, I don’t get a lot of free time and that includes time to read. I have found, though, that audiobooks provide a way to step away temporarily from being a mom or student or anything that is overwhelming me. Books give me a chance to calm down and reset so I can show up for the important things in my life. They bring me joy and comfort, and sometimes, I have to find time for that, even if it’s just a few minutes here and there.
Skyler Rodriguez, Social
Books are an Escape
Books have always been a part of my life. I would never go anywhere without a book. Even if I don’t end up reading it, I love knowing that I have a book with me. Being bookish means that I love to escape into a unique world while also learning more about the world around me. I love to both read and write. Whenever I am not reading, I am either writing, at a bookstore, or thinking about reading or about the past books I have read.
I am also a bit competitive, and I like to see how many books I can read in one summer. One time, it was seventeen, and the next summer, it was twenty-one. I am a fast reader and a passionate one. My family and friends will be the first to know when I love a book that I am reading because I will not stop talking about it. Books are an essential part of my identity and have shaped who I am today.
Molly Ireland, Outreach
Books Are Doorways Into Different Worlds
Opening a book can be like opening a door into a place where you’re not quite sure what it is or what will happen. Every time I begin a new book, it’s like stepping into a new adventure with easy access. I don’t need a key or to learn a code to get in; I just need my mind, eyes, and possibly, a box of tissues to cope. Books just allow you to imagine yourself taking part in worlds full of wonder, magic, mystery, victories, defeats, angst, madness, and joy all at once, and it starts with opening them up to the first page.
For me, this is what it means to be bookish. I get to take part in magical heists and duels with elves and fairies or go on a mystical scavenger hunt to win a wish, all from the comfort of my bed or couch. I pick up one book and open the door. Find my way through it to the very last page, and then I close one door and open another. It’s a great bookish way to get around and into different worlds.
Quiarah B/Vphan, Editorial
Books Can Change the World
Books have been an integral part of my life and identity for as long as I can remember. Recently, I had someone ask me, “What do you love so much about books?” It got me thinking – why have I devoted my life to words on paper? I think the root is that books can and do change the world. Books tell stories and represent lives, experiences, and imaginings. For me, books are a place to find peace, solace, and representation.
Being bookish means that I love books so much that they’ve wound their words into the very fabric of my being. When I’m not reading, I’m writing; when I’m not buying books, I’m seeing what other people are reading; when I have no books around me, I’m still thinking about them. The word ‘bookish’ speaks to the vital nature of stories, words, and books themselves in our world and our lives. I don’t know who I would be without them!
Fiona Hansen, Editorial & Outreach
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