The First Step

I have a problem. I understand the first step to overcoming any addiction is admitting it. Well, I admit it. I’m addicted to buying books. It all started rather innocently. One or two novels here and there, a few cookbooks. Then it was a few more, and a few more.

It was around this time I started to look into food writing. All of a sudden I had a reason for my uncontrollable impulse. That’s when things started to get out of hand. With all the cheap online bookstores popping up relentlessly, it was like they were enabling me. Wish lists, sales, coupons, free shipping, it was all so simple. Pretty soon, little brown packages were effortlessly arriving at my door. The smell of the pristine pages without a crease or smudge made me giddy. I couldn’t get enough.

I know what you’re thinking: This isn’t such a bad addiction to have. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if I were also addicted to reading them. Don’t get me wrong. I read. I read a lot. It’s just that I don’t read as fast as I buy. I made a promise at the start of this year that I would stop buying books until I had caught up on my reading. Unfortunately, that promise was broken this week. I fell off the wagon. But you know what? I freakin’ love books! And this addiction isn’t going to find me lying in a gutter somewhere. Unless I max out my credit card again 😉