I don’t buy every single book I read.
It’s not financially feasible or sustainable for me or the average person. I used to think this was obvious for everyone, but as I’ve become acquainted with book influencing and gotten a glimpse into other readers’ habits, I’ve realized that’s not the case.
There’s always an appeal to read what everybody else is reading, to be a part of conversations, to be in the know — all of which is made possible through social media. Barry Pierce from GQ writes, “Who doesn’t want to be seen as literary? Being perceived as having read a lot of books warrants a fair share of cultural capital.”
In recent years, there has been a boom of book-related content on social media, specifically on BookTok, a TikTok trend that creates and inspires a sense of community around reading. It has also had positive impacts on the publishing industry, such as an increase in book sales and a change in the way books are marketed. There are plenty of downsides to the trend, but I want to discuss how BookTube, BookTok and Bookstagram influence a culture of overconsumption and maximalism through the trend of posting massive “book hauls” and showing off expansive, largely unread, personal libraries for views.
But that’s the dream, right? To have a beautiful, colorful, massive library in your home with shelves upon shelves of books you’ll maybe pick up once or twice — or maybe not at all. I’m not saying it’s necessarily wrong to have a “dream library” — I’ve seen “Beauty and the Beast.” It’s the excessive rate at which influencers buy the books that irks me. When I see videos titled “my biggest book haul ever!” or “HUGE” and “MASSIVE” book hauls with “40+ books,” I internally cringe because I believe that the best libraries take time to build.
I’m not immune to book influencers. I’ve been watching BookTubers like Hailey in Bookland and PeruseProject since middle school, and I watch every single video Steph Bohrer releases. I admit that their opinions and book recommendations have influenced what I’ve read and bought. They’re clearly doing their job correctly.
However, it’s not like all book influencers buy from local, independent bookstores. I know they shop at Barnes & Noble. I know they buy books from Amazon. It’s the most convenient and cheapest place to buy books, and it’s where they can put up storefronts and earn a commission off the books their audience (at their recommendation) buys.
It’s also a trend for people to put themselves on “book bans,” which means not buying books for a set period of time. I’m assuming these are only relevant to people who constantly buy books. Yet if the point of these “bans” is to curb overconsumption, these types of people presumably go on to buy an excessive amount of books after the ban is over anyway, so what’s the point?
I understand the excitement of walking into a cozy bookstore where there is an endless number of books to buy. It’s romantic and magical. Browsing in a bookstore is one of my favorite activities. I’m that annoying person who points out all the books they’ve already read. But there are so many alternatives to buying brand-new books. Buy used books. Go to thrift stores. Rent or buy ebooks. Look online. Listen to audiobooks. Ask if your friends have a copy. Go to the library. I can’t recommend this enough, so I’ll say it again: Go to the library.
The quality of your public library depends on the city, state or country you live in, but libraries generally have so many book options that you can check them out for free. My hometown’s public library truly shaped me into the reader I am today (I was a big fan of the summer reading program). At the end of every receipt I get, after I check out a book, it tells me how much I saved by using the library. Since 2021, I’ve saved $1,933.64. On average, I read over 50 books a year, so there’s no way I could afford to buy every single book I read. I could go on and on about the many benefits of libraries, but I digress. If there’s a book you want to read, ask yourself, “Do I need to own this?” If not, check if your local library has it. In fact, you should probably just check first anyway.
I’m aware of the many other ways to accumulate books without actually buying them. Maybe someone else buys you a book as a gift, or maybe it’s your job to review books. Here at The Michigan Daily, publishers send us advanced readers copies of books (sometimes in print, sometimes not) in exchange for an honest review of their product to generate interest in the book before it’s published. It’s just how the industry works. Owning physical books isn’t the problem.
The aesthetic of excess that BookTube, BookTok and Bookstagram promote doesn’t just impact the book community or book influencers; it’s everywhere on social media. I see “lifestyle” or beauty and fashion influencers get sent huge PR packages filled with heaps of makeup products they probably won’t use and piles of clothes they probably won’t wear. How many times have you been scrolling on TikTok and someone is boasting about a skincare product or a pair of leggings, and now you’re inclined to buy it? The truth is, you don’t need to buy it; you don’t even want to buy it. You’ve been influenced to.
I swear my “holier than thou” attitude comes from a good place. I’m not trying to say that excessive reading is bad, but excessively buying books is bad. It’s bad for the environment, not to mention your wallet. Brand-new books aren’t cheap. Reading is an inclusionary and accessible activity because it has very few barriers. Nowadays, books have different formats: physical, electronic and audio. But with trends that bank on showing off how many books you buy, there’s pressure to “keep up,” which limits how many people can truly participate.
Books have value because they are read, not because they are bought, so make sure you evaluate all your options before purchasing a brand-new, physical copy of a book. Build your library, but make sure you actually like the books you’re putting in it, and you’re not just buying a bunch of books for aesthetics or because BookTok told you to.
Daily Arts Writer Ava Seaman can be reached at avasea@umich.edu.