I created this blog post on The Middle Years Journey to honor National Book Lovers Day 2019.
The purpose of this unofficial holiday is to encourage people to put down the cell phones, turn off the computer, and read a book. One of the squares on my end of summer bingo card is to read a book cover to cover. When was the last time you’ve done this? Or read 10% of the books you have saved on your Kindle? There is an ongoing debate regarding audiobooks. Are they books?? I’m here to say YES they are. Audiobooks are great for those that work desk jobs, exercise, or commute. When I won’t have time to sit down and read a physical or Kindle book; I download audio. On Amazon Prime Day, I finally bought an Echo. One feature that I can’t wait to try is the audible app! The app will allow me to listen to my audiobooks while I’m bumming around the house. A word of advice, always listen to the sample of the audiobook before you purchase. The narrator makes all the difference in loving or hating the book you are reading/listening to. You don’t want to listen to an eleven-hour book, and the narrator’s voice or accents make you cringe. Trust me on this.
Reading provides several benefits; it’s a form of escapism, stress reducer, boosts your vocabulary (even smut books), helps develop empathy, gives you mental stimulation, and can boost your intelligence. As I wrote in my WOTY post, this was the year I was going to read more. I got away from all things books, and now I’m diving in headfirst. Book shopping is very therapeutic for me. There is nothing like walking into a used bookstore and taking a huge whiff. The smell of used books is intoxicating! I also love the quiet time that a bookstore provides. It’s the one place I can go to and not feel rushed. I can spend hours in them. My girlfriends, Sue and Sam and Terre are the same. We try to do a monthly book shopping and lunch outing once a month. We have a great time and in doing so have truly bonded over our love of books.
To celebrate National Book Lovers Day, I came up with a list of 8 gift ideas for the bibliophile in your life OR in my case, everything on my Amazon wishlist!!
Personal Library Kit – Are you the type of person that lends your books to friends and family only to never see them again? Or you just lose track of where they are? This personal library kit is perfect. It reminds me of the library pocket cards and stamper from middle school.
Wooden Book Shaped Night Light – I’ve had my eye on this for a while. I love the shape of the night light when opened. You can position it in several ways. When closed, it resembles a wooden cover book.
Out of Print Mug – I am a coffee mug collector. I have several with quirky sayings that are on display in my office. This mug comes in multiple colors. It’s also reminiscent of the nifty library pocket cards from elementary school!
Tequila Mockingbird – Literary COCKTAIL Inspired Cookbook – This is a great find! All of the cocktails in this book are inspired by a book. Pick a recipe, get the book, and kick back and relax. This is also great for book club hostess!
Kate Spade Canvas Book Lover Bag – Isn’t this adorable? Whenever we go book shopping, we take our canvas bags with us. Although we buy way more books than our bags can hold, we like to shop in style! https://amzn.to/2YKXq3f
Book Lover T-shirt– There so many cute literary t-shirts out there! I bought one to wear today! I want to order more, and these also qualify for prime shipping!
Reading Log Journal – If you have a huge TBR (to be read) pile, or just want to organize your home library these reading log journals are a perfect buy. I love that they resemble classic hardcovers and will also be an attractive addition to your bookshelves
Writer Key Chain – This keychain is a great gift! The silver color shows the details of each charm nicely. It would also make a great stocking stuffer at Christmas
