When was the last time you read a book that you could really sink your teeth into? In this day and age, when we have unlimited access to films, documentaries, news programs and more, it’s easy to go months or even years without actually picking up a book. But there’s nothing like the feeling of real pages between your fingertips and the sense of accomplishment that comes from conquering a written story.
If you’re a bibliophile who’s got a bookshelf that’s constantly overflowing, we’ve got the perfect list for you down below. We took a trip to this subreddit for book lovers and gathered some of their most satisfying pics down below. Enjoy scrolling through these photos that might encourage you to pick up a new novel today, and keep reading to find a conversion with Jennifer Lin of The Bibliofile!
#1 Dropping Out Of College To Have A Bookstore On Wheels
Image credits: lyssssa6
#2 My Little Bookstore In The Rain
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 Oh Look!
Image credits: beholdchris
I love reading as much as the next person, but I have to admit that I don’t always get around to reading as many books as I would like to. I can usually manage between 6-10 in a year, but I know avid readers who zoom through that many stories in a month! Personally, I have found that being part of a book club has kept me accountable for my reading and forced me to have a book lined up at all times.
But if you’re a bibliophile who spends all of your free time with your head in a book, this subreddit’s content is right up your alley. This online community, whose name we have to censor, notes that it’s “for all book lovers” and encourages members to share “high quality images of books.” The group has amassed over 179k members and is the perfect place to gather if you’re looking for recommendations, want to discuss your latest read or simply want to see satisfying photos of gorgeous books and libraries!
#4 Library Cake
Image credits: Spinundrum
#5 My Home Library At Night
Image credits: DoubtfulGerund
#6 Peak Bookstore
Image credits: CrJ418
To learn more about the magic of reading, we reached out to Jennifer Lin, creator of The Bibliofile. Jennifer was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share what she loves most about reading. “Reading is just a great way to be transported into the minds and ideas of other people, other places and other worlds,” she noted. “I think I read to understand the world around me.”
As far as what inspired her to create a book-based blog, Jennifer says, “I used to have a personal blog. I’d always end up with a lot of thoughts and opinions about the books I’d read, and I started posting about those books online a long, long time ago. At some point, that morphed into just a book blog since I don’t like talking that much about myself anyway.”
#7 We Recently Bought A 110 Year Old House And Found Hundreds Of Old Books From Around The Turn Of The Century In The Attic! This Is About Half Of Them
Image credits: swidge
#8 Mural In Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Image credits: CaptainWisconsin
#9 I Create Hidden Fore Edge Paintings. Here Is My Latest Within Anne Of Green Gables
Image credits: brimariepaints
We also asked Jennifer if she could share some of her favorite books with us. “For classics, Slaughterhouse Five is just so poignant and I’ve always loved Kurt Vonnegut’s writing style,” she noted.
“For science fiction, Good Omens is a cult classic that is hilarious and entertaining and just a fantastic book,” Jennifer says. “For contemporary fiction, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood tells a nested story that I fell in love with when I read it.”
#10 I Finished My First Book Nook!
Image credits: Aubreylaw
#11 My Reading Nook
Image credits: perkusdillinger
#12 Loved This Author’s Warning
Image credits: BeaUtyGoddEss04
If you’re one of those people who loves reading but can’t ever seem to find the time, Jennifer recommends making time for books. “Or listen to audiobooks,” she noted. (Personally, this is my favorite method, as I can listen to them while I’m walking or riding on the bus without getting nauseous.)
#13 The South Library In The Athenaeum, Waterloo Place, London
Image credits: Dhorlin
#14 Full Wall Library
Image credits: striving4sainthood
#15 A French Edition Of Farenheit 451
Image credits: onlyaghostpassingby
“Also, if you’re ever in a reading slump, there’s nothing wrong with diving into a quick page-turner,” Jennifer says. “I sometimes think people feel pressured to read thick, heavy, serious novels in order to be a ‘real’ reader or if they don’t have a ton of time to read.”
“But that can burn you out on reading pretty quickly if that’s all you read,” she noted. “There’s nothing wrong with reading something fast and entertaining that you can polish off in a couple of hours to help renew your enthusiasm for books.”
If you’d like to hear more book recommendations from Jennifer, be sure to check out The Bibliofile!
#16 Some Collector’s Editions Are Worth It
Image credits: nobouncenoplay__
#17 Estate Sale Haul
Image credits: Jo3yBox
#18 I Finally Got All My Books Unpacked. I’m So Pleased
Image credits: danettem22
According to WordsRated, the average American works their way through about 12.6 books per year, including ones that they’ve started but haven’t finished yet. When it comes to fully-read books, however, Americans tend to get through only 5 each year. In fact, over half of the population hasn’t even read one book in the last 12 months. It’s also not surprising that older generations tend to read more than their younger counterparts, with Boomers completing an average of 9.54 per year, and Gen Z finishing only 3.52 books.
#19 He Has Been Selling Used Books In Morocco For 45 Years. Everyone Who Passed Through His Library Saw Him Drowning In His Magical World
Image credits: Nessrina_0609
#20 A Small Used-Book Store In LA. The Owner Will Offer You Espresso. Support Your Local Bookstores!
Image credits: marcjfg
#21 “Women Only Want One Thing, And It’s The Complete Clothbound Classics Penguin Collection“
Image credits: abaganoush
While it’s often challenging to find the time to read, being reminded of the benefits of reading can be a great incentive to get started today. According to the Markham Public Library, reading is a great way to pass the time because it exercises our brains. It’s a little more work than scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, and it’s better for our brains than simply staring at screens. Reading can also improve our concentration and focus, as it requires us to be present.
#22 This Is Admont Abbey. It’s In Adamont At A Monastery. This Is Their Library
Image credits: reddit.com
#23 This Book Arch At My Local Indie Bookstore
Image credits: BookNerdMaybe
#24 I Was Rearranging My Old Paper Backs The Other Day And Noticed The Beautiful Colors Of The Paper
Image credits: 4_bit_forever
Reading can also improve your quality of sleep. It’s physically relaxing, and when part of a nighttime routine, it can signal to your body that it’s time to unwind and get ready for bed. It’s also a wonderful alternative to screen time, which we all know can cause us to have trouble falling asleep. Now, you may not want to read a thriller or horror novel before bedtime, but choosing a relaxing book that won’t raise your heart rate can make it even easier to get your beauty sleep.
#25 122 Year Old Complete Set Of Edgar Allan Poe I Snagged Yesterday At A Used Book Store
Image credits: Nekrobat
#26 Just A Little Something Coming Through The Shop
Image credits: Shadowspawn31
#27 A Collection Of Folio Society Ancient Civilisations
Image credits: Khaleesi75
We hope you’re enjoying these photos of books and libraries, pandas! There’s nothing that inspires me more to crack open my next book than these beautiful pics. Keep upvoting the ones you find most satisfying, and let us know in the comments below what you’re reading right now. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article geared towards bookworms, we recommend reading this piece next!
#28 The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire Book Series Spine Covers
Image credits: chefcook2014
#29 Neighborhood Just Built A Littlelibrary… Volunteered To Host It In Our Front Yard And We Are So Excited About It!
Image credits: douglaskamazon
#30 My Barnes And Noble Leatherbound Classics
Image credits: detronbphillips
#31 I Covet Fancy Books
Image credits: HerculesMulligatawny
#32 Finally Finished My Library And Unpacked My Books. Eventually I’ll Do The Other Side Of The Room. I Really Love How It Turned Out
Image credits: Dreamer2490
#33 I Made A Ring Out Of Old Skateboards To Keep My Book Open
Image credits: BiloWaegons
#34 J.K. Rowling Harry Potter Series, 20th Anniversary Edition From Sweden
Image credits: lucyflem
#35 Stylized Cover With Gilded Pages Seems Especially Appropriate For Gatsby
Image credits: DragonInTheCastle
#36 1977 LOTR Books My Dad Gave Me Years Ago. I’ve Always Liked The Cover Art
Image credits: anon
#37 Who Loves Decorative Page Edges? I Have Quite A Fascination With Sprayed Edges And It Seems To Be A Trendy Thing These Days
Image credits: Khaleesi75
#38 Secondhand Bookstores Are My Happy Place
Image credits: bellzbellzbellz
#39 My Granny Used To Own An Antiques Shop, She Couldn’t Bear To Sell These Books. Most Are From One Person And Mainly Made 1860-1910, I Think The Oldest One It’s Around 1830
Image credits: kianpatrickb
#40 My Copy Of Dante’s Inferno
Image credits: reddit.com
#41 My Local Bookstore. My Happy Place
Image credits: CaptainWisconsin
#42 In The Middle Of Unpacking Most Of My Library For The New Office Setup. 1481 To 2005, And Still Lots To Catalog. Thought I’d Share A Near Finished View
Image credits: Meepers100
#43 Crystallised Mineralogy Book
Image credits: jorgj9602
#44 I Just Finished Setting Up My New Bookshelf, And Juniper Jackets!
Image credits: p00dinger
#45 Book Fair Near Me Sells Second Hand Books Per Weight
Image credits: BookkeeperTop6226
#46 Bookcase With A Putnam Rolling Ladder In Our Bedroom. My Wife And I Moved 4 Years Ago And My Goal Is To Fill It Entirely With Books Before The House Is Paid Off
Image credits: St_Lambchop
#47 Clever Cover Of Nineteen Eighty-Four – The Title Can Only Be Read From Certain Angles
Image credits: Bomurang
#48 Spent All Day Rearranging My Books
Image credits: reddit.com
#49 Abandoned House I Came Across – Felt Weird Taking Any Home
Image credits: rbkforrestr
#50 I Work At B&N And I Was Really Satisfied After I Sorted The Civil War Bay Of The US History Section. (It Took Me 2 Hours! It Was An Absolute Disaster Before)
Image credits: nolanharp
#51 I Love These Public Bookshelfs
Image credits: daenny26
#52 I Just Bought Almost Every National Geographic Magazine From 1983-2021 For $30
Image credits: OptimalDimbus
#53 Fahrenheit 451 Book Design That Can Be Set On Fire
Image credits: karmicviolence
#54 We Found The Coolest Library Ever In South Korea
Image credits: KHASURN
#55 Somebody At Goodwill Organized Book Spines By Color
Image credits: ILovePublicLibraries