Book Lovers: Introspection Time!
A lazy Sunday morning spent selecting books to be bought and devoured. Ordered my fill online, will hunt for paperbacks of some more in my local bookstore. Immensely satisfied, immensely excited!
Which got me thinking…I guess there are a few distinct types of book lovers… I’d like to christen the following categorization the Lilac Sakura Typology Saga (LSTS)!
The Bumbling Bibliophile
When BB was ten, he wrote that books are his best friends in all the slam books and social networking sites. A lone reader, the world of his books and that of reality are heavily entwined and it is a challenge to untangle the two. Reading profoundly affects his work and thought process, and you can be sure that his laundry continues to feel the after-effects of the deeply moving Kite Runner! The BB reads extensively and widely, but could be judgmental, hating or loving characters at first sight.
The Cult Maker
Be it Harry Potter, vampires or alchemists, The Cult Maker’s solace lies in community adoration of his favorite works. She is most likely to fawn unconditionally over the heroes and verge on tearing up the villains to shreds. Hero worship often leads to biased opinions, yet The Cult Maker feels more involved with the book rather than merely witnessing its events like the third-party Bumbling Bibliophile. Students of marketing would tend to label The Cult Maker an alpha leader in the process buzz marketing owing to the amount of influence she has in initiating a fan following.
The Shallow Socialite
Kitty parties and oh-so-hip book clubs. Coffee table books discussed over tea. The Shallow Socialite will read every single book that makes the news- Adiga’s White Tiger, Bhagat’s 1/2/3/5 ___, Brown’s Lost Symbol. This seems like a great category at first glance, but the problem lies therein: a Shallow Socialite is most likely to read the blurbs, book reviews, back cover, and a few pages randomly flipped pages. These qualify her to soundly abuse or praise the book, depending upon the prevailing national or international mood. ‘Oh, James Frey, what a cheat!’ ‘Chetan Bhagat inspired a generation, I’m sure! Why, I had remarked to Sheela when his first book came out: this man is making history!’ Whereupon the much-confused Sheela nods out of compulsion and Bhagat manages continues his undoubtedly overrated legacy. Sigh.
The Random Rambler
..will give anything and everything a chance. From sports to fiction to the not-so-appealing Wolf Hall, the Random Rambler reads randomly, and sometimes few and far in between. He reads with dedication from cover to cover, with a somber expression even while meeting Jeeves and Kushwant! Reading is not in his first few priorities, and he is likely to pick up books which catch his fancy at airport lounges. Would be more inclined than the other types to give debut authors a fair chance.
The Genre Gatekeeper
Such people stick to their chosen genres and absolutely, entirely refuse to open their eyes to the world of possibilities outside their realm! The staunch romance Gatekeeper will refuse to look at the cover of Cosmos, the scifi Gatekeeper stay miles away from Nora Roberts. While this type reflects a clear understanding of the reader’s needs and choices, it restricts his choices like the self-fulfilling prophecy of a lit candle, for Genre Gatekeepers tend to stagnate in their choices, thus defying their need fulfillment.
I am a self-professed Bumbling Bibliophile, complete with intense expressions and ‘misplaced’ pens! 😉 What type do you think you are?
And what have I missed out?!
Lilac Sakura 