Languages are really incredible. For things that are nearly indescribable in English can be understood with just one single word in Japanese!
Are you guilty of hoarding tons of books but not having read any of them? Well, it’s extremely common (as you probably thought!). In Japan, they have a word for that, and it is “tsundoku.”
Tsundoku refers to the stack of books you’ve bought but haven’t read yet. Many American’s were shocked at this and took a look at their own Tsundoku!
“Tsundoku” might be our decorating style… 🤔 pic.twitter.com/h9200eE9CS
— Todd Hulin (@hulin42) October 14, 2018
Whether it is your decorating style or just an accidental pile from when you went a little too crazy at your local bookstore, it’s so prominent in Japanese culture that they just up and made a word for it! What does your tsundoku look like?
The tsundoku in my living room is actually two stacks, 54 books total. And that's not including the tsundoku in my office, or the unread books mixed into my shelves. Of course, some of these are press copies of books, not books I've purchased.
I blame seminary.
— Emily McFarlan Thriller 💀 (@emmillerwrites) October 14, 2018
The guilt of having all of these books kinda fades, right? Maybe you can add some more! There’s nothing better than a good tsundoku.