The Book Nooks subreddit is a place where people construct small worlds on their shelves. A recent set of posts brings together 105 such creations, each one a miniature shelf inside a shelf made of books. Some take their inspiration from movies, others from books, and still others draw on real cities. The thread invites readers to vote for their top picks, and there is plenty to consider.
A collection of creative posts brings together craft and fancy. One maker shared a picture of their first self-made reading corner, along with a caption that says “😊.”. Another displayed a walking castle created with a companion. A spouse fashioned a Calvin and Hobbes-inspired reading spot for his partner, while a designer took on a commission to construct a fantasy library for an old friend. Among the entries are a ghostly Phantom of the Opera setting, a woodland bedroom lit by warm LED light, and a chamber filled with strange beasts.
What Counts As A Book Nook
A Dictionary Room, a Twilight Cottage, a Narnia-inspired forest, and a mossy bedroom with warm LED lighting all appear across the thread. After posting a hole-in-wall coffee shop design, one creator described their first attempt “This Could Get Addictive!”.
Reading Habits And Book Ownership
The post touches on reading statistics as well. Frateca, a reading tracker, reports that the average person completes roughly 12 books annually. However, the spread is not even. The median sits far below the mean, which means that while some individuals read a dozen books a month, many others finish no more than a single book within a twelve-month period.
There are habits that avid readers tend to share:
- They always have another book in the queue.
- They read in small daily doses, not hours at a time.
- They give up on books that don’t interest them.
- They read in plenty of places, such as on the bus to work or while waiting between acts at a concert.
Not everyone owns the books they read. Libraries, friends who lend books, and audiobooks mean many people don’t need a giant bookshelf full of everything they’ve ever read. A 2023 YouGov survey found that the majority of Americans own between 1 and 100 physical books. A quarter say they own upwards of 100, with 3% saying they own over 1,000 books. Nine percent say they don’t own a single physical book. One-third of Americans say they own between one and 25 electronic books.
Income and education shape how many books people own. People with a postgraduate degree are more likely to own at least 100 books — 42% of them do — compared to those who never finished high school, where just 8% share say they have that many. Income matters too: 40% of Americans earning 200% above the median income own over 100 books.
Why People Build These Nooks
The suggestion made in the thread is that people construct these models in order to generate a reading setting without needing to own an entire library. These models carry readers to other worlds in much the same way that beloved novels do.
These miniature figures give a bookcase personality, add a lighthearted touch to a room, and pull from fantasy, mystery, romance, or travel subjects. A trip to the Amalfi Coast isn’t possible simply to read a summer book, but you can gaze upon an Amalfi-themed reading corner while you sit down with a book at home.
The discussion points out that these models capture the feeling of cozy living culture, complete with charming knick-knacks and twinkling lights. They serve a practical purpose too, for individuals who lack either the inclination or the means to build a library of their own.
How To Read More Books
Time Magazine has offered guidance on how to start reading again. It suggests beginning with something modest rather than committing to a 500-page non-fiction book right away. Instead, it recommends starting with a collection of short stories or long-form magazine journalism. Keeping track of what you read can be useful too, at least until the habit of daily reading forms naturally.
It also helps to find a reading community. Finishing a book you loved without anyone to discuss it with is among the worst feelings. Joining a book club or an online community, such as a subreddit, can turn reading into a much more engaging and less solitary experience.
The Last Book You Read
The post closes by asking readers to take part. It asks people to give an upward vote to the pictures of small models they would want to keep on their own shelf, and to say in the comments what the last book they read was. The post also directs readers toward another Bored Panda piece about amusing reading spots.
| Reading Habit | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Finishing about 12 books a year | Average person |
| Reading a dozen books a month | Some readers |
| Reading a single book per year | Some readers |
| Reading in small daily doses | Avid readers |
The posts make clear that reading is a private pleasure, and that individuals find delight through distinct means. The book alcoves shown serve as a modest sign of that fact, changing a narrow span of shelf space into whole tiny realms.
Source material: “105 Book Nooks That Turn A Few Inches Of Shelf Space Into Entire Little Worlds (New Pics),” Bored Panda.
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