Thursday, June 19, 2008

Thirteen Marriage Tips for Bibliophiles

1. Budget for books the way you do for food and electricity...or you won't have food and electricity.
2. Read each other's books.
3. Keep separate accounts at the used bookstore.
4. Books are paper. Paper is good insulation. Line the walls of your house with bookcases. Fill them. It's the environmentally responsible thing to do.
5. Read aloud to each other.
6. Keep stray dishes, flowerpots, etc... handy to throw during arguments, lest you be tempted to throw books.
7. Respect each other's differing literary tastes.
8. To communicate with a spouse who is reading a book, replace his or her bookmark with a note.
9. James Fenimore Cooper is your friend.
10. Work out a shelving system together to ensure both of you can find the books you need when you need them.
11. For the sake of your financial stability, do not often shop for books together.
12. A bookless parlor is a howling wilderness.
13. Buy only one copy of books you both love. The thought of having to buy replacement copies is an excellent divorce deterrent.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I wish my husband would read. I really enjoyed your list and if this marriage doesn't work out maybe I can share your list with my new husband.
Take care.
--Justice

Beth Impson said...

I love it, I love it, I love it!

I haven't the energy now, but in a couple of weeks look for my companion post about the bibliophile married to someone who is not . . . :)

I especially like # 13, and I intend to share #4 with someone you know as soon as it's a good moment to do so! :)

Love you, dear friend!

Beth

Anonymous said...

::: laughing ::: I will keep this handy if and when I do marry.

Anonymous said...

Never marry someone that reads twice as fast as you do.




- Quote of the Day -
In life, as well as D & D, its generally left to the dungeon master's discretion

Lucindyl said...

Justice--Thank you for stopping by. It's nice to meet you. Most of my rabidly reading friends are married to guys who aren't bookworms, so I know it's possible for such marriages to work out. Maybe alaiyo's coming list will explain how. :)

Alaiyo/Beth--I will look forward to your list, and yes, I think The Man needs to take a deeply serious look at #4. When he's done looking at your house, he came come with his tools and think about it at mine, too! ;)

Randy--In the meantime, enjoy your reading freedom. :)

Anonymous--I'm pondering the possible link between your comment and the quote. Your spouse must be...interesting (possibly dangerously so).

Anonymous said...

Actually, it was a quote by my spouse.


As for danger, try this.
http://www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/

Anonymous said...

Wonderful list, had both of us laughing. Our problem when we first got together was deciding what to do with the double copies of certain books when we combined our libraries.

It is so nice to be part of a family who truly appreciates a good book!

Lucindyl said...

Lauren--Oh, isn't it?! We found the two best guys in the world. The most warped, but the best.