I’ve seen the Instagram pictures. I KNOW this is a fairly common practice. But seeing pictures and seeing it (kind of) in action are two different things. And in the time I’ve been working in a bookstore I’ve seen it a bit more than I’d have expected.

I’ve had realtors come in and say they’re decorating for an open house or model home. I’ve had people say they’re just buying them to put on their shelf for decoration.

Of course I’m not going to sit here and criticize what anyone does with their books. You’re free to do whatever you like with them just like I am. But what I DO NOT like at all is those people who REALLY decorate with books. And what I mean is when pages or covers of books are ripped off to be thrown on the wall in some complex design. Honestly, it doesn’t even look good. Looks pretty stupid to me.

Anyone can buy all the books they want just to destroy them, but I won’t be doing it. Books aren’t decoration to me. They’re entertaining. They’re stories. They’re mine.

Have you ever bought books just to use them as decoration?