I think of Deb at Readerbuzz as omnilegent, someone who has read everything. There’s no denying, in any case, that she reads a lot of books. She is a librarian who often comes up with much more than book reviews on her blog, like this recent post about words for book lovers. One of the words is abibliophobia, the fear of running out of reading material. At first I thought, Ha! I don’t have that, although I am a little sad (not fearful) that I’m running out of time to become omnilegent. But maybe abibliophobia is exactly what I am demonstrating when I obsess about which and how many books to take on a short trip, when I will probably not have time to read a chapter of anything.
If I had a vade mecum, it would take care of a good deal of book angst. Well, perhaps I do, if you count the pocket-sized one I sometimes carry in my purse. You might like to go read Deb’s list, with definitions, for yourself. But for me, it’s time to move on to other less mind-y work. Please tell me if you have, or ever did have, a vade mecum. My friend Di told me recently that when she was in high school, hers was Sartre’s Being and Consciousness. I had planned to use that bit of trivia in a future post but in case I don’t get there…
Enjoy your reading and your whole life.
Gladsome Lights 
My vade mecum is really my notebook that goes everywhere with me. I too dither about which books to take with me, even though I know I am unlikely to get an opportunity to read them. Still, who wants to be caught empty handed when stuck somewhere?
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I had the same thought when packing books to take to the lake — loads of books here (and you always want the one you don’t have!) but when planning to travel I start to panic. That all started when I took a very big book on the plane and for a trip. I knew I wouldn’t finish it — until I had a very long delay in the airport — twice — and more free time than I expected when I was on the ground. I finished early and ended up buying a not-great book at the airport to have something to read on the way home!
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What fun to read through that list! “Bookklemt” is the word I identify with. I like discovering a series about two-thirds of the way through it. Then I have a sizable backlist to enjoy with more to come 🙂
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Whenever I take a book with me, it’s something that comforts me to read. Often I would bring At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. I’ve read it enough times that I just enjoy its familiarity. Helps with the anxiety of having to have something to do in public. I’m not as big a reader as I’d like to be. Mainly, because I have a hard time sitting still! 😊 Happy Friday, my dear!
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