On Bookworms and other Literary Stereotypes
If you’re a lover of all things literary, there’s a good chance you’ve been referred to as a bookworm. And though you might not have ever explicitly learned the origin of this reference, you’d be correct if you’ve always assumed it had something to do with insects eating books. Though these insects are less likely to be worms than they are to be termites or termite larvae, it is true that some insects have an affinity for books. Some find the glue in the bindings of old books particularly tasty, and many old books in attics and other abandoned places have lost their spines in this way.
Interestingly, there are two things about bookworms you might not have known. First, book eating insects only like to munch on older books. It seems that they don’t have a taste for the chemicals used in the modern binding process, which means your books are safe from would be insect diners. Second, the use of the term “bookworm” to describe someone who really enjoys reading actually predates the use of the term to describe book-eating insects by about 200 years. An interesting historical quirk that apparently has no explanation.
On a related note, you might also not have known that there is a difference between someone who loves books for their content and someone who loves books for their physical attributes. The former is a bookworm while the later is a bibliophile. Here at Advantage, we’re both bookworms and bibliophiles, and we’ll embrace any literary stereotypes thrown our way because we just can’t get enough of books or reading. How much of a bookworm (or bibliophile) are you? Check out this list of stereotypes about book lovers from Huffington Post to see how many you identify with. Happy reading!
Advantage Book Binding has been in the book binding business since 1985, when we were founded on the principle “we do a quality book on time.” Since then we’ve seen plenty of changes both in and out of the industry. While some have sounded the death knell for books and other physical media, we believe that the fact that we continue to be an industry leader into the 21st century is a testament not only to our longevity as a company but to that of our craft. We think it’s important to keep books and physical media on the shelves, which is why we dedicate ourselves to providing you with the highest quality book binding and post press services available.
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Sources
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/06/book-lover-stereotypes_n_4392221.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
