An Ode To Book Nerds: Jason Pinter's Twitter Tag, #booknerd

They thumb through page-turners excitedly while other kids whisper and pass notes during silent reading time. They consider SparkNotes supplemental. They bring their books to lunch, on the bus and to rivalry football games (nothing wrong with sneaking in a few pages during halftime). Here's to the book nerds.

Thriller writer, literary agent and columnist Jason Pinter created a #booknerd hashtag on Twitter, and followers responded with stories of broken glasses and working as library aides in 140 characters or less:

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[naschkatze]

10:48 AM on 12/16/2011

In my bedroom I have a whole wall of just Russian books, history and literature and arts mostly. This is on purpose so that the first thing I see in the morning when I wake up is my beloved books.

[ChelleAgain]

07:27 AM on 12/16/2011

Oh, let's see...

Had to stay home from school because I was crying too hard at the end of Gone With The Wind.

Wept at that Burgess Meredith Twilight Zone where his glasses broke.

Told my husband before our vacation a couple years ago that the real reason I wanted to visit Boston was to be near Dennis Lehane. Husband chose to pretend that I was kidding.

Learned the word "gambol" from Jane Eyre back when I was in my early teens -- still think about it every time I see that word.

If I could build a time machine, I would go back to my childhood or teens and head for the basement where we kept the boxed up books. I'd try to avoid people, in part because 43 year old me would take some explaining, but mostly because seeing my mother still alive and young and my grandmother in late middle age would make me lose my, er, stuff. But the books would be great.

[hillaryj]

10:29 PM on 12/15/2011

I have been reading since I was 3 years old. I am now on the other side of 65.............wonderful years spent reading......
My family liked to say..........."She is reading her life away!" I thought "What A Way To Go"!!!!

[M4dwoman]

08:31 PM on 12/15/2011

Every summer I go to the library and get books by the dozens. I even read while walking my dog. Quite enjoyable, until one day I missed the really large dogs charging my little one until they were right in my path. Fortunately, they were just being friendly.
Never dropped the book, though.

[Mischka Lauren]

06:31 PM on 12/15/2011

I kind of wanted to cry when I read slide 14...
Anyway, yes, I am a book nerd. When I was a kid, I would go to the library once a week, especially in the summer, and come home with 2 bags of books to read and sit outside and do so. At 30, I was told that maybe some of the books that are taking up so much space in my tiny area should go in storage, and I considered it an insult because I often read my favorites more than once. I'd never put them in storage! Librarians in four small towns know me by name, and my favorite place to hang out is in a book store. I know, I'm weird. I do, however, try to donate a good deal of nice books to those libraries once a year.

[TJ A]

05:48 PM on 12/15/2011

After spending many hours talking about books and the joy of reading with the librarian in the school where I teach, she has noted that we both are reverse bibliophobes - we fear NOT having a book to read. I have piles of books everywhere; in the living room, on the dining room table, all over the bedroom, occupying countless boxes in the garage. I even have an "emergency" book in the car, in case of traffic jams or some insane scenario that my mind seems to think may happen some day like getting stuck in a blizzard for 18 hours on the highway.

[Mischka Lauren]

06:32 PM on 12/15/2011

I'm from MN, so the blizzard scenario can happen-but I never thought of putting a book in my car just in case! I'm gonna have to do that.

[cheryl sims]

01:30 PM on 12/15/2011

When I was in grade school my goal was to read every book in the library...working on it but I realize now at 56 that I might not make it.

[TheNextVoiceofYouth]

01:20 PM on 12/15/2011

Am I a book nerd? YES!!! I remember getting left behind in 6th grade because I was reading a book. I also remember going to the library every morning before homeroom in high school when I couldn't stand the noise of the gym and cafeteria; everytime I'd check out at least four or five books if I didn't have anything to read. Also, I remember a particular occasion in my high school lit class where I was picked on for being a book nerd. There was this jock boy who was giving a book report on a book he hadn't even finished, but I had read it. When he said, "and that's it" after stating only what happened in the beginning, I screamed, "THAT'S NOT HOW THE STORY ENDS!" and told the teacher what really happened in the book. Funniest book geek moment of my life so far.

Well no, I take that back. During this past spring, a college professor gave me a textbook of poetry a week before my birthday after seeing my book nerdiness and I said, "Thank you, this is the BEST free gift ever." The guy burst out laughing hard. This then, is the funniest book nerd moment of my life so far.

[kareemachan]

01:19 PM on 12/15/2011

I worked for ten years in a new/used bookstore and scouted every weekend for books to sell there to feed my habit. Those were the days....

[kareemachan]

01:12 PM on 12/15/2011

In the spirit of knowing what's best for me, my mom made me play softball one summer. I'd be out in right field and pull a paperback out of my pocket to read when I was bored.

[chitown555]

12:24 PM on 12/15/2011

I love all the comments from fellow book nerds. The Kindle has been a god send. I live in a tiny space and move alot and it's expensive to move heavy books. But with Kindle and my iphone I can read EVERYWHERE! whoohoo.

[lulea]

12:15 PM on 12/15/2011

I used to read while walking to school, walking and reading at the same time. I developed a special technique to orientate and walk straight without having to look up from the book...

[peachfuzz]

12:37 PM on 12/15/2011

When I started jogging on a mini-tramp 2 months ago, one of the first things I did was see if I could read and jog and not fall off. I can do it, but I've decided it's not a safe idea and I use music videos instead and sing along to those. Plus if I move my arms, I burn more calories. It would be cool to be programmed like the Matrix and have the book fed to you in pages while you exercise and move all your limbs.

[MSchlagel]

10:44 AM on 12/15/2011

This is Christmas with my family. We take a train to an inn so we can read and stare out the windows. Check in and go to our cozy rooms with fireplaces and tea service and read some more. Three more days of reading interrupted only by a few wine tastings, walks, some minor antiquing (not me, I bring a book) and meals. And, the turn down service involves milk and cookies. No TV, no extended relatives who complain about their various ailments and the fact my nose is in a book. Just some lovely company and all the time in the world to read.

[kareemachan]

01:15 PM on 12/15/2011

This reminds me of my absolute favorite hotel, the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, OR. Every room has an author theme (we stayed in the Jane Austen room), decorated suitably. No TV's. Boardinghouse-style meals. And books everywhere.

[sigh]

[Mahi Joe]

03:03 PM on 12/15/2011

Now that sounds like absolutely great.

[peachfuzz]

08:10 AM on 12/15/2011

I have books everywhere: in the bed, beside the bed in two stacks 2-3 feet tall, in the car, in the bathroom, on the couch -- anyplace I can squeeze in reading as much as possible and in April I started making handmade book marks for sale. I put off buying a Kindle because I have so many books waiting. If I forget to take a book along while I wait somewhere, I get bummed out. I volunteer for a donation store to keep their book room organized. I wish I didn't have to sleep.

[Dorian Kunkel]

09:23 AM on 12/15/2011

I'm with you - we have bookshelves in our basement jammed to the gills, books in a bookshelf in my bedroom that I can't access because of the pile of books in front of it and I do own a Kindle so I can have books at my beck and call anywhere and everywhere. It's great to have so I never don't have a book (or 100) with me.
Oh, and I still go to the library and Barnes & Noble at least once a week so I can see what else is out there. I'll read cereal boxes if I'm desperate.

[peachfuzz]

12:29 PM on 12/15/2011

We are addicts :)

[HermaO]

07:25 AM on 12/15/2011

I can't count the nights i have stayed up until early morning just to finish a book... and gone to school or work a couple hours later.
I can't leave my house without a book, in case something happens. I often have two books just in case I finish the one I'm reading.