Are you a book sniffer?

Use this forum for book and reading discussion that doesn't fall into another category. Talk about books, genres, reading issues, general literature, and any other topic of particular interest to readers. If you want to start a thread about a specific book or a specific series, please do that in the section below this one.
Post Reply
User avatar
mellysw
Posts: 99
Joined: 11 Oct 2014, 23:24
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mellysw.html

Are you a book sniffer?

Post by mellysw »

This used to be a huge secret of mine. The only person who knew I sniffed books (god that sounds so awful!) was my best friend, who thought I was wierd anyway. But recently I have discovered a LOT of readers sniff books out there!

So do you sniff your books?

I can always tell a good book by how it smells. I KNOW that sounds wierd! I KNOW! But it is so true! I swear, if you sent me to a bookstore (new or used, doesn't matter) and gave me two AWESOME books I really wanted but told me I could only have one, I would sniff them to figure out which one I wanted. After I cried and whined and begged to have both of course! But by sniffing the pages, I would be able to tell which would be better, even if I can't tell from the blurbs.

And there is a technique to it! Sure, you can just lean over and get a whiff. Most of the time that is not enough though! You need to faaaaaannnnnn the pages out to really get a good whiff of it's real smell.

I promise you, every book smells different. I have opened boxes of books I had stored away in a closet for years, and the books still retain their individual smells. Strong environmental odors CAN affect their individual smells over a long time though. There is one book from my childhood where I love the smell so much I keep it in a ziplock bag so nothing affects it's smell. No lie, I swear it! As a matter of fact I will go take a whiff of it right now....be right back....

Ahhh....the smell of childhood.... This is the one thing I miss using my e-reader.

Anyway! Tell me about how you sniff your books, if you do!
User avatar
obiebookworm
Posts: 608
Joined: 23 Oct 2013, 19:44
Favorite Author: J.K. Rowling
Favorite Book: Picture of Dorian Gray
Currently Reading: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!
Bookshelf Size: 22
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-obiebookworm.html
Latest Review: "The Little Ladybug" by Amelia May
fav_author_id: 1778

Post by obiebookworm »

Yes, I am! I love the smell of old books as well as new. But I especially love the smell of old ones. There's something in the ink and the way the paper is made that when they age it gives off this amazing aroma.
Obiebookworm
Latest Review: "The Little Ladybug" by Amelia May
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

This just made me lol, for real, but I know it's a real thing. Old books have a great smell, but I had no idea that you could tell individual books apart or judge their quality from it.
Can you smell other things as well? Fear? Time? 8)
User avatar
Linda7228
Posts: 93
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 00:35
Favorite Author: Jane Austen
Favorite Book: Blood Weddings by Federico Garcia Lorca
Currently Reading: Heist Society
Bookshelf Size: 1
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-linda7228.html
Latest Review: "The Sham" by Ellen Allen
fav_author_id: 2379

Post by Linda7228 »

ALynnPowers wrote:This just made me lol, for real, but I know it's a real thing. Old books have a great smell, but I had no idea that you could tell individual books apart or judge their quality from it.
Can you smell other things as well? Fear? Time? 8)

Haha! :D I love the smell of books, I usually give them a good sniff, I didn't actually know you could tell how good they are by how they smell, I'm definitely going to my bookshelf right now I have to test that. So I'm going to get my sniff on! :wink: That was terrible I know but I had to :)
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
Latest Review: "The Sham" by Ellen Allen
User avatar
rssllue
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 50731
Joined: 02 Oct 2014, 01:52
Favorite Author: Ted Dekker
Favorite Book: The Bible
Currently Reading: A Year with C. S. Lewis
Bookshelf Size: 602
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rssllue.html
Latest Review: My Personal Desert Storm by Marcus Johnson
fav_author_id: 2881

Post by rssllue »

Hi everybody. My name is rssllue, and I am a book sniff-aholic.
~ occupare fati suffocavit

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ~ Psalms 4:8
User avatar
Wind Wise
Posts: 62
Joined: 19 Jun 2010, 13:36
Favorite Author: Gaston Leroux
Favorite Book: Phantom of the Opera
Currently Reading: Red Transplanted Tales by Kate Serine
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2894

Post by Wind Wise »

Yeah, I've done it. If they made an air freshener that smelled like new books, I would totally buy it!
I love to read!

My top 3 fave books:
1. Phantom of the Opera- Gaston Leroux
2. Phantom- Susan Kay
3. Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson


I need to record her voice babbling so I can listen to it when she's not around- Wintergirls
User avatar
rssllue
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 50731
Joined: 02 Oct 2014, 01:52
Favorite Author: Ted Dekker
Favorite Book: The Bible
Currently Reading: A Year with C. S. Lewis
Bookshelf Size: 602
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rssllue.html
Latest Review: My Personal Desert Storm by Marcus Johnson
fav_author_id: 2881

Post by rssllue »

Coming soon to a bookstore near you! I can see the promos now: "If you enjoy that fresh, clean, crisp new book smell, then you are in luck! Now for a mere $3.99 you can take that wonderful smell with you after you leave the store. That's right folks, you can hang the new-book-smell air freshener in your car and ride around in your own personal book-mobile! And coming soon, you can take the smell on your very person all day long with our new-book-smell cologne for men and perfume for the ladies! In stores, book stores of course, in time for Christmas!" Or something like that. :roll: :lol:
~ occupare fati suffocavit

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ~ Psalms 4:8
User avatar
obiebookworm
Posts: 608
Joined: 23 Oct 2013, 19:44
Favorite Author: J.K. Rowling
Favorite Book: Picture of Dorian Gray
Currently Reading: Sigfried’s Smelly Socks!
Bookshelf Size: 22
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-obiebookworm.html
Latest Review: "The Little Ladybug" by Amelia May
fav_author_id: 1778

Post by obiebookworm »

rssllue wrote:Coming soon to a bookstore near you! I can see the promos now: "If you enjoy that fresh, clean, crisp new book smell, then you are in luck! Now for a mere $3.99 you can take that wonderful smell with you after you leave the store. That's right folks, you can hang the new-book-smell air freshener in your car and ride around in your own personal book-mobile! And coming soon, you can take the smell on your very person all day long with our new-book-smell cologne for men and perfume for the ladies! In stores, book stores of course, in time for Christmas!" Or something like that. :roll: :lol:
I love it! LOL! :lol:
Obiebookworm
Latest Review: "The Little Ladybug" by Amelia May
User avatar
rssllue
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 50731
Joined: 02 Oct 2014, 01:52
Favorite Author: Ted Dekker
Favorite Book: The Bible
Currently Reading: A Year with C. S. Lewis
Bookshelf Size: 602
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rssllue.html
Latest Review: My Personal Desert Storm by Marcus Johnson
fav_author_id: 2881

Post by rssllue »

I try. :)
~ occupare fati suffocavit

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ~ Psalms 4:8
klnadams
Posts: 24
Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 09:45
Favorite Author: Stephen King
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-klnadams.html
fav_author_id: 2376

Post by klnadams »

Yes, love the smell of a book.
User avatar
mellysw
Posts: 99
Joined: 11 Oct 2014, 23:24
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mellysw.html

Post by mellysw »

ALynnPowers wrote:This just made me lol, for real, but I know it's a real thing. Old books have a great smell, but I had no idea that you could tell individual books apart or judge their quality from it.
Can you smell other things as well? Fear? Time? 8)
Nope, just books. Let me know how it works out! It truly does work for me, I can't remember the last time I misjudged a book by its smell.

rssllue wrote:Coming soon to a bookstore near you! I can see the promos now: "If you enjoy that fresh, clean, crisp new book smell, then you are in luck! Now for a mere $3.99 you can take that wonderful smell with you after you leave the store. That's right folks, you can hang the new-book-smell air freshener in your car and ride around in your own personal book-mobile! And coming soon, you can take the smell on your very person all day long with our new-book-smell cologne for men and perfume for the ladies! In stores, book stores of course, in time for Christmas!" Or something like that. :roll: :lol:
I would totally buy that up!
User avatar
darkfae2317
Posts: 28
Joined: 29 Jul 2014, 19:19
Favorite Author: Diana Gabaldon
Favorite Book: Outlander Series
Currently Reading: The Message?
Bookshelf Size: 46
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-darkfae2317.html
fav_author_id: 2373

Post by darkfae2317 »

I always smell books, lol! I had to giggle when I read that topic. And I wont read a book if I dont like the smell of it!
User avatar
hyram
Posts: 6
Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 19:08
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-hyram.html

Post by hyram »

I ALWAYS sniff my books! There's nothing like the smell of ink on pages :)
Abbydan14
Posts: 29
Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 17:47
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-abbydan14.html

Post by Abbydan14 »

I absolutely love the smell of books. There is nothing better!!
User avatar
Ryan
Posts: 15342
Joined: 08 Sep 2014, 19:11
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 444
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ryan.html

Post by Ryan »

I love the smell of books almost as much as petrol (I'd never burn a book, I promise). It's one of the best things about buying a new one, second only to reading it :)
"Reason is intelligence taking exercise. Imagination is intelligence with an erection" -- Victor Hugo.
Post Reply

Return to “General Book & Reading Discussion”