# Bookworm > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bookworm > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bookworm.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookworm > Source revision: 1343347438 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Lover of books "Bibliophilia" redirects here; not to be confused with [bibliomania](/source/Bibliomania). For other uses, see [Bookworm (disambiguation)](/source/Bookworm_(disambiguation)). [*The Bookworm*](/source/The_Bookworm_(painting)), 1850, by [Carl Spitzweg](/source/Carl_Spitzweg) A **bookworm** or **bibliophile** is an individual who loves and frequently reads or collects [books](/source/Books). **Bibliophilia** or **bibliophilism** is the love of books. Bibliophiles may have large, specialized book collections. They may highly value old editions, [autographed](/source/Autographed) copies, or illustrated versions. Bibliophilia is distinct from [bibliomania](/source/Bibliomania), a compulsive obsession to collect books which can affect interpersonal relationships or health. The term "bibliophile" has been in use since 1820 and has been associated with historical figures like [Lord Spencer](/source/George_Spencer%2C_2nd_Earl_Spencer) and [J.P. Morgan](/source/J.P._Morgan), who were known for their extensive book collections. ## Profile The classic bibliophile loves to read, admires and collects books, and often amasses a large and specialized collection. Bibliophiles usually possess books they love or that hold special value, as well as old editions with unusual bindings, [autographed](/source/Autograph), or illustrated copies.[1] "Bibliophile" is an appropriate term for a minority of those who are [book collectors](/source/Book_collecting).[2] Literally, a book "worm" is an insect [larva](/source/Larva) that eats books. The term "bookworm" is often used as a [metaphor](/source/Metaphor) to describe a voracious reader, an indiscriminate reader, or a bibliophile. In its earliest iterations, it had a negative connotation—that is, it denoted an [idler](/source/Slacker) who read rather than worked. Over the years its meaning has drifted in a more positive direction.[3] Another meaning of the word is "a person who pays more attention to formal rules and [book learning](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/book-learning) than they merit."[4] ## History According to Arthur H. Minters, the "private collecting of books was a fashion indulged in by many [Romans](/source/Ancient_Rome), including [Cicero](/source/Cicero) and [Atticus](/source/Titus_Pomponius_Atticus)".[5] The term *bibliophile* entered the [English language](/source/English_language) in 1820.[6] A bibliophile is to be distinguished from the much older notion of a bookman (which dates back to 1583), who is one who loves books, and especially [reading](/source/Reading_(process)); more generally, a bookman is one who participates in writing, publishing, or selling books.[7] [Lord Spencer](/source/George_Spencer%2C_2nd_Earl_Spencer) and the [Marquess of Blandford](/source/George_Spencer-Churchill%2C_5th_Duke_of_Marlborough) were noted bibliophiles. "The [Roxburghe](/source/John_Ker%2C_3rd_Duke_of_Roxburghe) sale quickly became a foundational myth for the burgeoning secondhand book trade, and remains so to this day"; this sale is memorable due to the competition between "Lord Spencer and the marquis of Blandford [which] drove [the price of a probable first edition of Boccaccio's *[Decameron](/source/Decameron)* up to the astonishing and unprecedented sum of £2,260".[8] [J. P. Morgan](/source/J._P._Morgan) was also a noted bibliophile. In 1884, he paid $24,750 ($772,130.92, adjusted for inflation for 2021)[9] for a 1459 edition of the [Mainz Psalter](/source/Mainz_Psalter).[10] ## See also - [Books portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Books) The Bibliophile Society of Boston art from a limited edition book by [Henry David Thoreau](/source/Henry_David_Thoreau) - [Book collecting](/source/Book_collecting) - [Bibliophobia](/source/Bibliophobia) - [Oxford University Society of Bibliophiles](/source/Oxford_University_Society_of_Bibliophiles), UK - United States: - [Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies](/source/Fellowship_of_American_Bibliophilic_Societies) - [Antiquarian book trade in the United States](/source/Antiquarian_book_trade_in_the_United_States) - [The Book Club of Detroit](/source/The_Book_Club_of_Detroit) - [Caxton Club](/source/Caxton_Club), Chicago - [The Club of Odd Volumes](/source/The_Club_of_Odd_Volumes), Boston - [Grolier Club](/source/Grolier_Club), New York - [Bibliophile mailing list](/source/Bibliophile_mailing_list) **Similar terms** - [Audiophilia](/source/Audiophilia) - [Cinephilia](/source/Cinephilia) - [Comicphilia](/source/Comicphilia) - Infophilia - [Telephilia](/source/Telephilia) - [Videophilia](/source/Videophilia) ## References ### Citations 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Holzenberg, Eric. "The Bibliophile as Bibliographer". *The papers of the Bibliographical Society of America*. 104.4 (2010): 421–431. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Carter, John, Nicolas Barker and Simran Thadani. 2016. *John Carter's ABC for Book Collectors*, p.45. Ninth ed. New Castle Delaware: Oak Knoll Press. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Is 'bookworm' positive or negative?"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/is-the-meaning-of-bookworm-positive-or-negative). [Merriam Webster](/source/Merriam_Webster). Retrieved June 18, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Bookworm"](https://www.synonym.com/synonyms/bookworm). *synonyms*. Retrieved June 19, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Minters, Arthur H. (1979). [*Collecting Books for Fun and Profit*](https://archive.org/details/collectingbooksf0000mint). New York: Arco Publishing Inc. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-668-04598-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-668-04598-1). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["bibliophile"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bibliophile). *[Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary](/source/Merriam-Webster)*. Merriam-Webster. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1032680871](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1032680871). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["bookman"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bookman). *[Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary](/source/Merriam-Webster)*. Merriam-Webster. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1032680871](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1032680871). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Connell, Philip (2000). "Book Collecting: Cultural Politics, and the Rise of Literary Heritage in Romantic Britain". *Representations*. **71**: 24–47. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1525/rep.2000.71.1.01p00764](https://doi.org/10.1525%2Frep.2000.71.1.01p00764). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Inflation Calculator"](https://westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi?money=24750&first=1884&final=2021). *westegg.com*. Retrieved 2022-06-20. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Basbanes, Nicholas](/source/Nicholas_A._Basbanes) (1995). *[A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books](/source/A_Gentle_Madness%3A_Bibliophiles%2C_Bibliomanes%2C_and_the_Eternal_Passion_for_Books)*. New York: Henry Holt. - Merriam-Webster, Inc. (1996). *[Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary](/source/Webster's_Dictionary)* (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass: [Merriam-Webster](/source/Merriam-Webster), Inc. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87779-709-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87779-709-9). ## Further reading External videos Booknotes interview with Nicholas Basbanes on A Gentle Madness, October 15, 1995, C-SPAN - *Bulletin du Bibliophile* (1834-) [Bulletin du bibliophile (1834)](http://data.bnf.fr/32726854/bulletin_du_bibliophile__1834_/). Since 1963 published by the [Association Internationale de Bibliophilie](/source/International_Association_of_Bibliophiles). - [Richard de Bury](/source/Richard_de_Bury) (1902). *The Love of Books: "[The Philobiblon](/source/The_Philobiblon)" translated by E. C. Thomas*. London: Alexander Moring - [Thomas Frognall Dibdin](/source/Thomas_Frognall_Dibdin) (1809). *[Bibliomania](/source/Bibliomania_(book))*. New York, Henry G. Bohn. - Harper, H. H. (1904) "[Book-Lovers, Bibliomaniacs and Book Clubs](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22605)" The Riverside Press, Cambridge - Holzenberg, Eric. "The Bibliophile as Bibliographer". *The papers of the Bibliographical Society of America*. 104.4 (2010): 421–431. - [Andrew Lang](/source/Andrew_Lang) (1881). *[The Library](/source/The_Library_(book))*. London, Macmillan & Co. - Purcell, M. (2019). [The Role of Librarians in a Historical Age of Obsession](https://lithub.com/the-role-of-librarians-in-a-historical-age-of-obsession/). Literary Hub. - Rugg, Julie (2006). *A Book Addict's Treasury*. London: Frances Lincoln [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7112-2685-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7112-2685-7) - Stebbins, Robert A. (2013). *The Committed Reader: Reading for Utility, Pleasure, and Fulfillment in the Twenty-First Century*. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow. ## External links - Media related to [Bookworm](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/Category:Bookworm) at Wikimedia Commons - The dictionary definition of [*bibliophilia*](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bibliophilia) at Wiktionary - [*Forbes* article](https://web.archive.org/web/20070914134621/http://members.forbes.com/fyi/2005/1212/162.html) on bibliomania, by Finn-Olaf Jones, December 12, 2005] (archived 14 September 2007) v t e Book collecting Bibliophilia Bibliomania tsundoku Bookbreaking The Book Collector journal The Bookworm (painting) First edition Limited edition Marginalia Preservation slipcase solander box Used book conditions v t e Books Production Binding Covers dust jackets Design Editing Illustration Illuminated manuscripts Printing edition history incunabula instant book limited edition Publishing advance copy hardcover paperback Size Typesetting Volume (bibliography) Collection (publishing) Book series Consumption Awards Bestsellers list Bibliography Bibliomania (tsundoku) Bibliophilia Bibliotherapy Bookmarks Bookselling blurbs book towns history used Censorship Clubs Collecting Digitizing Bookworm (insect) Furniture bookcases bookends Library Print culture Reading literacy Reviews By country Brazil China France Germany Italy Japan Netherlands Pakistan Spain United Kingdom United States Other Genres non-fiction novel imaginary miniature pop-up textbook Grimoire Formats audiobooks Ebooks Folio Coffee table book Related Banned books Book burning incidents Nazi Book curses Book packaging Book swapping Book tour Conservation and restoration Dog ears History of books scroll codex Intellectual property ISBN Outline Preservation The Philobiblon World Book Day World Book Capital Outline Category Portal v t e Fandoms Classification By genre Boys' love fandom Fantasy fandom Furry fandom Kemonā Science fiction fandom By medium Anime and manga fandom in Poland Cinephilia Gamer Sports fandom Production specific AFOL A Song of Ice and Fire Beatlemania Brony analysis art charity conventions criticism fan fiction music online communities slang Deadhead Doctor Who Dragon Ball EarthBound Harry Potter James Bond Disney Disney adults Disneyland social club Donaldism Janeite Juggalo Larries Moonwalker MSTies Sherlock Holmes Star Wars Stargate Shrek Sonic the Hedgehog Swiftie Tolkien Trekkie Twilight Demographics Anorak Anti-fan Bookworm Celebrity worship syndrome Cult following Fan Geek Groupie Nerd Otaku Sasaeng Tifosi Ultras Organizations and events Amateur press association Car club Boy racer Cruising Import scene Hot rodding Kustom Kulture Lowrider Club Supercar Season Ferrari tifosi Cosplay Fan club Fandom names Historical reenactment Live action role-playing game Motorcycle club Harley Owners Group Organization for Transformative Works Railfan Stan Twitter Conventions Anime and manga list Comic book list defunct Doujinshi Furry Gaming list Horror Multigenre Professional wrestling Science fiction list by date of establishment Publications and activities Anime music video Autograph collecting Doujin Doujin music Doujinshi Fan art Fan edit Fan fiction Fan film Fan labor Fan mail Fan rice Fan translation Fanac Fan game Doujin soft Mod Fansite Fan wiki list Fanspeak Fanzine Filk music Oshikatsu Real person fiction Vidding Zine Topics Cringe culture Fan loyalty Fan service Odagiri effect Original character Fursona Ponysona Shipping Ethics controversy Waifu/Husbando Authority control databases International GND National Czech Republic Spain Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bookworm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookworm) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookworm?action=history)). 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