Tsundoku: The Art of Collecting Unread Books

Why people 'accidentally' collect books.

Have you ever bought a book by accident, intending to read it, but never found the time? At first, the book takes up space on the table, a constant reminder of itself, then ends up on a shelf and gradually becomes part of the decor — and over time, a whole library of unread books builds up. Japanese has a specific word for this phenomenon: tsundoku.

The DeTalks team looked into what this term means and why it's become so widespread.

The Origins of the Phenomenon

Back in the Meiji era (1868-1912), when Japan was actively living through a period of Westernization, printed books were something new. People bought them faster than they could read them, which led to piles of unread literature. That's how the term 'tsundoku' came about, combining the word 'tsunde,' meaning 'to keep things,' 'oku,' meaning 'to leave for a while,' and 'doku,' meaning reading. Earlier, though, the phenomenon carried a more negative connotation.

Andrew Gerstle, professor at the University of London, has described writer Mori Senzo using the phrase 'tsundoku-sensei' in his text in 1879, explaining that at the time, it was satire aimed at a teacher who owned a lot of books but never read them, explains Andrew Gerstle, professor at the University of London.

Over time, owning books became a symbol of status and intellect. It was common practice to collect books as part of one's cultural capital, even without the time or desire to actually read them.

But tsundoku shouldn't be seen as a habit unique to the Land of the Rising Sun. Book collections were popular among the intelligentsia of the European Renaissance and in ancient China as well.

Bibliomania vs. Tsundoku

Bibliomania is the title of a 19th-century novel by Thomas Frognall Dibdin, which explored the phenomenon of 'book madness' — the inability to stop collecting literature. By his definition, bibliomania covered people obsessed with unique books, including first editions and one-of-a-kind copies.

But according to research from Oxford University Press, two centuries later, the term evolved to simply mean book collecting.

Although these two words have similar meanings, there's a key difference between them: bibliomania describes a conscious desire to build a book collection, while tsundoku is the intention to read books that ultimately results in their accidental accumulation.

Why People Accumulate Books Instead of Reading Them

Tsundoku is most often explained by a love of books, including a desire for self-improvement, a wish to broaden one's knowledge, or to find new sources of inspiration. And while 'accidental collectors' genuinely try to read everything they buy, they often overestimate how much time they actually have. It's a bit like visiting a café: sometimes you want to try everything on the menu, but you physically can't do it all at once.

Among other reasons is the fear of one day not having a book you suddenly want to read. Some people keep books for their future selves, or for their children and grandchildren, as a kind of legacy. Bookshelves, meanwhile, reflect an intellectual journey, showing shifts in taste, interests, and level of erudition.

Is Tsundoku Only About Books?

Even though part of the word 'tsundoku' translates directly as 'reading,' the term has started being applied to other areas of life too. Under one post on the social network Reddit, users discussed how the phenomenon might explain their relationship with films, TV shows, and even clothing.

One of the most popular interpretations concerned video games — many people mentioned their 'huge, but barely touched game libraries' on platforms like Steam.

In short, tsundoku isn't just about a love of books. The phenomenon also reflects deeper tendencies — a desire for knowledge, self-improvement, and sometimes a kind of illusion that reading a particular book will change your life. What was once considered a purely Japanese phenomenon is now common to people across different cultures.

In today's world, tsundoku takes on new forms and can extend well beyond bookshelves. But its essence remains the same — the phenomenon reflects a person's desire not to lose touch with a potentially important experience.