The scene of the crime wasn’t lined with police barricade tape. The place was swarming with people rummaging through piles of books on tables and shelves, and the suspects were already in the long queue to the cashier.
Whether they were lured by signed copies of best-selling books or tempted by the discounted prices, hundreds of people were guilty as charged for book hoarding recently at the 36th Manila International Book Fair (MIBF).
The crime’s punishments: 1) a longer to-be-read list; 2) anxiety from wanting to start reading newly bought books and realizing there are other books to finish; 3) being forced to eat cheap meals for weeks; 4) being forced to turn down your friends’ invites for at least a month; 5) being pressured to work longer hours in the office or do more errands for your parents.
But for book lovers, not buying new books is considered a bigger crime—especially when book fairs, sales, launches and signings happen all throughout the year.
If you have no control over your love for books, Inquirer Super is here to help you pace your book spending for the next big book sale.
