15 Things Book-Lovers Do Better Than Anyone Else

Even if we like the film adaptation, most book-lovers take intense mental (or literal) notes on every scene, character, and line of dialogue that's different. We might forget birthdays and keys, but we remember every Ron line that was inexplicably given to Hermione in the movie. Same goes for TV shows. Don't watch Game of Thrones with me unless you want to hear my lengthy feelings about the changes to the Dorne plot line.

If the book is good enough, book-lovers have the ability to go for long periods of time without food, sleep, or social interaction. All we need is a flashlight and a novel, and we're happy until dawn. We might not be great at showing up to work on time the next morning, but we don't let a little thing like sleep deprivation get in the way of reading.

So what if we miss a stop every once in a while? Book-lovers are excellent at shutting out the so-called "real world." We might prefer peace and quiet, but in a pinch we can read just about anywhere (which also makes us excellent at avoiding eye contact with strangers).

What some people consider a loose pile of pages, we consider a beloved member of the family. Some book-lovers are more precious with their books than others, but all book-lover are naturally gifted at nursing damaged and "well-loved" books through multiple re-reads. Tape is a book-lover's best friend.

Even when book-lovers aren't actively reading, we have some pretty finely-tuned imaginations. It's hard to read a lot without becoming a thoughtful, creative person in the process. Especially for fiction junkies, all that literature gives your mind the fuel it needs to stare dreamily out the window on a rainy day, or to spend a calculus lecture thinking deeply about being married to Mr. Darcy.

Some book-lovers are strictly one-book-at-a-time readers... but most of us have developed a talent for jumping from plot to plot without skipping a beat. We've go our ongoing re-reads, our book club reads, our new releases in hardcover, and our pocket sized paperbacks, for when you don't want to carry a big bag. And we can tell you exactly what's going on in all of them.

Of course, book-lovers prefer to read in a cozy chair or on a picturesque park bench under a cherry tree. But we make do. We're all excellent at balancing books while eating, cooking, exercising, brushing our teeth, and doing all those other inconvenient things we frequently have to do when we're right in the middle of a great chapter.

Sometimes it's frustrating to be a book-lover. You just want to explain how Shakespeare, or George R.R. Martin, or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie perfectly encapsulates all of your feelings about a particular political issue, but other people don't seem to get it. That's OK, book-lovers. Your ability to see how literature reflects real life and visa versa is actually a skill, and you're not nuts to think that books might help you better understand the real world. Fiction does make you more empathetic, after all.

Readers just have sixth sense for finding cozy reading spots. Everywhere we go, we're low-key checking out coffee shops, parks, and window seats for maximum reading coziness. Add a cup of tea and a purring cat, and we have engineered peak reading comfort.

Walking and reading is an activity that should only be attempted by veteran book-lovers. But for those elite few, walking and reading is as natural as walking and talking. Just make sure you look both ways at the cross walk, if you're planning to try this one at home.

Not every book-lover has to be an aspiring author themselves. But most readers just tend to be better writers: whether it's writing a story, a blog, or a text message, readers have an innate sense of language, imagery, and where to put commas.

OK, so this one may not be a talent per say... but book-lovers most certainly do it better than anyone else. Literary crushes are intoxicating, because the reader has total control over imagining what their dream date looks like, how they wear their hair, how they smell, and so on. Step aside, people crushing on TV characters.

Look, we go to the library. We borrow books from our friends. We prowl the used bookstore. But sometimes you just need to shell out for a new release, and that's where book-lovers become budgeting experts. We'll gladly sacrifice eating out, fancy cocktails, and possibly electricity if we can get our hands on that shiny new hardcover.

Those shelves fill up quickly, man. And then we've got to get creative. Any book-lover knows the struggle of trying to fit an infinite number of books into a finite amount of space. Luckily, most of us are brilliant when it comes to stashing books under the bed, in the unused oven, and behind the books that are already on the shelf (double-shelving, anyone?).

Well, duh. But some book-lovers don't realize just how good they are at reading. Reading is a skill. Understanding what you read, rather than just skimming, is an art. Not everyone is good at translating squiggles on a page into thrilling adventures and sweeping romance. A book is really only as good as the reader's imagination, and book-lovers are pretty great when it comes to imagining.