I wasn't expecting this. I open this gift basket for book lovers—I was hoping for a stylish mug, maybe a novel I've already read twice—and I find… a curious little wooden object. A strange shape, somewhere between a fox and a bat. For a second, I even thought it was a rustic version of brass knuckles (not exactly in keeping with the "cozy reading" theme, but never mind).
Then I understood: it was a thumb bookend. And, for some reason, it instantly transported me back in time.
The forgotten gadget of true readers
If you've never used one, let me introduce you to this little marvel. It's a wooden accessory with a hole drilled in the center. You slip your thumb through, open the book, and—magically—it stays open, even with just one hand.
Goodbye to pages closing at the crucial moment. Goodbye to cramps from holding a book too tightly on the subway.
I had one in college. Found in an independent bookstore that smelled of coffee and candle wax, wedged between vintage postcards and stickers with pseudo-philosophical quotes. It languished at the bottom of my bag, between a pen without a cap and some chewing gum wrappers, but it saved me every time I read at night or was on a crowded commute.
The little things we had forgotten
Rediscovering this little object reminded me of something essential: reading is tactile.
The weight of a book, the smell of the paper, the subtle rustling of the pages — all these sensations that no e-reader, however practical, can truly reproduce.
I love my e-reader, don't get me wrong. It's light, practical, and perfect for reading under the covers without disturbing anyone.
But holding a real book, feeling its texture, marking it with a finger or a sigh… there's something profoundly human about that.
And when one hand holds the coffee cup and the other cradles a cat (or a croissant, depending on the time of day), the thumb book holder becomes the unsung hero of the moment.
Why were they allowed to disappear?
Perhaps because everything has become digital. Perhaps because we thought we no longer needed those small, handcrafted objects that, nevertheless, made reading more beautiful.
But things are changing: they're slowly making a comeback. You can now find them on Etsy or Amazon, made of wood, resin, sometimes even shaped like animals (like the one I received). Some have inscriptions like "Just one more chapter" or "Leave me alone to read." Suffice it to say, I need one for every mood.
Reading with one hand, a simple luxury
The other day, I sat on the porch, a coffee in one hand, my old book stand in the other, a sleeping dog at my feet. And suddenly, that little piece of wood had meaning.
It wasn't just a gadget, but a symbol: that of taking time for oneself, away from noise, notifications and multitasking.
It's like finding an audio cassette, a rotary phone, or a lava lamp: a capsule from the past that reminds us that pleasure is often hidden in simple things.
Let's bring it back into fashion
I wouldn't say it will change your life, but it might change your reading moments.
Especially if, like me, you have a knack for reading in the most improbable positions, half-bent under a blanket, a mug precariously balanced on your knee.
So yes, I'm officially back on the thumb-sized book team.
Grab one. Slip it in your bag. And the next time you're reading on the bus, in a waiting room, or discreetly during an online meeting, pull it out.
You'll see — all of a sudden, it will make sense.
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