Read the whole thing at:
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-07-25/books-declining-sales-print-digital-hoarding

"Opinion: Why do I hoard more books than I could possibly read? An
investigation

Publisher’s Weekly recently reported that book sales for the first half
of the year are down once again, continuing a trend that has accelerated
since the pandemic.

As usual, I seem to be out of step. After a few years of joining the
Kindle cult, I am back to my old bibliophile ways of buying more books
than I will possibly have time to read. I do this not just out of
compulsion, but aspiration (and, more practically, for research on
various writing assignments). When I go to a great bookstore, which, to
me, is like a cathedral, I feel the need to tithe. Some might call me a
book hoarder.

I once read that buying books represents the illusion of buying the time
needed to read them. That sounds about right. But these personal
inclinations usually stem from a personal story. Here is mine. It takes
a few turns.
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