Most people think that acquiring books is an exercise that happens gradually over years and anyone who breaks this norm is often shunned by book lovers.
Something similar happened to actor Ashley Tisdale, from musical high school celebrity, who drew the ire of many netizens after admitting in an interview that she got 400 pounds at one time for decorative purposes.
In the home tour video released by Architecture Digest (AD) on Wednesday, Tisdale takes a tour of her spacious Los Angeles home. As she points to a shelf full of books, she admits that it has only recently been filled. “These shelves, I have to be honest, actually had no books on them a few days ago. I asked my husband to go to a bookstore and said ‘you need to have 400 books’ Obviously, my husband was like we have to collect books over time and put them on the shelves, and I was like no, no, no, not when AD comes along.
This admission has prompted many to point out how wealthy people use books for purely aesthetic purposes without having any interest in reading or collecting them.
I am speechless. pic.twitter.com/sF5wPAARSv
— Sarah Caldwell (@sarahccaldwell) March 29, 2022
“To be honest, those frames didn’t have any photos in them, so I emailed my husband to Getty Images, and said you need to buy 400 other people’s family photos.”
— Mayowulf (@DavidFaragalli) March 30, 2022
give this energy pic.twitter.com/75slERR5CR
– an empath (@Arial12_) March 30, 2022
I remember people coming to my house and asking me if I had read all those books and wondering why I would have them otherwise. Lol, now I know.
— FoxgloveFarms (@FarmsFoxglove) March 30, 2022
Yes, but in fact, people can literally buy books in bulk for the sole purpose of putting them in their bookshelves and folding them, and that’s just crazy to me. Instead of reading a library of books and flexing real knowledge, people want to flex that they know nothing while having everything
– yeah 🧱 (@big_chillings) March 30, 2022
At the same time, many people defended Tisdale and argued that the issue was exaggerated.
Let’s clear that up. There are some of my books over the years in there, but yeah, 36 shelves with 22 books that I didn’t have and any interior designer would have done the same. They do it all the time, I was just being honest about it.
— Ashley Tisdale (@ashleytisdale) March 30, 2022
I really don’t understand why this bothers you https://t.co/Na4FEAo3NK
— Elmira. (@pinkmixiana) March 31, 2022
The woman who gave us Sharpay Evans is showing Sharpay Evans behavior and y’all mad at her for that?? https://t.co/gEVCiZF3gR
—Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) March 31, 2022
some people are really upset about this and the former retail worker in me thinks how happy this sale must have made someone. also, it’s money in the authors’ pockets. WE DO NOT CARE https://t.co/fVZobT9aQu
– it’s so reeven (@starniite) March 31, 2022
I’m sorry but you get mad for the dumbest reasons 😭 https://t.co/zM9QFaquUH
— rasha 🗡 PARIS DAY (@anakinstarlight) March 31, 2022
Tisdale also commented on the ongoing debate and wrote on Twitter, “Let’s clear this up. There are some of my books over the years in there, but yeah, 36 shelves with 22 books that I didn’t have and any interior designer would have done the same. They do it all the time, I was just being honest about it.
