Typically illogical behaviour of a book lover
Discussion
We downsized ten years ago and I had to put a number of my books into the loft. I said I'd sort them.
Over the last few days, I've gone through them and the local round table bookshop will, over the next week or so, increase its stock substantially.
My wife was bemused, not to say irritated and a little dumbfounded, to receive from Mr Amazon yesterday a delivery of three new books.
How do I explain to her that this is normal behaviour?
While scrabbling about in the loft, I worked out how much I'd paid for the books I'm giving away, converting it into today's worth. It was a frightening amount, and one best not shared with my wife.
Over the last few days, I've gone through them and the local round table bookshop will, over the next week or so, increase its stock substantially.
My wife was bemused, not to say irritated and a little dumbfounded, to receive from Mr Amazon yesterday a delivery of three new books.
How do I explain to her that this is normal behaviour?
While scrabbling about in the loft, I worked out how much I'd paid for the books I'm giving away, converting it into today's worth. It was a frightening amount, and one best not shared with my wife.
I'm with you there.Derek Smith said:
We downsized ten years ago and I had to put a number of my books into the loft. I said I'd sort them.
Over the last few days, I've gone through them and the local round table bookshop will, over the next week or so, increase its stock substantially.
My wife was bemused, not to say irritated and a little dumbfounded, to receive from Mr Amazon yesterday a delivery of three new books.
How do I explain to her that this is normal behaviour?
While scrabbling about in the loft, I worked out how much I'd paid for the books I'm giving away, converting it into today's worth. It was a frightening amount, and one best not shared with my wife.
I don't think that's illogical, you're just allowing other people to share the love of books.Over the last few days, I've gone through them and the local round table bookshop will, over the next week or so, increase its stock substantially.
My wife was bemused, not to say irritated and a little dumbfounded, to receive from Mr Amazon yesterday a delivery of three new books.
How do I explain to her that this is normal behaviour?
While scrabbling about in the loft, I worked out how much I'd paid for the books I'm giving away, converting it into today's worth. It was a frightening amount, and one best not shared with my wife.
I'm the opposite though, I keep all of mine in the hope my children will just go and pick one up and read. But, on topic, is it illogical to never buy a new book? I buy all of mine second-hand. I absolutely love books that have been read before. Ones with notations or underlines are fasciniating to me.
Having never willingly disposed of a book, ever, I had a clearout about 18mths ago & gave loads away.
I have also sold about £75 worth, all motoring related. Surprising what some stuff is worth!
It helps that I finally switched to the dark side & bought a Kindle about 3yrs ago, got over 100 books on that waiting to be read!
Will keep many of mine but ones that will never be read again or have no meaning to me can go.
I have also sold about £75 worth, all motoring related. Surprising what some stuff is worth!
It helps that I finally switched to the dark side & bought a Kindle about 3yrs ago, got over 100 books on that waiting to be read!
Will keep many of mine but ones that will never be read again or have no meaning to me can go.
I buy virtually all of mine second-hand, too. I've been consolidating my own and my Dad's books over the last couple of days, and so far have found 33 which are duplicate or triplicate titles. Either I bought one I didn't know he had, or bought one I'd forgotten was on my "to read" pile. Maybe I'll find it easier to get rid of those first.
I've now got bookcases all over the house - most books are bought second hand; I just love rummaging around used bookshops. The number of books I have yet to read is probably now in 3 figures. Doesn't stop me buying books.
My wife no longer comments however (she certainly used to) as since lockdown she's been devouring medieval murder mysteries - we now have lots of those waiting to go in bookcases even though I bought her a kindle. She has read them all too...
My wife no longer comments however (she certainly used to) as since lockdown she's been devouring medieval murder mysteries - we now have lots of those waiting to go in bookcases even though I bought her a kindle. She has read them all too...
I'm a regular haunter of the charity book shops in Exeter, especially Oxfam and Hospiscare in South St and have acquired and donated many volumes over the years.
I think I'm getting a bit better regarding moving books on. I culled many of my history books once I'd finished with the OU and am trying to read and then give away to family, friends or the bookshops rather just allow to accumulate.
My motor racing library is still growing, but here selectivity is the key, as there are so many re-hashed efforts as authors go over old ground time and time again. A recent exception is the much praised and widely expanded Porter Press publication of the old Jenks & Posthumus "Vanwall" now with a lot of added archive material by Doug Nye, well worth the full price although Speedy Hen are currently offering a hefty discount.
I think I'm getting a bit better regarding moving books on. I culled many of my history books once I'd finished with the OU and am trying to read and then give away to family, friends or the bookshops rather just allow to accumulate.
My motor racing library is still growing, but here selectivity is the key, as there are so many re-hashed efforts as authors go over old ground time and time again. A recent exception is the much praised and widely expanded Porter Press publication of the old Jenks & Posthumus "Vanwall" now with a lot of added archive material by Doug Nye, well worth the full price although Speedy Hen are currently offering a hefty discount.
This is another solution for those with too many books
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/22/barc...
Our local library sells books they are retiring for 20 cents each.
So I usually buy one or two every visit - sometimes I give up on them after a chapter or two, so they go off to the charity collection.
Why is a 20 cent book so tempting to buy, when I'm in a building full of books I can read for free?
So I usually buy one or two every visit - sometimes I give up on them after a chapter or two, so they go off to the charity collection.
Why is a 20 cent book so tempting to buy, when I'm in a building full of books I can read for free?
The logic in paying for a book you could have read for free is another one that's difficult to get past my wife.
I bought a couple of books from the library and was told that their new security system meant it was impossible to switch it off for bought books. As I walked out, the alarm went off, as expected. Two oldish women were walking towards me and seemed a little concerned. I did what any self-respecting man would - I broke into a run.
I've yet to meet a woman who understands the imperative. Yet to meet a man who does not.
I bought a couple of books from the library and was told that their new security system meant it was impossible to switch it off for bought books. As I walked out, the alarm went off, as expected. Two oldish women were walking towards me and seemed a little concerned. I did what any self-respecting man would - I broke into a run.
I've yet to meet a woman who understands the imperative. Yet to meet a man who does not.
Derek Smith said:
I've yet to meet a woman who understands the imperative. Yet to meet a man who does not.
I get it, for good books at least. We have a wonderful library near us and use that for the kids books, since children's books are usually so generic that I'm keen to give them back. But yes, buy good books and build an amazing collection.
We moved house in 2016 , after 25 years . Both of us are big readers and ,like other boomers, tended to have our eclectic choice of books on display in the front room ? sitting room? lounge? - whatever , with lots more upstairs, including guest bedroom . Obviously , having them on view wasn't so I could indulge in ten minutes of Kafka , Fitzgerald, or McEwan or Rushdie , but subtly to boast about how well read we were -not an airport thriller in sight .
Moving house was liberating - we realised that we never re -read 90% of our books , our friends read the same sort of stuff and we were a pair of pretentious middle class sexagenarians behaving like it was second term at university again .( ' Herman Hesse's weltschmerz is so addictive . You've read it of course ?' ) . We took scores , maybe hundreds of books to Oxfam before we moved - and here's the thing , after we moved and were unpacking the ninety odd boxes of STUFF , we got rid of even more . And it was even more liberating .
Downstairs , the only books on show now are a couple of coffee table jobs and whatever else we are reading - and the lack of clutter is a joy . Most of the new books we get are on Kindle , which for books without pictures is a no-brainer for me . I never got the 'Oh , I love the feel and smell of a real book , never would read an ebook ' school - I buy books for the words alone , not the packaging - or the message not the medium , if you will .
We still get some books - I get a regular supply of motoring titles to review (and they're free, which is nice ) and J gets a number of academic books- but our overall consumption is low compared to before. And it is a bloody relief to be spared the tyranny of scores of books you will never re read ,or maybe even read at all , cluttering up a house , and rent free.
Moving house was liberating - we realised that we never re -read 90% of our books , our friends read the same sort of stuff and we were a pair of pretentious middle class sexagenarians behaving like it was second term at university again .( ' Herman Hesse's weltschmerz is so addictive . You've read it of course ?' ) . We took scores , maybe hundreds of books to Oxfam before we moved - and here's the thing , after we moved and were unpacking the ninety odd boxes of STUFF , we got rid of even more . And it was even more liberating .
Downstairs , the only books on show now are a couple of coffee table jobs and whatever else we are reading - and the lack of clutter is a joy . Most of the new books we get are on Kindle , which for books without pictures is a no-brainer for me . I never got the 'Oh , I love the feel and smell of a real book , never would read an ebook ' school - I buy books for the words alone , not the packaging - or the message not the medium , if you will .
We still get some books - I get a regular supply of motoring titles to review (and they're free, which is nice ) and J gets a number of academic books- but our overall consumption is low compared to before. And it is a bloody relief to be spared the tyranny of scores of books you will never re read ,or maybe even read at all , cluttering up a house , and rent free.
Edited by coppice on Friday 13th May 18:23
I don't ever feel books are "clutter". I love old books. My dad and step mum have a cottage in Dorset with bookshelves and bookcases all over and it feels cosy, lived in, warm, comfortable. And that's how we're going in our own house. The only rooms without books now are the bathroom, shower room and airbnb-letting room (my wife keeps her cookbooks in the kitchen). And the TV room - all the blurays and dvds are in there instead. The lounge I'm sitting in has 4 bookcases and a booktable. It's not cluttered though, it's a big enough room.
I have loads of books that appealed to me enough to want them, that I haven't yet read. I may not live long enough to read them all but that's not the point. I can still choose from loads of things depending on my mood. They're not there to impress either - everything I buy (or my wife buys) is because it appealed.
I totally GET that not everyone feels the same way about books particularly. It's a big world.
I have loads of books that appealed to me enough to want them, that I haven't yet read. I may not live long enough to read them all but that's not the point. I can still choose from loads of things depending on my mood. They're not there to impress either - everything I buy (or my wife buys) is because it appealed.
I totally GET that not everyone feels the same way about books particularly. It's a big world.
Flip Martian said:
I don't ever feel books are "clutter". I love old books. My dad and step mum have a cottage in Dorset with bookshelves and bookcases all over and it feels cosy, lived in, warm, comfortable. And that's how we're going in our own house. The only rooms without books now are the bathroom, shower room and airbnb-letting room (my wife keeps her cookbooks in the kitchen). And the TV room - all the blurays and dvds are in there instead. The lounge I'm sitting in has 4 bookcases and a booktable. It's not cluttered though, it's a big enough room.
I have loads of books that appealed to me enough to want them, that I haven't yet read. I may not live long enough to read them all but that's not the point. I can still choose from loads of things depending on my mood. They're not there to impress either - everything I buy (or my wife buys) is because it appealed.
I totally GET that not everyone feels the same way about books particularly. It's a big world.
You would appear to be me. When we moved in here, 6 years ago, we moved 51 boxes of books, and that was after a bit of a clearout. My recent birthday present from my wife was more books, and there are presently ~30 on my TBR pile and hundreds of unread ebooks on my Kobo. I usually have 3 or 4 on the go at any one time. One difference is that (apart from cookbooks, which are in the kitchen), we have one room lined with bookcases and all the books live in there - it's actually a bedroom but we (jokingly) call it the library.I have loads of books that appealed to me enough to want them, that I haven't yet read. I may not live long enough to read them all but that's not the point. I can still choose from loads of things depending on my mood. They're not there to impress either - everything I buy (or my wife buys) is because it appealed.
I totally GET that not everyone feels the same way about books particularly. It's a big world.
It baffles me that there are supposedly 4M adults in the UK that never read for pleasure, and 47% of adults say they haven't read a book in the last year.
But then, there is much about modern life that baffles me.
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