If I was following this take on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, it should read 'Books, books everywhere, nor any one to read...' but that's far from the case.
I have to reach a decision soon about what to do with the many books crammed in to every available space in the house: teetering bookcases, boxes in cupboards, on the shelves in the airing cupboard, on top of wardrobes.
Part of the problem is that when Iwas growing up, books were something of a luxury and, once acquired, were to be loved and cherished for ever.
Now, though I really enjoy having a Kindle, it's not quite the same as having something you can touch, can smell, can flick through. It's a bit like the difference between a love affair and a marriage : which are worth reading, keeping for a while and then discarding and which are those you want to keep forever?
Least you think this blog is a way of procrastinating about this yet again, be assured serious attempts have already been made. But am I the right person to decide? Who needs a copy of Advanced Accounts (published 1926) or Pelmanism (whatever that might be) in six volumes. Then there's that encyclopedia set (no longer needed with the internet easily available).
How did these books get on to my shelves? Do they breed in the night?Surely they can go? But wait a minute...1926 was just before the Big Crash - perhaps there's some historical value here? And Pelmanisim might be the way to solve any future problems, if only there was time to investigate.
And so it goes on. I'd love to be as disciplined as a friend who works on the principle of one in,one out, but alas that is not what happens.
Has anyone any suggestions?
In the meantime I'm off to Ikea to buy some more bookcases.
Myra, if I had a solution to your problem, I wouldn't have a house knee-deep in books. If you find one (a solution, not a book), pass it on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sympathy,Joan!
ReplyDeleteDidn't realise I'd missed this post, Myra! Oh, dear - I'm facing exactly the same decisions and have no idea how to get round the fact I don't want to part with so many of my print books. I did offload some old ones to son but they don't have room either now! Will need to make hard decisions soon - good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I'm no further forward!
ReplyDeleteI too have books spilling out of bookcases and seem to have issues with parting with them but I plan to be ruthless soon and am going to donate some to charity with the view I'm going to be passing on something of worth to someone somewhere!
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem, and came up with BOGROT( buy one get rid of two). But that doesn't work, either...
ReplyDelete