Never underestimate the meaning of Simon & Garfunkel's great line from "I am a Rock" : I have my books and my poetry to protect me...
I have thousands of books. Most are hardcover, many are limited editions and I have those fantastic art books that weigh over 10 pounds and have beautiful color reproductions of masterpieces.
Yes. Art books. One place where eBook readers can not compare in any form. Maybe on the future Apple Tablet. But not on any current device. Then again, paper reproductions of art don't compare to the original either. Still, I do love art books. And architecture book.
I love them. I treasure them. Knowledge is not just power, it is valuable for its own sake and quite simply, a joy.
I must completely agree with this. I love my books too.
Would you ever give your books away? Sell your books?
I have given away a few books that I would otherwise probably have disposed of. I don't usually sell them because if I don't want to keep the book for some reason I at least usually want to just give the book to someone who would appreciate it. I think of it as finding a good home for the book, the way most people give away kittens.
That's generally how I feel about my books. I want others to enjoy them. That's why I plan on donating them.
Have any of you ever thought about why you keep your books?
It's not just for my own sake. Some books were my grandfather's, or my father's or mother's, and they have a level of sentimental value. I keep an old book on card games because my late grandmother gave it to me and the note that she inserted into the book (she was considerate enough not to write IN the book) is still there. However, all of the books I own will be available for the enjoyment of my wife, my daughter Katya and any other children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. who want to access them. When I die, I hope that my children will keep the library that I've built (i.e., I don't care if they split it among them, but hope they do not throw any of the books away).
Sentimental reasons. Yes. I am the only child. One day all my mother's books will come my way. I don't know what I will do then. I have no sentimental attachments to my current books, however.
I know many of you don't like the ideas of eBooks. That's fine enough. To each his/her own. This post is more about possession. About intellectual exchange, and what it means to be finished with a book. I don't consider it a mark of education to see or to not see books in a household. I know others who would never dream of getting rid of their books. I know plenty of people in tiny apartments who make use of the library.
You may not consider it so, but 99% of the time it is a good measure of the intellectualism of the household. The other 1% of the time you are usually talking about stupid people who became rich through dumb luck and decided to buy a huge library to make it look as though they're smart. Furthermore, I find that a person's library is a window into their psyche. By looking at what books a person owns and displays, you can learn a lot about a person.
True, but many people I know are moving towards digital libraries. So it will be more difficult to judge based on books on shelves. There was a good article in the NYT recently on how the rise of eBook readers has made it more difficult to judge what kind of person he or she is based on what he/she is reading. I imagine that digital libraries will complicate the picture. I think people like you will be in the vast majority for the foreseeable future.
I wonder if my books are my last true "material attachment". If working in bookstores and libraries, seeing my mother with over 3000 books, being surrounded by librarians and academics has left me thinking that a house "needs" books in view(Great way to judge, people, btw.)
It can be liberating to not have anything. I got on a plane for Hong Kong in May 1998 knowing that all my things had been thrown into storage and all I had access to was the clothing in my suit bag - it felt great. Ultimately, though, after a few weeks I had just bought more clothes, books to read, etc. It's our nature to fill idle time.
Quite true. I am trying to avoid buying more things to replace things given away, though.
Though I have written this post to see what Rafolites think, I am almost certain to give away all my books to the local library. Karma means actions. And I do think it would be a good action to help a library and in the process perhaps help some future readers of these books be able to access these books.
Why the library? If you're not talking about a university library, half the books are likely to languish on the shelves untouched. Give the books to people who will appreciate them.
If half languish, then half will be picked up by someone with an interest in he material. My university library is one of the best in the world(with the best Slavic collection in the US). It does not need my books. There my solution is to donate them to the library. Perhaps they can sell them and buy the kind of books that people will read.
On possession of books.
- 29/10/2009 07:13:44 PM
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Re: <sings Madonna>
- 29/10/2009 08:06:13 PM
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I love my library
- 29/10/2009 09:00:20 PM
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Your library is beautiful.
- 29/10/2009 09:20:18 PM
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My friends wanted to make a bonfire of my books last time I moved.
- 29/10/2009 09:10:16 PM
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No.
- 29/10/2009 09:28:11 PM
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i always keep the books i think are worth it
- 29/10/2009 09:38:38 PM
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If I kept the books I felt worth it, I would keep them all.
- 29/10/2009 09:46:57 PM
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yes but i have a habit of re-reading my books at some future point -- except the textbooks
- 29/10/2009 10:03:04 PM
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I'm at an interesting crossroads myself, now that I've got an eBook reader.
- 29/10/2009 09:56:19 PM
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A failing you say?
- 29/10/2009 10:07:34 PM
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To quote my wise grandmother, "There's a difference between sentiment and sediment."
- 29/10/2009 10:22:31 PM
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Re: On possession of books.
- 29/10/2009 09:59:04 PM
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I wouldn't worry.
- 29/10/2009 10:19:10 PM
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Ok. I won't worry.
- 30/10/2009 01:37:18 PM
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Are you truly trying to claim that none of the knowledge you've learned from your books
- 30/10/2009 02:51:35 PM
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I think you may have failed to read the original post or have misunderstood it
- 30/10/2009 03:00:48 PM
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no
- 30/10/2009 03:06:53 PM
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Re: On possession of books.
- 30/10/2009 01:05:25 PM
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People seem to lend books! I am in a distinct minority. I don't lend books. Or give them to people.
- 30/10/2009 01:46:25 PM
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Library donation is a good idea; you might check around with some local schools, too.
- 31/10/2009 02:49:48 PM
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