I LOVE books! I have many other shelves and boxes with children's books, art books, teaching books, history books etc. We have a garage that my husband has never parked a vehicle in because it is filled with boxes of books.
I have a friend who was on her way to China to visit her young grandson. She asked me if I had any children's books that she could take to him. When I told my husband I was going to give her some. He smiled.
"Did you tell her you had 2 to 3000 books she could have?"
"Honey, she couldn't fit that many in her suitcase."
"Hm, but you could give her that many and you'd still have more."
One time when I was moving a gal I knew was thinking about going back to teaching. She and her husband were planning to go to Alaska. She mentioned she didn't have any of her books. I gave her 11 large packing boxes of books. Her husband told her she couldn't accept anymore!
My one big regret is that I never learned how to make those wonderful big bookcases. I think every bibliophile should know how to make bookcases! Otherwise they sit in boxes or on non-stable bookcases made from cinderblocks and boards. I have had lots of such shelves give way because of too much weight on them.
I once attended a Scholastic Book Fair Training session and won the main prize - a collection of new books. I called my husband and told him. He groaned, "Where are you going to put them?'
"In the school library."
Thank goodness he is a reader, even if he's not a collector.
Books are very easy to purchase and borrow but much harder to get rid of. I am hoping my nook is going to help me not have quite so many around. Sounds like you need one too:)
ReplyDeleteI can see the nook for books like personal reading. What I am not yet sold on is the professional type reading. I can really see them for family reading of picture books. I can't quite wrap my head around how to use them in the classroom for whole group. Its the showing and seeing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI would love it for say instead of my magazine cookbook collection. That would be great. I would like to be able to index the books some way to make looking up recipes easier. I guess I am still figuring out how to get along with the new technology.
Books! So many books so little time. I wouldn't have a husband if my books took his garage space.
ReplyDeleteWe understand RUTH! Good thing you do have a reader-partner. Same here. But it is exciting to open my Ipad see lots of "books" waiting for me to read.
ReplyDeleteSomething does happen to book as they age. It doesn't always smell pretty or make it easy to reread them. I love my study wall of books don't get me wrong...but I can so relate to you. I love the details of this piece...passing books on to those who need libraries...wonderful.
I am smiling. Books are a wonderful way to connect - to people, to concepts, to history. I find comfort in my room of books, so much at my finger tips. I love the line "I think every bibliophile should know how to make bookcases!" How fun. Bibliophile - new word for me. I'm writing it in my notebook. Makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI often feel guilty that I have so many books, but it frees me, like you, to give away some of them also. When I go into other homes & notice that there are few bookshelves, or none at all, it never quite feels complete. On the other hand, since I seem to have books in every room of the house, maybe my house feels uncomfortable to others? Thanks for telling of your plight-it doesn't seem like a big problem to me really.
ReplyDeleteMy brother is a freshman in high school this year. Over the past year I got him to be just about as much a voracious reader as I am. He's constantly borrowing books off my shelves (also overloaded with weight). Just yesterday he asked me to bring some more over. I looked at him and asked if he'd finished the other FOUR I had dropped off earlier that week. I'm on the last one as his reply.
ReplyDeleteI love reading and try to instill the magic of exploring a book in others. I don't have the best book shelves but they are holding right now. At some point, I'm going to have to get creative. I love this post!
Yes, I bought another book. But I could stop any time I want.
ReplyDeleteDonna,
ReplyDeleteLOL hmm. I wonder if they have meetings for book addicts. Oh yah, the pseudonym is "book club". Thanks for helping me laugh.