Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?
When I purchase books whether they be new or used, cheap or not-so-cheap, I tend to want to keep them forever, and never part with them. Of course there is a slight problem with this because I quickly run out of room, and I admit it is a bit silly at times, especially since I have no intention of ever rereading the book (if it's a novel, reference/coffee table type books I do reread) again, but when I create a bond with the book after reading it for so many days and enjoying it, I hate to see it go, so there is no other choice but to put it on a shelf, squeezed in there somewhere amongst the many others. However, if I didn't like the book, I don't feel so tied to it, so I will more than happily part with it by donating it to charity, giving it to a friend, or, and I admit I'm a bit naughty here, I return it to where I purchased it, so I can get credit for something else. Now, every few years when my shelves are at at the tilting point, I will go through them, and if I'm not particularly feeling too sentimental with some, I will start my donate, or give to a friend ritual so I can free up space. I still have collections of my favorite authors such as Stephen King, Ann Rule, or some goodies from childhood/teen years that I can't bare to part with, so those will probably remain with me forever, although because of a move I made last year, they will remain neatly tucked away in boxes, instead of displayed on shelves.
2 comments:
I have a lot of books that I read and reread and those are the keepers. I currently have about four boxes of books that I want to sell, but the local used bookstore went out of business so I am thinking about doing this online.
I don't keep a lot of novels around, and I share my books-- got real good about that in the past two years.
I keep some, only if I think I'll read them again, but I give most away. I buy a lot from flea markets and thrift stores, so if I see really good ones there, I pick them up even if I already have them so I can make sure they find a home with someone who will appreciate them. :)
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