69 replies to this topic

[Apoapsis]

In my bookshelf (not shelves) I have four or five books that I'm planning to read, a bookend, and then a chili plant. Compared to most people I know - my parents, my brother, my friends - this seems to be unusual. They all have shelves and shelves filled with books that they have read, and will probably never read again. If they run out of shelf space they don't get rid of some of the books, they just get a new shelf. My parents are at the stage where every solid wall in the living room is covered with book shelves, and they have started to get new, low ones that they can fit under the windows.

I don't get rid of all books that I read - textbooks, short story collections, popular science, poetry and other books that I may want to look up things in or read something from again are stored in boxes in the closet. But for novels I don't see the point. Obviously if you are planning to re-read them, or if you're involved in discussions about, say, a particular epic fantasy series and want to to look things up, there's good reason to keep them. But hundreds of novels, taking up room, gathering dust, and being a pain in the arse when you move or just want to shift furniture around? My protocol for novels, once I've finished them, is (1) try to give them away if i know anyone who might like them (2) if that doesn't work, maybe try to sell them to a used bookstore if they are hardcovers (which they seldom are) and if i can be bothered or (3) throw them in the paper recycling bin.

I refuse to believe that I am that unusual, but most of the time when I'm at people's houses where there aren't lots of bookshelves it's because they simply don't read. So I have two questions:

• Is it really that uncommon to not keep novels after you've read them?
  
• If so, why? Is there a reason for having lots and lots of books around, other than showing visitors that you have read them?

Edited by Apoapsis, 22 April 2012 - 07:15 AM.

[MinDonner]

I reread. A lot. If I don't plan on ever reading a book again, then sure, I'll take it to the charity shop, but a book has to REALLY suck for me to rule that out.

[Dracarya]

I like having them. Bookshelves look sad without books on them. If I won't reread a book, I'll usually give it to someone as a gift, or take it to the charity shop, but I'll have kept it for a good while first, just to make sure I don't want to read it again. As MinDonner said, a book has to really suck for me to get rid of it. And you just never know when you might want to read it again..

[Lummel]

Apoapsis, on 22 April 2012 - 05:35 AM, said:

...

• Is it really that uncommon to not keep novels after you've read them?
  
• If so, why? Is there a reason for having lots and lots of books around, other than showing visitors that you have read them?

Books do furnish a room as someone said.  I'd say it is unusual to get rid of books after you've read them and from experience it's irritating to wake up with a taste to reread a book and then realise that you had got rid of it a few years earlier.

There's probably an insulation and sound proofing benefit to be had too in a room filled with books

[Mr. E]

My policy is, if a book means something to me, I'll keep it. This is usually the case. Otherwise it's like throwing out a cherished memory or something that's really affected you. I might not necessarily re-read it, but it has meant something.

If a book truly and well sucks, like a couple others have said, it's out of the house, because there's no reason, philosophically or otherwise, to hold on to it.

[Xray the Enforcer]

I like to reread my favorite books. I also reread (or at least skim) prior books in a series when a new one comes out, to refresh my memory. Further, the spouse and I have many reference books, both for our jobs and our hobbies. Those are frequently consulted throughout the year. In all, we have three book cases, which takes up a 1/2 of one wall in our living room. We donate the books we no longer want to charity shops.

Edited by Xray the Enforcer, 22 April 2012 - 06:18 AM.

[Lyanna Stark]

1. I like to reread
2. Stuff like reference works and poetry you can keep for a long time and occasionally use
3. Books look great as furniture, my dream is to have one huge room dedicated to just being a library
4. It's nice for guests to browse and it means I can share some nice books with friends and relatives, plus it can spark some interesting discussions if we have read the same stuff.
5. Good thing for children to grow up around books (although my daughter keeps nicking and hiding my ASOIAF novels. I have most in two copies, but she likes the nicer, newer ones the best!)
6. Sentimental value!

Edited by Lyanna Stark, 22 April 2012 - 06:27 AM.

[Prince Alexander]

I wouldn't say it's very unusual. I keep the books I know I will re-read. I give out books I know I won't ever re-read. I also threw out a 2 books I thought were so awful, I would not want others to read them.

Also, I re-read more than I read new. As proverb goes, one old friend is better than two new ones And many books get better on re-reads (ASOIAF being prime example).

[Gillio]

Me too, I have some books i really enjoy, I'll re-read them often.

Its interesting to revisit an "old friend" now I'm older and a parent, and read the story again from another personal perspective. For instance I first read GOT when my children were small, I'm watching the show with my adult sons.

I need to re-read a series before i read the next episode, or i find i've forgotten too much.

[Lummel]

Lyanna Stark, on 22 April 2012 - 06:27 AM, said:

...5. Good thing for children to grow up around books (although my daughter keeps nicking and hiding my ASOIAF novels. I have most in two copies, but she likes the nicer, newer ones the best!)...

I know it's good to start them off on the right path while they are young but isn't your little maid still a bit too young for ASOIAF?  She'll be delighting all the other children at kindergarten with her tales of decapitation and treachery if you're not careful .

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

A good book, when re-read is seeing an old story in a new light.  It's never the same experience twice.  I enjoy re-reading and I like having lots of books in my house.

[Nukelavee]

I re-read books a lot.

Ones  I didn't like go to the Goodwill store.

[Errant Bard]

I've read a lot of books my grandfather had bought when he was young, I'm glad he did not throw them out.  And for my books, I sometimes like to reread something I discovered decades ago. I throw out the ones that suck, the rest I'll surely reread, at one time or another, or someone else will because I have them, it all works out. Besides, it doesn't really take that much space, relatively speaking, and it looks good, feels good, and gives some new sound to a room, so...

[Dracarya]

Lyanna Stark, on 22 April 2012 - 06:27 AM, said:

3. Books look great as furniture, my dream is to have one huge room dedicated to just being a library

Same here, it'd be lovely to have. I'd also love pictures of my favourite books drawn on the walls.. Yes I have planned this

[SkynJay]

It is not unusual.  My dad swears he has never read a book twice, and I believe him.  Because of that he never kept books, and rarely bought them.  My friends dad used to travel alot, so he bought a ton of books, but also didn't reread.  Me and my friend ended up with the spoils from that.

But I do reread.  I would guess some of my Pratchett books have been read over a dozen times.  So I keep a lot of them.  I keep even more now that the library in my area isn't as good.  And I want my son to always have books around when he is older, so there is never an excuse not to read.

[Mikael]

If a book is terribad I throw it away, the rest are stored away in the basement.

[sologdin]

most scifi/fantasy readers are also secretly writing their own mega-serial epic stories, for which endeavor the boatload of novels are reference works and professional manuals, so to speak, especially the bad books, which are better examples of what not to do than the really good books are examplary of what one should do (one should not, after all, simply copy a successful novel).

in this regard, we should suspect any person with a large library of nerdly books--particularly when it includes a parade of horribles that we routinely ridicule herein--of being a secret fantasist.  such a person may even be publishing under a pseudonym.  so, that cable television repair guy next door with all of the farlands and lin carters and movie novelizations and dune prequels may actually be bakker or beaulieu, or goodkind or stanek.

Edited by sologdin, 22 April 2012 - 08:30 AM.

[kurokaze]

sologdin, on 22 April 2012 - 08:23 AM, said:

so, that cable television repair guy next door with all of the farlands and lin carters and movie novelizations and dune prequels may actually be bakker or beaulieu, or goodkind or stanek.

And how do you know so much about this, hmm...?

Unless...

It all makes sense now! You are the Stanek!

[red snow]

I don't tend to re-read books (or I haven't reached the stage yet where i want to) then again it's nice to see a book on a shelf and remember the story. I guess it's a bit like a photo, the crap ones you can live without (although sometimes it's good to be reminded how bad it was) whereas the good ones remind you of the experience. Otherwise there'd be no point in keeping photographs once you've seen them, That's why I like to keep my books. Plus a few of them are signed now as well.

I've just moved to a new flat in a new city and my dad dropped all my stuff off yesterday. Several boxes were books, none of which i suspect i'll read while i'm in the flat. That said, the flat now feels a lot more like MY flat now that I have my books/graphic novels (dvds/cds) out on display. This is something that my kindle wasn't able to achieve over the last 2 weeks.

[Chataya de Fleury]

I used to keep a lot of books around...however, given the rise of the e-book, I have started converting my books to e-book and giving the physical book to charity.

And buying right away on e-book whevenver possible.

I read books more than once...I've replaced two Nooks due to the little plastic page turner cracking, I read so much.