So the other day I, Carolyne Aarsen, went to look for a book I wanted to lend out. I couldn't find it on my office bookshelves, so I went to our other set of bookshelves. A set of bookshelves that completely fill a wall about 20 feet by 8 feet. The fellow making them didn't think we'd ever fill them up. Then a couple of days I ago, as I said, I went hunting for a specific book.
Now before I go further you need to know - I'm a book person. I can't deny it. I love books. I love having books. I love buying books. I love lending books out. I love reading them more than once. I like to support fellow authors and I like to fill up bookshelves. But when I couldn't find this one book amongst the myriad of books in my house, a book I knew I had,I realized it was time to do a purge. I had books stashed double on shelves. Books piled up in corners of my office. Books filling pieces of furniture that were not really meant for books. So full of fervent zeal, I started.
Well, it was harder than I thought it would be. I held books in my hands and found myself going back to the first time I read it. I thought of the magic it brought me and the place it took me. This one couldn't go. And this one helped me figure out what I was going to do with a character. This one taught me how to treat emotions without getting maudlin (don't know if I've learned that but the writer of the book had a handle on it). This one was a favourite of my children. This one my mother gave me for Christmas. This one came from my father. These are from an author who I love. And on and on. Each book dredged up a memory or taught me something. But I persevered. When the book purge was over, I had a pile sitting in the middle of my office.
Now I have to decide what to do with them. So if any of you bookaholics out there are interested, for your reading pleasure - I have a book on The Pitman Method of Shorthand, a nursing textbook from 1989, The Art of Cross Examination from 1955, mangled copies of The Broken Snare, Jude the Obscure, Crime and Punishment, some Louis L'Amour westerns, assorted paperbacks that I can't even identify anymore and a brand new copy of Edgar Sawtelle. If I don't hear from you in the next two years, I'll have to move that pile of books from my office into the living room. Sounds drastic, I know, but it has to be done.
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Carolyne
ReplyDeleteMy name is Patricia Davids and I'm a bookaholic. Many years ago, a hunting buddy of my husbands visited our house. Noticing our large shelves stuffed with books, he said, "Do you think you'll ever get all of those read?"
My husband and I looked at each other and laughed. I told our friend, "Those are the ones we liked and want to keep."
He was floored.
Have fun sorting and donating. I also said I'd take the Louis L'Amour books, but chances are we've got them.
Pat
Hi Carolyne,
ReplyDeleteI don't even have half that much books but I can sympathize. I would hate to give away any of my books. Yet I had to leave them all behind as I relocated to a new continent.
One of my favourite books is The Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour. Sadly it's the only one of his books I read so I would really appreciate it if you could send me the Louis L'Amour books. Only, I live in Malaysia so that might be a bit dicey.
Whatever, I wish you the best as you sort.
Sharon
Hi Carolyne!
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me....or is it I sound like you!? Lol...anyway, we sound very similar : ) My mom's always nagging me about how I have too many books, but the truth is you can never have too many books.
We're reading Crime and Punishment in English right now. It's not bad. I think I'm on the verge of enjoying it : ) We'll just say that! Lol!
Is Edgar Sawtelle good? I'm just wondering...?
Hannah