Book Blogger Hop
This prompt was submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer:
Have you ever been told that you have an excessive number of books? If so, what was your reaction?
Just about any time someone sees my collection—or asks how many books I own. And those people don’t even see my ebooks or audiobooks!! I should probably print up a graphic representation of those just so they really know what they’re commenting on.
My wife used to say that frequently—especially when she’d think about downsizing, or wondered where I’d put the next shelf. In the last couple of years, she hasn’t said anything like that. She’s either given up on me or accepted who I am. Becoming empty nesters probably helped with that, as my books aren’t competing with the kids for space anymore. She even got me a nice “It’s not hoarding if it’s books” sign for my office door.
When someone says that to me I generally agree, because it’s true—I have an unreasonable number of books for someone who isn’t Belle’s Beast. But then I’ll go on to say that I still need more. Because that’s also true. I may add something about how many books I currently have ordered and am waiting to arrive, just to elicit an eye-roll or sad shake of the head over my incorrigibility for my own amusement.
Yes, it will be a burden on my children (or whoever they hire) to go through them all when I’m bereft of life and resting in peace. But that’s not really my problem, is it?*
* That took a dark turn there, didn’t it? That’s what I get for going for stream-of-conscious responses on these posts.
How do you react to comments about your library size?
Paul E Nydegger
And don’t forget to count the 2 sitting on my desk…
HCNewton
Too true!
Bookstooge
It won’t be a burden to your kids.
They’re just going to toss them, along with all your other trash. Because that’s all our possessions are to others. Bring in one of those big dumpsters and empty the house pronto!
HCNewton
True, true…but they will have to carry them downstairs first! Burden enough.
Mehsi
Great post! And well, on the one hand I didn’t mind if they really meant it in kind, like that they found it amazing I had so much and read almost all of it, but I wasn’t too happy with the ones who didn’t mean it like that and there were quite a few of those. But in my previous two homes there was just not enough space, so they were in the living room (and in one point kitchen/living room as that was one room). These days? Nothing in my living room. I finally have an own room upstairs for my book babies. No more comments. A blessing.
HCNewton
I’m trying to keep mine to one room in our new house, too…not sure I’m succeeding 🙂
Bob Germaux
I don’t really have people commenting on the book collection my wife and I have, since nobody else is ever here in our office where we keep them. Just now, though, I turned around and did a rough count. We have roughly 125 or so books. That number used to be considerably higher, but several years ago, we donated a bunch of books to our local library. The books that are left are mostly ones that have some sort of sentimental value for us. We used to give each other books for gifts, but that was many years ago. For quite some time now, we’ve purchased basically eBooks, so we can keep them on our devices. The hard copies we’ve kept have notes that we wrote to each other (the sentimental value thing), so we’ll keep them forever. The one group of books that we should get rid of (donate) would probably be all the hardbound copies of Spenser books (the ones written by the master himself), since we also have almost all of them on our devices. Reading your post, H.C., has reminded me that Cynthia and I should donate all of them (except for the book that Parker himself signed for us back in the 70s) to that local library. So thanks for giving me the little nudge in that direction. It’s time.
HCNewton
Well, glad I could help! I have one shelf dedicated to the sentimental and signed books, too. They’ll probably be around after I decide to downsize…in 40-50 years 🙂