Book Blogger Hop: Collector or Hoarder

This prompt was submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer:

Do you consider yourself a book collector or a book hoarder?

To my ear, a collector is someone who gets pristine, early/rare editions, and displays them like a hunter displays taxidermy trophies. Ew, that sounds loaded with negative connotations there–I’m not trying for that, but I’m also too lazy to go back and edit. Collectors are serious about this, put a lot of effort into tracing down certain titles/editions—they’re the kind of people that Oliver Darkshire talks about in his memoir. The financial investment is also greater than I’m interested in.

Hoarders*, like myself, on the other hand, go for quantity. We just want all the books we want to read, those we can’t bear to give away/sell/trade, and others, too. Sure, we might get some rarities, some specialty editions, and whatnot—we might even find the wherewithal to get our hands on some Subterranean Press or The Folio Society special editions and reprints—but mostly it’s about surrounding ourselves with processed dead-tree carcasses filled with writing and characters we love. I’ve got some in nearly every room in my house, and it won’t be long before I’ll legitimately be able to remove the “nearly.” I’ll be content when I have amassed a cache fit for Smaug, and not until then.

* I’ll note that countless memes (the great and binding authority of wit and expression of vox populi to which everyone must bend the knee today)—and the sign my wife bought for my office door—insist that it’s not hoarding if it’s books, soooo ¯_(ツ)_/¯ .

What about you—collector, hoarder? Or do you have a healthy number (read: more than Marie Kondo’s 30, but not enough to nap on?)