Book crack

[Vintage Paw]

I don't have a catalogue, although I started one in excel for insurance purposes* but didn't get very far.

I do, however, have a list I compiled from the back of the 1001 books to read before you die book. Me and the blerk like that sort of wankery, so we've got a column for own, a column for I've read and a column for he's read. lol.





*Well, that's what I tell Mr Paw when he looked at me strange for doing it

 

[Sunray]

My follow on question is - What do you do when you finish them?

I give them away, I just can see the point of having ficton I've read lying about. They weigh stacks and I know the ending.

 

[N_igma]

As long as I can read the words on the page then I couldn't give a flying fuck what the book looks or smells like.

 

[Nikkormat]

My follow on question is - What do you do when you finish them?

If it was crap I give it away.

Most of the books I read aren't crap though, and I keep them for reference (biography, history, travel, natural history, science etc.) or to read again in a few years (fiction).

Current count is just about 220. I want thousands and thousands. I want them spilling from every drawer, perched upon every available surface.

 

[Fledgling]

I value books for the words inside. I cannot understand these odd people think that respecting a book is about not cracking the spine Idiots. that book is there to pleasure me, not the other way round. I don't want to peer into the barely open pages of a book to get at the juicy words. Bend that spine back, let the words breath..

..

Agreed, especially for cheap paperbacks which are mass produced, causing a bit of damage to the spine is unintentional but happens, I don't see the need to keep books in pristine condition, but I don't write in them because someone else might want them eventually and wouldn't want my illegible scrawl in them.

Used to buy more than I read but now I have no money I have decided to be radical and read everything I've bought before I buy anything else. But this is tough because everything I bought is rather "heavy" (Hesse, Mann, Sartre and more) so I'm interspersing this with lighter stuff lying around the house (like John Buchan, this is an unexpected delight, we have tons of books at home, mostly my dad's, might be round 10yrs of reding here!!). I tend to hang onto the best stuff, classics and interesting non fiction plus some collections (I have most of the Discworld for example). I've always seen this as sort of creating my own library of good writing, standing as a reminder of my personal education and possibly something to pass on (that sounds a bit hubristic but I do think your books shape you to some extent).

 

[mrs quoad]

But this is tough because everything I bought is rather "heavy" (Hesse, Mann, Sartre and more) so I'm interspersing this with lighter stuff lying around the house

After years of dicking around (literally 10+ years without making it past page 150 or thereabouts) I finally cut the crap and (whilst skipping an intervening several hundred) read the last 20 pages of Mann's Doctor Faustus a week or so ago.

Well worth it

Delicious sacrilege

 

[Fledgling]

Good for you, some books do sit (uncomfortably) unfinished for ages. I haven't yet started my Thomas Mann book, the Magic Mountain, although I bought it nearly a year ago. It's a bit daunting at 800+ pages and whilst I'm sure it will be, well, magical I end up picking up lighter books. I'll probably read more of the heavier books when I leave uni because they'll then be the primary (or perhaps only) intellectual stimulant. I'd like to read several of Mann's books, looking at the Magic Mountain and Buddenbrooks I really feel these will be very enjoyable.

 

[suburbia]

Love books. Used to spend a whole Saturday sat in the library from opening to closing time reading as many books as I could.

Was listening to Open Book on Radio 4 the other day on which someone said they didn't have as much time to read now they had children. I thought that was an apt description of my situation until I realised I probably do have or can make that time: I just spend it reading on the internet instead. I don't get on with reading online books though, despite the idea of the format appealing to me. Although I do enjoy short stories, it's not as if my attention span hasn't shortened since I had my son, but maybe I'm just aware that it's more easily broken now.

I've recently resolved to remedy this though and have already started reading books lent by friends, meaning I have to read them within a certain time span

 

[Fledgling]

I don't get on with reading online books though, despite the idea of the format appealing to me.

Agreed, it's potentially a great idea putting tons of books online for all to read and will happen over time but I don't think it beats having your own printed copy. Having your own book feels more informal, reading online seems a bit like working for me, not as relaxing.



(welcome to the boards btw )

 

[joevsimp]

re: the sniffing, my flatmate bought a reasonably old copy of the silmarillion recent, man that smelled good

 

[mrs quoad]

(I walked into our departmental library yesterday. They'd just got in a shipment of 18th century books the Home Office offloaded for free. They were pawing through two 18th Century Johnson's dictionaries. Phwoaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr. Each a good couple of feet big. I had a damned good rummage n all.

Cat - commonly reckoned to be the smallest of the leonine species.

Or the fmalleft of the leonine fpecief tb exact )