Spending too much on books!

[sojourner]

Possibly. But what I am doing is suggesting that some people in fact buy books for other reasons, amongst which are:

1. Buying new things gives one a small thrill.
2. Buying and collecting books in particular is perceived as being something to which we ought to aspire, or in other words buying lots of books is deemed cool and interesting (even if it's only in that kind of 'Look at me I'm so UNcool and happy with how I am, I am in fact VERY cool' way).
3. Buying books makes one feel as if one is participating in a self-improving venture without having to go to all the trouble of actually reading them.

Well bugger me backwards

I can only say that 1) is true of buying new books and music, because I get mucho pleasure out of both, but not because they are new products or whatever

The other two points...I'm intrigued what sparked the suggestions. Do you know people that you think do that sort of thing? Reading books never suggested 'cool' to me, otherwise I could have thought of myself as one cool fucking bitch all these years!

 

[Dillinger4]

I always bought books because I felt like a bit of a misfit, didn't have many friends, and spent a lot of time indoors absorbing myself in whatever it was I was reading.

You mean to say I could have had STATUS?

 

[Dillinger4]

I do think that is a very cynical attitude towards peoples motivations and desires though AlexB.

 

[madzone]

Possibly. But what I am doing is suggesting that some people in fact buy books for other reasons, amongst which are:

1. Buying new things gives one a small thrill.
2. Buying and collecting books in particular is perceived as being something to which we ought to aspire, or in other words buying lots of books is deemed cool and interesting (even if it's only in that kind of 'Look at me I'm so UNcool and happy with how I am, I am in fact VERY cool' way).
3. Buying books makes one feel as if one is participating in a self-improving venture without having to go to all the trouble of actually reading them.

If I was attempting to achieve any of the above I'd buy pieces of art instead. I buy books (and yearn to buy more) because I absolutely love books - have done since I was extremely young.

 

[madzone]

I always bought books because I felt like a bit of a misfit, didn't have many friends, and spent a lot of time indoors absorbing myself in whatever it was I was reading.

You mean to say I could have had STATUS?

I read that as abusing myself

 

[Dillinger4]

I read that as abusing myself

Depends what I am reading.

 

[sojourner]

I always bought books because I felt like a bit of a misfit, didn't have many friends, and spent a lot of time indoors absorbing myself in whatever it was I was reading.

You mean to say I could have had STATUS?

That's what I thought! I used to bunk off school to go the friggin library cos I was such a misfit, and that was the only place I loved to be

 

[Santino]

I don't any statistical evidence for all this, I'm just putting it up for discussion based on my anecdotal experience of people, quite often on message boards.

Maybe 'cool' is the wrong word, but there is definitely some kind of social and intellectual status claim that often accompanies the self-conscious confessional of being 'addicted' to buying books.

 

[Dillinger4]

I don't any statistical evidence for all this, I'm just putting it up for discussion based on my anecdotal experience of people, quite often on message boards.

Maybe 'cool' is the wrong word, but there is definitely some kind of social and intellectual status claim that often accompanies the self-conscious confessional of being 'addicted' to buying books.

Well, I think I can pretty much assure you I am still about zero in status levels.

 

[sojourner]

I don't any statistical evidence for all this, I'm just putting it up for discussion based on my anecdotal experience of people, quite often on message boards.

Maybe 'cool' is the wrong word, but there is definitely some kind of social and intellectual status claim that often accompanies the self-conscious confessional of being 'addicted' to buying books.

Well, I have to say, that's the first I've heard of it, honestly.


Perhaps, with the advent of the net, being geeky does somehow provide some status these days

 

[madzone]

I don't any statistical evidence for all this, I'm just putting it up for discussion based on my anecdotal experience of people, quite often on message boards.

Maybe 'cool' is the wrong word, but there is definitely some kind of social and intellectual status claim that often accompanies the self-conscious confessional of being 'addicted' to buying books.

Doesn't that depend on what the books are? Mine go from chick lit to text books to instruction books to books that I have just becasue they have beautiful illustrations in them.

 

[sojourner]

Doesn't that depend on what the books are? Mine go from chick lit to text books to instruction books to books that I have just becasue they have beautiful illustrations in them.

I was just thinking that!

What about people who buy every Agatha Christie going? Are they trying to be cool, cos they're being all, like, completist?

 

[Dillinger4]

Dick Francis readers look big in the horse community.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Going back to school gave me teh excus0rz to buy teh stationery!!!!!!!!

And Tesco's had 5 bic biros for 40 pee, so I ended up getting 20 packs Ten blue, ten black I've already given away / used / lost two

And eight packs of three mechanical pencils, and 3,000 mini fluorescent post-its, and box files, and spiral-bound pukka pads, and rulers... Oh, the rulers

jesus Q, whaddya like
I loves these lil buggers tho'

although I think I may invest in one of these when I gets me birthday postal orders through the door

Lamy Scribble Pencil
A chunky pencil pen for those who prefer a pencil with a bit of weight. Available with a choice of black or palladium trim, and in a choice of either standard 0.7mm leads or a fatter 3.15mm 4B lead (ideal for sketching and drawing). The 0.7mm has an in-built eraser in the cap, the 3.15mm pencil doesn't have an eraser. This pencil takes either M43 (3.15mm) or M40 (0.7mm) & a Z19 eraser (0.7mm pencil only)

Mmmmm

Pencilporn <goes to google and subsequently register that word>

 

[sojourner]

Dick Francis readers look big in the horse community.

That just sounds sooo wrong

 

[Dillinger4]

That just sounds sooo wrong

 

[Vintage Paw]

Possibly. But what I am doing is suggesting that some people in fact buy books for other reasons, amongst which are:

1. Buying new things gives one a small thrill.
2. Buying and collecting books in particular is perceived as being something to which we ought to aspire, or in other words buying lots of books is deemed cool and interesting (even if it's only in that kind of 'Look at me I'm so UNcool and happy with how I am, I am in fact VERY cool' way).
3. Buying books makes one feel as if one is participating in a self-improving venture without having to go to all the trouble of actually reading them.

Have we met?

I'm under no illusions that my book-buying addiction is down to some silly idea I have that I will be greatly improved, in my own eyes and in the eyes of others. Aspirational - I do plan to read all the books I buy, at some point, but I don't really mind how long it takes me. I like to look at them on the shelves. I feel more powerful. I feel more clever.

But I really don't care. I recognise and understand this aspect of my personality and I embrace it. It is just another one of those things that makes up 'me'. Along with collecting cameras that I'll never use as much as I could.

Anyway.

The killer for me is that I work at Waterstones. Not only do I get discount on everything I buy, but I also get to pick over damaged copies and proofs (although both are becoming more and more scarce these days). What really does it though is the increased exposure to books I get through my job. If I just browsed a bookshop a couple of times a month, or had a little look on Amazon every now and again, I'm sure my book buying wouldn't be so prolific.

I bought 7 yesterday, and 3 on Saturday (along with my 2008 Moleskine diary ). In my defence, the 7 yesterday were all set reading for my uni course (although I could get them from the library I choose not to because of the owning 'addiction'), and 1 of the Saturday buys was additional reading for my course.

My husband seems to have caught a bit of this addiction too, although all of his buys are from local library sales - he often comes back with a bag full of 'buy a bag full for £1' stuff. He does borrow more from the library than me though - which is probably a good thing since he pays more bills than me - if he spent the % of earnings as I do on books we would no doubt have no choice now but to live in a small hut in a park somewhere made out of our book collection.

 

[nosos]

I found a second hand bookshop near my near flat that's a tiny room filled floor to cealing 2 or 3 books deep with fuck loads of books roughly grouped into categories. It's an old guy whose run it out of the downstairs of his house for 20 years. He has no fucking clue what's in there and he's really interesting and everthing is really cheap. I'm falling in love with it already

 

[nosos]

When I'm an old man I want to run a shop like that

 

[Dillinger4]

I have had dreams about places like that

*sighs wistfully*

 

[Griff]

Only bought one book this year, and it wasn't cheap.

Facel Vega: Grand Luxe Sportif

 

[nosos]

Have you been to the upper floors of senate house library? It kind of has that atmopshere compressed into someone's front room

 

[sojourner]

When I'm an old man I want to run a shop like that

I do too, when I'm an old man

um, woman, I mean.

 

[sojourner]

I'm under no illusions that my book-buying addiction is down to some silly idea I have that I will be greatly improved, in my own eyes and in the eyes of others. Aspirational - I do plan to read all the books I buy, at some point, but I don't really mind how long it takes me. I like to look at them on the shelves. I feel more powerful. I feel more clever.

Well, fancy!

People like that DO exist!

Have you always been like that? Were you a bookworm as a kid?

See, I already believe myself to be fantastic and greatly improved, whether or not I buy books. I guess us narcissists have it easy

 

[Vintage Paw]

There's a really great second hand/remainders bookshop in Beeston (nr notts). I picked up no end of stuff from there when I was a teen, and it's still going strong. Upstairs is where you want to go ... although be careful about the holes in the floor.

looking gormless in the bookshop:

 

[Vintage Paw]

Well, fancy!

People like that DO exist!

Have you always been like that? Were you a bookworm as a kid?

See, I already believe myself to be fantastic and greatly improved, whether or not I buy books. I guess us narcissists have it easy

lol

544444rtgty

oops, sorry, Charlie just trod on the keyboard ..

anyway: child bookworm - yes. The obsessive book buying has only manifested over the past few years though. Strangely, at a time when I have begun to question my intellectual credentials. Hmmm .....

 

[Badgers]

I buy most my books cheaply from charity shops and do share them with people. It is rare that I ever buy a new book.

 

[sojourner]

looking gormless in the bookshop:

Hahaa!!! Is that YOU?!!

 

[sojourner]

I buy most my books cheaply from charity shops and do share them with people. It is rare that I ever buy a new book.

I buy about 2/3 from Amazon, and a third from charity shops. Most of the ones I buy from Amazon are second-hand - I never buy new unless it's something like the new Annie Proulx (which STILL hasn't been released ggrrr )

 

[sojourner]

anyway: child bookworm - yes. The obsessive book buying has only manifested over the past few years though. Strangely, at a time when I have begun to question my intellectual credentials. Hmmm .....

I only began buying books when I could actually afford to buy them. Which was when I was about 20 - my money went on beer and music before then, and I got books from the library instead, cos you couldn't get music from libraries back when it were all fields.

I reckon working in Waterstones got more to do with it than you thought