Books and other stuff I feel like discussing
By education and experience - Accountant with a specialty in taxation. Formerly a CPA (license has lapsed). Masters degree in law of taxation from University of Denver. Now retired. Part time work during baseball season as receptionist & switchboard operator for the Colorado Rockies. This gig feeds my soul in ways I have trouble articulating. One daughter, and four grandchildren. I share the house with two cats; a big goof of a cat called Grinch (named as a joke for his easy going "whatever" disposition); and Lady, a shelter adoptee with a regal bearing and sweet little soprano voice. I would be very bereft if it ever becomes necessary to keep house without a cat.
Mood:
Contemplative
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Reading books, having books, keeping books, buying books
My dad, who is closing in on 92 years of age, has a common comment which I find infuriating: "Our family doesn't get rid of books." It's infuriating because over the years he has accumulated books from all kinds of sources, gifts, purchases, the deaths of family members who owned them. And no, he didn't get rid of them. He didn't care for them, either. More than a few were damaged heavily by water after being stored in the basement which was inundated by heavy rainstorms.
Many others have torn dust jackets, cracked spines, faded covers. Some (to be honest, only a few) have been lovingly read over and over. Other books just sit in shelves and boxes, ignored and unloved by anyone.
And about 4 years ago he moved to a smallish apartment in a retirement complex. Between the living room and a small storage cubicle in the lower levels of the building where he lives, he has room for less that a tenth of the books he owns. I took a great many of his books to keep in my home. They are not in my way and I can honestly tell him I haven't "gotten rid" of any of his books. Others my siblings and I turned over to a used book dealer who was willing to take them, more or less sight unseen.
Which brings me to my attitude about books. Although if you stood in my living room or walked through my home you might debate the point with me, I have no wish to "keep books" except for about 30 or so by favorite authors whom I enjoy having nearby to read for the umpteenth time.
I currently do have quite a few more books in my home. I do intend to read them all, but in my more honest moments I know that reading them all is unlikely. I buy very few books these days. To be honest, I can't afford the $60-$70 per week it would cost me to get the new hardbacks available at my public library and read new fiction at my current rate. And I'm convinced that library patrons contribute in a very healthy way to book sales in the US. And as the manager of a small publishing house told me once "I don't get remainders back from libraries."
Waiting for the paperback issues of these new hardbacks and investing in them instead would probably mean between $25-30 per week. I can't afford that either.
After I've read the books which do come to me to have as my own (and these are mostly convention freebie handouts and review copies from publishers) I pass them on. I get real pleasure from releasing a book registered at www.bookcrossing.com; or sending a book to a friend; or taking a book to the library for the booksale; or (gasp!) listing a batch for sale on eBay.
And particularly through donating a book, I sometimes get a rush of pleasure completely out of balance with the quality of the book itself. Think DaVINCI CODE. I thought the book was pretty bad. But a local no-kill cat shelter was having a fund raiser and requested used books. Voila! At the height of the DVC hype, I was able to give the shelter the book, and enjoy the certainty that they would be able to sell the doggone thing, and have a little more money for the cats in their care. Problem solved.
Woodstock
Many others have torn dust jackets, cracked spines, faded covers. Some (to be honest, only a few) have been lovingly read over and over. Other books just sit in shelves and boxes, ignored and unloved by anyone.
And about 4 years ago he moved to a smallish apartment in a retirement complex. Between the living room and a small storage cubicle in the lower levels of the building where he lives, he has room for less that a tenth of the books he owns. I took a great many of his books to keep in my home. They are not in my way and I can honestly tell him I haven't "gotten rid" of any of his books. Others my siblings and I turned over to a used book dealer who was willing to take them, more or less sight unseen.
Which brings me to my attitude about books. Although if you stood in my living room or walked through my home you might debate the point with me, I have no wish to "keep books" except for about 30 or so by favorite authors whom I enjoy having nearby to read for the umpteenth time.
I currently do have quite a few more books in my home. I do intend to read them all, but in my more honest moments I know that reading them all is unlikely. I buy very few books these days. To be honest, I can't afford the $60-$70 per week it would cost me to get the new hardbacks available at my public library and read new fiction at my current rate. And I'm convinced that library patrons contribute in a very healthy way to book sales in the US. And as the manager of a small publishing house told me once "I don't get remainders back from libraries."
Waiting for the paperback issues of these new hardbacks and investing in them instead would probably mean between $25-30 per week. I can't afford that either.
After I've read the books which do come to me to have as my own (and these are mostly convention freebie handouts and review copies from publishers) I pass them on. I get real pleasure from releasing a book registered at www.bookcrossing.com; or sending a book to a friend; or taking a book to the library for the booksale; or (gasp!) listing a batch for sale on eBay.
And particularly through donating a book, I sometimes get a rush of pleasure completely out of balance with the quality of the book itself. Think DaVINCI CODE. I thought the book was pretty bad. But a local no-kill cat shelter was having a fund raiser and requested used books. Voila! At the height of the DVC hype, I was able to give the shelter the book, and enjoy the certainty that they would be able to sell the doggone thing, and have a little more money for the cats in their care. Problem solved.
Woodstock
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