your home library

[Mokihana]

Re: your home library

Two of my dear friends have built beautiful homes. What they share in common are: they are married with children. Their homes have tile floors and fancy countertops. They live in good neighborhoods and followed smart houseplans. Each woman has an eye for decorating; she knows what she wants her home to become.

And neither house has a single bookcase or shelves for books.



At each of their housewarmings, I noticed this and asked where they were going to store their books. Both women told me that they aren't into books. Books are to be read and passed on. The first housewarming took place over the summer, and I mulled it over at the time. But last night was the second gathering, and I sit here stuck in my thoughts about it.

How important is book storage in your home? How important are books in your life? What is your "policy" about reading/keeping/distributing books?

Oh my goodness. If I had a big enough house, I would have an entire room dedicated to books, i.e., a library (room). I have books everywhere, threatening to take over my entire house right now!

I have 3 books that I'm reading in the house; I'm listening to another on tape or CD in my car, and I'm reading another one while I'm doing cardio at the gym.

Books that I love I keep. I am a voracious reader. If I can't afford to buy the book after searching online for the lowest price, then I borrow them from the library.

I have a pretty big collection of Hawaiian books, including keiki stories, Hawaiian history, music and language, coffee table books, you name it. Those I don't pass on.

Come to think of it, I usually keep the books I buy. Because I like to be able to go back and read them all over again. Books are my friends and I like being surrounded by them.

I've been thinking about doing Library Thing. If I could stop reading long enough to do it!

My kids are voracious readers, too. I used to read to them every single night when they were little, and we'd make regular trips to the library, when only the librarian limited the number of books they could borrow. I think the gift of reading is one of the best things I gave to my girls.

I live within 30 minutes of Powell's and Borders. Ah.. Powell's. I could camp out there for a week. At least.

Now some paperbacks that are just fun reads I recycle through Bookcrossing. That is FUN!

I guess I should mention that I am absolutely addicted to the smell of new books.

[zztype]

Re: your home library

Oh my. In my book (har har), if I went to the trouble of buying or acquiring a book, and took the time to read it, I'm keeping it pretty much forever. In this house it means that books are crammed into any and every available cranny.

All this literature is much to my wife's chagrin.

She is Japanese, brought up in a very austere space. They divested "excess" constantly. They kept all living spaces sparse and clean, with only the simplest, most utilitarian of furniture and decoration.

Felix Unger, meet Oscar Madison.

I have been asked if I am a "collector," since I have so much "stuff" of many genre. My reply is that, no, I am no collector, rather I am an "accumulator." My scrutiny is far looser than any collector. I err on the side of keep.

To that end, I have hundreds of books of all kinds, most which I have read multiple times, stashed all over the house on shelves, in boxes, in bins, in between the shelf and the wall, under the table.

It is a cardinal sin to move, rearrange, clean or dispose of any of my stuff! I know where it all is! If you move it, I'll be lost!

Aiyah! TMI!

Blaine

[pzarquon]

Re: your home library

30 of the Most Creative Bookshelves Designs.

When I saw the link, I was sure that this bookshelf design was going to be among them. Grab a book, and sit on a "shelf" to read it!

[Mokihana]

Re: your home library

When I saw the link, I was sure that this bookshelf design was going to be among them. Grab a book, and sit on a "shelf" to read it!

Wow!! Amazing.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: your home library

this is more my speed:
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06...ge/diamond.jpg
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06.../shelflife.jpg

[Mokihana]

Re: your home library

this is more my speed:
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06...ge/diamond.jpg
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06.../shelflife.jpg

That second one! I going kapu that one!! I love it!! Two whole rooms of books!

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: your home library

All my books are in boxes right now. We're doing flooring in the room they were in. I gave away a huge number of nursing and medical books to a nursing student my husband works with---I never look at the damn things anymore but she may find them interesting. I kept the poetry books and cookbooks. I will dump some ridiculously out-of-date travel books. Due to lack of space I really have to consolidate down to the best-loved and most-used.
I want to read some classics again. Hemingway, Bronte, et al, to see how I view them after the passage of time. Heck, I might even read "The Red Pony" again.
I doubt that my high school brain did it justice.
I grew up with an entire set of the "Harvard Classics" within arm's reach and barely gave a nod to them. I'd love to have them now. I do believe my brother sold them on E-Bay.

[Bob P]

Re: your home library

Two of my dear friends have built beautiful homes. What they share in common are: they are married with children. Their homes have tile floors and fancy countertops. They live in good neighborhoods and followed smart houseplans. Each woman has an eye for decorating; she knows what she wants her home to become.

And neither house has a single bookcase or shelves for books.



At each of their housewarmings, I noticed this and asked where they were going to store their books. Both women told me that they aren't into books. Books are to be read and passed on. The first housewarming took place over the summer, and I mulled it over at the time. But last night was the second gathering, and I sit here stuck in my thoughts about it.

Books are to be hoarded and treasured like the precious they are. We wants them, oh yes we wants them precious.

I've several bookcases - one in the family room that's got favorites, 3 in my office that has the second string and 2 in the attic that have the books I don't want to part with but aren't something I'm likely to read again anytime soon.

then there are a few boxes with the overflow.

As far as lending, there are a few close friends and family members I trust enough to a) return the book and b) return it in good condition to lend them out to, the rest of the world only gets it if I don't care about getting it back.

Stuff I don't want anymore gets donated to the local library or Senior Center.

How important is book storage in your home? How important are books in your life? What is your "policy" about reading/keeping/distributing books