More Evidence of A Serious Reading Habit--Or More Aptly Put, A Serious Book Habit

Well, I managed to get all the "read" shelves back in proper order. For the last nine months I have been stacking all the books I finished right on top of the shelved books and figured this was a great time to put them in their proper places. Meanwhile, I also did a lot of weeding. As much as I could stomach for the time being. There's plenty more weeding I could do on those shelves, but for now, I did the best I could without bringing on possible separation anxiety. My husband went through the unwanted books to make sure I wasn't getting rid of anything he wants to keep around. Now to decide what to do with them.

I've pretty much decided that the mass paperbacks will go the local used bookstore. The hardbacks and the trades I'm not so sure about. Maybe leave some of them in the breakroom at the office with BookCrossing stickers inside?

Here is why I am really telling you all of this. One of the books I really don't want is an Advanced Reader's Edition. The book wasn't all that wonderful, but it had its good points. The problem is that whatever typefont that was used failed miserably when it came to printing out any words that were meant to be italicized. That includes book names (one of the main characters loved to read) and the occasional Chinese word thrown in (the book is set in China). It was very distracting. Anyway, what to do with this book? I can't sell it, obviously (not only is it prohibited to sell an ARE I received from the publisher, but who would want an ARE with missing words?) and giving it away probably would be impossible under the circumstances. Do I toss the book? Leave it somewhere and pretend I had nothing to do with it? Or just keep it and go through this again when I am ready to weed out more books?

While a good number of the books I wouldn't mind rereading someday (I mean, there could be a major bookstore/library disaster after all my TBR books are read 10 or so years from now, and I'll desperately need something to read when there as be no other way to access books . . .), there are quite a few I know I will most likely never pick up again. Why keep those around? Sure, some are my husband's books and he'd kill me if I ever sent those to new homes. (An aside: my weeding of out books has inspired him as well and he is now thinking which of his books he might not be so adverse to parting with. I had to hold back a cringe when he mentioned one author in particular because what if I want to read those books one day?! You see the dilemma.) Anyhow, the age old question arises its ugly head: Why buy only to read once and possibly give away? Why, indeed.

Some of you, especially my readers who are faithful library users, are nodding and thinking, "Finally!" I must warn you not to get excited. I go through this phase now and then, and I have yet to change my ways. Perhaps this time I am making progress because I actually weeded out a decent number of books to give away. Of course, I haven't yet given them away (I'd better hurry before I lose my nerve!), and so I am not sure my efforts really count at this point.

I can rationalize my behavior right and left. It's fun to be everyone else's library. And isn't supporting authors and the book industry by buying books a worthy cause? There's also the fact that I love being surrounded by books. I can't abide an empty bookshelf and it's just not "normal" for a bookshelf not to be overflowing. Not in my house. How could I call myself a booklover otherwise? And what of my overwhelming TBR collection which is hidden away in its very own room? I have an entire list of reasons why I buy rather than borrow, one of them being the flimsy "I cannot help myself" excuse.

Ho hum.

Today begins the reorganization of my TBR collection, adding in the new additions and, dare I say it knowing my husband is reading this and cringing at all the money I spent for nothing, weeding out the books I am no longer interested in reading. Which begs the question, why am I so quick to scoop up a book that was recommended to me when I see it in the store? Why not wait a little, let it linger on my wishlist, revisit the idea of reading the book, and then make a decision after the excitement and eagerness have passed? That seems only wise.

Oh, and while I'm rambling on like a crazy person, how is it that my husband can put a book on his Christmas list in February and have no problem waiting until December to get it?

Off to the bookstore to pick up a book or two for my husband. Well, maybe for me too, but they're mostly for him. Really.