I’m in the middle of sorting my books out. They aren’t necessarily the biggest problem in my life, but they are one that I can do something about. I don’t feel too bad about getting rid of books because they can go to friends, neighbours and charity shops.
Clothes can go to charity shops too, as can various other things, but I feel guilty about merely throwing things away. After years of keeping things “because they may come in useful”, I have a lot of useless junk, but keep hold of it because…well, you can guess.
Some of it is actually second and third hand, having been passed on to me by my father and grandfather. If you ever need a tester for thermionic valves or a magnifier for a 1950s TV screen I have one. (My grandfather was part of group that built their own TV sets in 1953 in time for the Coronation, in case you were wondering.) On the other hand, if you want stationery in pre-decimal sizes, my father has provided me with a large selection.
However, back to books.Do you know how many words there are to describe conditions related to books?
Try these.
Bibliophilia – love of books
Bibliomania – accumulating books, including multiple copies, books of no collectable or financial value and numbers of books far beyond the collector’s capacity to read them.
Bibliophagy – book eating
Bibliokleptomania – compulsive book theft
Bibliotaphy – book burying
My favourite is a word my sister recently emailed me, with the words “I think this applies to us.”
Tsundoku, a Japanese word meaning the state of buying books and storing them without reading them.
So many books, so little time
I hold my hands up to bibliophilia, bibliomania and tsundoku.
I’m even considering Bibliophagy, on the grounds that books are high in fibre and low on digestible calories.
If you put them through the shredder a book has to be at lest as tasty as the spiralised butternut squash “noodles” we had last week.
Tsundoku. Ah-ha! – now I have a diagnosis. I think I know a cure too – retirement. When I’m a man of leisure I shall catch up with my voracious book buying. Presuming we can still move in the house, that is.
Interesting plan, but so many retired people seem too busy to read. 🙂
My Dad (who retired about 20 years ago) always complains he doesn’t have any time since he retired. This is a problem I’m willing to risk.
To a lazy man like me this thought of activity in retirement is quite a worry. 🙂
I offer free books on my blog. No one wants them. I take them to the library. They don’t sell. The paper gets recycled. Worse than Beanie Babies.
Curiouser and curiouser…
I find giving books away a real struggle but I have promised I will sort my books out this year so some will have to go. I have a Kindle app on my new phone but so far I have nothing on it 🙁
Yes, it is a struggle. Kindle is good – wouldn’t want to be without books but Kindle is good for storage, price and reading without glasses.
I will try to replace some of my books with a kindle version.
Remember you can get a lot of books free or under £1. 🙂
That’s good to know 🙂
🙂
There’s also “foxed” if the pages are spotty. For some reason I like that. Gnawed leather binding. Slightly foxed.
Foxing is really much mote boring than it sounds. 🙂
It’s still a good word though – possibly because the spots are reddish brown, like a fox.
I always imagined the little spots looked like foxes running across the page…
Now you’ve put he thought in my head that is exactly what I will see next time I open a foxed book. 🙂
There’s nothing I love more than good books and a quite room.
That would be hard to beat. 🙂
Not sure I’d eat a book yet but I love sniffing new books. The smell of that new book is something I love, I’m sure there’s a name for that too lol. I’m guilty of accumulating books but I plan to read them all… one day…
Yes, we all mean to read them…
I enjoyed this. I am glad to know I’m not the only one who enjoys them (books)
No, you are definitely not alone! 😉
Good luck in your quest. I find it very difficult to give books away – and the house is getting quite crowded with them (and I keep getting more!!)
I have around 300 books on my Kindle, which saves a lot of space and money. I recently bought the complete novels of John Buchan (25 books) for 0.99. It’s not as nice as a printed book but it’s great value in a small space.
I finally broke down and bought a Nook. I never thought I would, but so many books these days are only e-books. I like it, but it will never replace the printed word for me.
No, they won’t replace books but they have their uses. 🙂
I have to agree with you on this. Recently in order to try and save a bit of money and (as I’m sure you’ll sympathize with) space, I have began to read books on my tablet. Much more practical but I can’t say that it does the same for me as a physical book would 🙂
I also like being able to adjust type size so I don’t need to remember my glasses. 🙂
Actually yes that’s another great point. Many times I have begun to read a book but found that the printed text was a little to small and I found it uncomfortable and slightly off-putting to read. Reading on my tablet helps to make sure I never encounter this problem again!
🙂
So the butternut squash noddles were that tasty were they?
If you did decide to part with other stuff (that might not sell so well in a charity shop), I’d recommend Freegle. Great that not only do you relinquish something for the benefit of the community but they pick it up for you 😃.
Tsundoku could describe me, too. However, I am making an effort now to read each and every book – then take it to the charity shop. I’ve had a hiatus recently due to friends and relatives donating more to the pile but the beauty of this method is that I get to find out whether the book should be on my shelf or moved on.
Long term I want to eat vegetable noodles or cauliflower rice a couple of times a week – I’m sure I will get used to it. Next time I eat the butternut squash noodles I will do so with meatballs and tomato sauce. We had it with stir fry and it was a bit dry.
Good call on Freegle – I’d forgotten all about them
I’ve not tried any kind of vegetable noodles before. Maybe one say….
I think they are worth trying. Watch this space!
I will!
Tsundoku is a good concept, but they do all get read eventually…honest!
You are made of sterner stuff than I am. 🙂