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The "I-Must-Not-Buy-Any-More-Books" Thread
It doesn't matter if I am looking for one, I always see thousands! I have no willpower, and have admitted to being a spineless jellyfish. Too bad, but I can live with that.Becky-If you are referring to sainthood-I don't know! Is there a benefit? Don't saints tend to have lead really hard lives? I take it back. If that's true, I don't want it for you;)
I would make that pledge, but then I would probably go ten years without buying a book. Because of the incredible booksale our local library puts on annually, and due to my horrible, horrible addiction that keeps me from stopping, I probably have around 1500 books in my home that I have not read. That isn't counting the more than 500 that I own that I have.I pledge, though, to try to at least buy fewer books in a month than I have read. =-)
I cracked again. I ended up with a 6-day weekend this past weekend, so I took a little time to go "window-shopping"...I came away with 10 books.:( But just for the record, every single one of them was on my TBR list, so I was buying books I know I'm going to read! And I had a giftcard, so I didn't really pay for them. And thanks to PaperbackSwap, I've gotten rid of as many as I've been bringing in - so I'm not really whittling my stack down any, but at least I'm breaking even! (Listen to me trying to justify it...)
Isn't it great how we can justify just about any acquisition when it comes to books? Hooray for uncontrollable bibliophilia!
Kandice, I could apply, but I know that due to my other habits, I'd never make it to being a saint, so I'm not worried. ;) Either way, I will still try not to buy any new books until I have finished the ones I have or until the year is over, whichever comes first.
Jen, 6 days isn't a weekend, that's a vacation! Haha!
Where do you keep 1500 books? Doesn't that take up a whole room? I have like 30-40 books and it's causing me to have space issues. I can't even imagine.
That's 1500 unread books. I have over two thousand total. And yes, it does take up a whole room. The back half of our basement is finished, and runs the whole length of our house. That is our library, though at present we need many more shelves, and what we have are already crammed full and then some. The annual booksale around here is amazing, with books going for about 50cents each the first couple days, and then the last day, everything you can get in a paper grocery sack is $3. So you can guess, it's easy to get carried away.As for how long it will take me to get through them, I read around 3-4 a week, so I should be able to get through them in, oh say, 8-10 years, haha.
That's amazing. I have library envy at the moment. We have library sales, but nothing like what you described. :(
I try to assuage splurge guilt by reselling back on Amazon when I can, but the swap-thingy here on GR is decent too, as I don't mind an exchange as long as it's roughly of equal value. Sorry I don't keep doing the newbie-thing, btw, but after one or two intro-posts I just like to jump in (waves at everyone).
I am actually sending FOUR books to someone else to read. 3 of them are books I really loved reading, but will also be really glad for her to read. Proud of me?
Very proud. Joanne, do you make much money from selling on Amazon? I have a couple of free books I acquired that I have no intention of reading. I wouldn't mind selling them.
Fiona wrote: "Yeah! Jump right in, that's the best. *waves back*I've been attempting to part with some books lately, but there has been some blood. Mine mainly."
Thanks Fiona. The issue of book possession has been on my mind lately, ever since someone on The Literature Network posted that Eco had a library of 30,000 titles--but I know my one criteria for giving a title up is that I won't read it again or won't get anything out of reading it again, like Janet Fitch, whom I was surprised to find listed as a GR author. I am not saying her White Oleander is exactly bad, but it could have been more tightly edited, and the emotional blows that the daughter keeps taking on the chin, well, I am disabled, but this character makes my family skeletons look like something out of Leave It To Beaver or what not, so if I could part with it for something more rewarding, I would.
What happens to what I cherish in my library after I am gone is something that hasn't worried me as much as who will take care of my published work, but I am not sure I can combine the two issues. I have some nicely bound things, but a lot of tattered and well-worn paperbacks too.
As to library check out, I am trying to hold off on that til I can get my new power chair, but since I always seem to hit fines on due dates no matter how hard I try, I am beginning to wonder if Amazon and its mirror sites isn't just cheaper, though I still love library browsing!
Jackie wrote: "Very proud. Joanne, do you make much money from selling on Amazon? I have a couple of free books I acquired that I have no intention of reading. I wouldn't mind selling them. "
Can't say I make a profit Jackie, but I do recoup on my budget, at least a little. I stopped for a tad because the loan-power chair I am in is unreliable for fast runs to do the shipping, but I can always resume again when I feel confident. Amazon isn't Ebay, and I don't have an Ebay account, but it is easy, and once you pass a couple of things to prove you are okay, they keep all your info in a wallet. I like it, and indirectly, it teaches me as a writer what moves on the market. Proulx? Her titles don't move well. Mankell is another matter; he is hot, and I like his mysteries, but again, since he still follows a thriller formula, for me he isn't derivative, so I sell him back--though in his case I really enjoy what he does.
Thanks Joane. I had heard that books sell better on Amazon than Ebay. Like I said the books were free, so even a little bit of profit is something. :)
Wants. To. Buy.Chapters. Calling.
A Hundred. Dollar. Gift card. Must. Use.
Hmmmm....how about you savor it? For every one book of your own that you read you can buy only ONE book.
Resist! Resist! Find a friend to sit you through the urge. Tie you down if they must!!!!! We're rooting for you!
Good idea Jackie.Fiona, I would trust you with ANYTHING else.
Emma NO! You're doing so good! Don't give in now! I will cry. CRY!
Okay....fine.No book buying for Emma.
I will wait until I have five hundred dollars in chapters money and THEN I will spree.
OMG... a spree of that magnitude would be heaven!
Will your card be good in three years? Sometimes they begin to charge you a fee if you do not use it in a certain time frame. Not urging you to buy, mind you, just think you should check.
Nah, they last forever. I had a hundred dollars in Chapters gift cards for three years, and it still worked.
Okay. Just didn't want you to get gipped! 3 years! I would never have the willpower. I got $100 Starbucks card for Christmas and am halfway through.
It's alright, thanks for thinking about me!Um....it was before TNBBC.
That's why.
(G)Emma wrote: "Surprisingly: yes."Oh. Hmm. Interesting. What did we do?
Ohhh! Thanks Fiona! Yay! One of your own books! *tear* I'm so proud. ;)
You can stop and begin a new one! I know, I've done it now. (thanks to you)
That is always a risk. I've only been reading books for the Winter Challenge, and then once I'm done with that, I will be in the same boat as you and have no idea what to choose. You could pick from a hat.
I have a specific order. Not sure how I come up with it.Probably a combo of reccommendations and my mood.
Yeah... I am going to be starting The Runaway Jury in a little while. The other day, I had decided to start this one, but then I changed my mind last minute to read Heart-Shaped Box, so now I am back to this one. I don't want it to feel unloved.
I've bougth to books yestarday...I just could resist: the laddies of grace addieu on a beutifull hardabck editions that looks like fabric costing only 6euros
also bought kadish to a child not born cause it was only 3e.
it would have been pretty horse if I wasnt on restrain
I bought three books the other day, one non-fiction and two fiction, BUT, all three of them are actually for school! :)
Oh I was a bad girl...I ordered 3 books online and then yesterday went to my library and bought 3 books...of course the library ones were part of the Winter Challenge so I had to do that. LOL ;~)No more books now...my husband even said I need to read more on my shelves before I go out and buy anymore. LOL
I AM SO PROUD of myself!I have refrained from buying books for myself for over three months now! Saving my household over $50 a month! I have bought a few small paperback picture books for my boys so those don't count.
I know my husband is thrilled! but I must say I have missed bring home shiny new friends every month.
Woohoo Sarah...good job...I managed 3 weeks...LOL but I think you can always start over so I am starting over today 1/23/09. hehe!!!
Oh dear. I really need to get in on this. I have still not finished cataloging my books and I am well over 2000. I can't tell you how many duplicates I've found. I really do need to stop buying and start reading. If only authors would quit writing for a while so I could catch up.
Fiona wrote: "Lol that sounds like a good idea. ;)OR I could buy some books "for my mum" and then I could put them downstairs. I could keep doing this until my book collection slowly creeps down the stairs and..."
Fiona, your idea sounds about too lets say dangerous to keep on your own book ban. But I like ESther her idea. i think it also encourage you to read your books.
Melissa wrote: "While in Dublin, I went to the CUTEST little bookstore, and I didn't buy a thing!I was seriously THISCLOSE to buying an Ishiguro, but I held strong. Thinking of you guys! :)"
Which bookstore? Or where in Dublin????? I jsut don't want to pass all of them wondering if this was the one!
Becky wrote: "I still have not bought, borrowed, stolen, or otherwise acquired any books! *pats myself on the back* :)"have to be silent because boyfriend is still sleeping but find it very difficult not to laugh now!!!
Kandice wrote: "It doesn't matter if I am looking for one, I always see thousands! I have no willpower, and have admitted to being a spineless jellyfish. Too bad, but I can live with that.Becky-If you are refe..."
Kandice I don't have any strenth for it either but found something that helps. As I still don't know if I am staying ehre for years or not i keep thinking of the moment I left London and had to take the eurostar back to Belgium. It was on th epoint of being a disaster and thanks to the too many books I had to bring with me. and I don't mean just 20 or 30. So i ma justthinking about the worst thing that could happen, me having to leave books behind. So I won't buy books till I read the ones I bought here ( two months in Ireland, 3 weeks since I started working and have already seven bought books)and brought them back to Italy.
Fiona wrote: "No books for me today! Okay, so it's only been two days since my 5 book splurge but I'm a changed woman. I looked at a book today and I didn't pick it up. How's that for improvement?1500 unread b..."
You deserve an extra biscuit!!!!!
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When I am on my own I am not so strong and am often drawn in. If I decide to look for one specific book I am OK but if I browse....OH dear.