Has Your Book Collection Changed As You've Gotten Older?

[Marion]

http://kammbia1.wordpress.com/2012/07...

Has your reading collection changed since you've gotten older? I just noticed what I have on my bookshelf is quite different than what I had 10, 15 or even 20 years ago.

I'm wondering has anybody else noticed that about their collection.

Marion

[Jonathan , A dream within a dream]

Yes. When I was younger the collection was very much what I had been given from my mother and my grandmother and their sides of the family. Now I've built up my own collection and the only books I have now that I had as a child are The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.

[Marion]

Jonathan,

That's interesting you only kept The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings from your childhood.

What else in your collection? Is more science-fiction and fantasy? Or another genre? Or literary fiction?

I'm just trying to find out what people have changed to and why.

Marion

[Jonathan , A dream within a dream]

My collection now has a handful of fantasy: the third Mistborn (I want complete that), three of the Wheel of Time books (also to be completed), The Way of Kings, the four Eragon novels, the two new Percy Jackson Greek and Roman novels, half the Ranger's Apprentice novels (to be completed), one of the Inkheart novels (to be completed) and the Stoneheart trilogy. I have a handful of miscellaneous books from when I had a gift card at a book store and I was buying one new release and had enough for others that looked of interest. I then have the last three Alex Rider novels (also to be completed) and several classics such as the entire Shakespeare works, Pride and Prejudice, Ethan Frome and The Crucible and so on. To add to all that I have several textbooks and non-fiction books from school and university studies. And then finally I have a couple of unread books such as Dune, The Dangerous Book of Heroes, The Complete Sherlock Holmes and some crime novels given to me in January by friends.

My collection I guess has remained as diverse as it was but I've picked up newer books and books that possess more literary merit on the whole. I've more fantasy books than I had in the past and more classics and also far more reference books due to my studies in literature and history.

[Melissa]

My reading tastes have changed some too. When I was ten, I mostly remember reading a lot of American Girl books (historical fiction, in case anyone's not familiar with the series). At 12, I had graduated to Dear America, also historical fiction, more contemporary literary fiction like The Babysitter's Club and some Goosebumps, and a minuscule amount of sci-fi. In my teens to my current age(25), I read a bigger variety- mystery, historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy, contemporary fiction, non-fiction, etc.
My tastes expanded because I find if I only read one genre, I get a little crazy and switching from one genre to another keeps me from getting bored.

[Marion]

Melissa, you are first one to write that boredom is the reason for your collection changing. I thought more people would write that as well. Interesting.

[Melissa]

Marion wrote: "Melissa, you are first one to write that boredom is the reason for your collection changing. I thought more people would write that as well. Interesting."

Yeah, it is a bit interesting, isn't it?

[Jonathan , A dream within a dream]

I think because most of the books I collect are ones which I will read and re-read that for me it's mainly tastes changing and realising that the books I had before were ones I did not care that much about. So since they were abandoned a lot of the time I thought I'd replace them and find them a better home.

[Bev]

When I was a child I had a lot of my mums old Enid Blytons books, pony books ie Silver Brumby and Follyfoot
and some early fantasy stuff such as the Worm Oroborus and Alan Garner books. As a teenager I added Lord of the Rings and many of the English Classics, Shakespeare and Stephen Donaldson. In my 20's I added loads of Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey and tons of old sci fi and space opera. In my 30's more sophisticated fantasy and crime such as Lee Child, Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Now in my 40's I read anything but much more modern and contemporary fiction and the odd biography.

[ImScared3222]

Yes! I've noticed the books that I read now are very much different than what I read a year ago. I'm much more into classics and non-fiction novels whereas a year ago I thought they were very boring.

[Carey]

I am starting to read a lot classics and suspense now...

[Jossi]

My taste has definitely changed as I grew up, I used to swallow books just for the sake of reading, novels with not much behinds what's said.
Now I'm into more meaningful literary fiction and I do a little research before I start reading just to see how recommended the book is. The ones that have always been present are the classics but they've grown in numbers.
As for the reason, I guess I'm more mature now that I grew up than when I was in school or high school and I'm looking for more challenging reads.

[Marion]

Jossi wrote: "My taste has definitely changed as I grew up, I used to swallow books just for the sake of reading, novels with not much behinds what's said.
Now I'm into more meaningful literary fiction and I do..."

Jossi,

I believe I'm the same way. Also, I've added mystery novels to my reading now and I wouldn't have 10 or 15 years ago.

Thanks for commenting.

Marion

[[deleted user]]

Absolutely! I have found a love for classics..I do still love YA though too!

[Kelli]

My collection has changed dramatically in the last few years, it's gone from mostly YA fantasy to mostly classics and more literary works.

[Jody]

My tastes have not so much changed but gotten broader. I add new books in the areas I am interested in, but as I try to instill the love of reading to my son, I have him reading the books I loved in my childhood. I go back and relive them, enjoying them more sometimes with new insights. I read more non-fiction now than when I was younger, but I still love fantasy, science fiction and all the other type of books that I used to read.

[Jessica]

When I was a teenager I pretty much only read thrillers and horror - Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Peter James were my favourites. Although I do like these still, I think my tastes have broadened an awful lot; I'm now reading a lot more classics and fantasy.