How does everyone feel about books?

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

I ask because yesterday, after a booksale, there was a guy loading up a truck with books for a dumpster. A general outcry (and some strategic dumpster diving) rescued them, and now we have to find homes for them. But it hurts me, personally, that anyone would toss nice readable books. Sacriligious, somehow.

Anyone else attached to the things?

[Tessar]

Well done!

I feel exactly the same. Especially if it's sort of older books, that are still in good condition.

Now, if the book isn't already mine, and it's in REALLY bad shape, then I'm okay with it being tossed... but I rarely toss mine.

[Nurvingiel]

Well, at least put the old, wrecked one in the recycling eh? I feel the same way about books. I love them. One of my pet peeves is when people leave books face down instead of using a bookmark, or worse, dog-earing the corners.

[katya]

I love books, I love reading. I'm not so much a fan of materialism though. I hate having unnecessary belongings all over the place, and I also feel much happier letting go of my attachment to material things and throwing them out. There are a lot of books that are old, rare, etc. that I would hate to see thrown away but there are a lot of books that really have no reason to stay among us any more. There's plenty of books to go around, we don't need more cluttering shelves and whatnot. Hanging onto attachment is really unhealthy, I think.

That said, I've always been a bit of a romantic and I love books, like actual books, not just for the reading within. I don't think I could throw them out without flinching and I have saved many a book from dumpsterization in my day. I don't think books will ever be completely obsolete. I love the smell of them, cuddling up in bed and reading them.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Well, at least put the old, wrecked one in the recycling eh?

None of them were the least bit wrecked. It's just that our booksale gets more enormous every year, and no one made plans for the leftovers. And not just paperbacks and old text books, either. A pristine copy of Dickens, inscribed by the donor(local historical significance) Uta Hagen, Simon Weisenthal, Bruce Campbell's autobiography, tons of childrens' books, the Norton scores...dozens of paperback mysteries, etc. for light reading, three truckloads destined for the landfill.

Why wasn't someone making a plan, one wonders.

[Earniel]

"Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell... musty and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer is... it has no texture, no context. It's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then the getting of knowledge should be tangible. It should be, um, smelly."

A quote about books that always makes me smile. I like the smell of musty old books, it is indeed a special sort of smell.

If it was good enough to get published, I always feel it is worth something. But much of the value I add to a book depends on the story inside. I treasure the books I like, but I don't really mind getting rid of books that failed to capture my interest, fiction and non-fiction alike. But... it should be disposed of properly, then. Interested friends or the second-hand market is the place where my unwanted books go. Someone out there may just be looking for this particular book. Recycling is the last resort. Simply throwing them away is, well,... Not Done.

[brownjenkins]

I love books!

But mostly for the words within. I'm not a big fan of fancy editions, preferring a comfortable paperback that typically gets worn out, tossed, and then replaced, if good. I'm probably on my fifth or sixth copy of Lord of the Rings.

Many classics (i.e. Dickens) probably have enough editions floating around to provide everyone with a copy or two for their bookshelves. I'd feel bad if the words themselves were forever lost but, with the way things are progressing digitally, it's unlikely that any great works will be lost forever, or even the average ones. And, if good enough, they'll continue to be produced in print form as well.

[hectorberlioz]

SizAunt, (or Gearl )...if they were trashy romance novels, I really wouldn't have bothered.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Well, darn few of them were. It's a pretty highbrow village.

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

Well, darn few of them were. It's a pretty highbrow village.

Well, some of the covers to romance novels can raise your brows pretty high as well...

[tolkienfan]

I love books. I feel like my books are my friends. I'm not talking about the stories inside, I mean the actual books. Obviously they're not worth anything if what's inside is bad, but I would never throw away a good book. I got a new copy of Lord of the Rings to read because my old one was falling apart, but I still kept the old one. I couldn't throw out my first copy of The Lord of the Rings! My dad gave me that book for christmas when I was 11. I carried it around with me on my travels because I just couldn't leave it behind (probably the reason it fell apart.) There's the feel of certain books that can't be replaced, even if it's the same book just a different copy. I think you get what I'm trying to say.

[hectorberlioz]

Tolkienfan, very sentimental with that LotR volume eh?

Here's my story: I carried a Dostoevsky book around with me (The Idiot) during work, which is land surveying. On a particular day it rained, and the book got comepletely soaked. I was really mad about it, and about to throw it away...but the sentimental feeling came over me, and I decided to dry it out etc...and I actually finished the book finally.

[katya]

Seems like they could've just put the books out somewhere for free if they didn't get sold. Like right next to a box of free kittens or something. I bet there's a copy of the Norton anthology I need for EN 211!!

I guess when it comes to throwing away or not to me, I ask myself whether I'll get more enjoyment out of looking at a book and remembering it, or having that beautiful empty space on the shelf. Whether I'm gonna look at the book (or box of) like it's in the way and congesting things or if I'm going to smile at it.

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

Well, some of the covers to romance novels can raise your brows pretty high as well...

lol Romance novels are the worst.

[cee2lee2]

I can't throw books away either. When I don't want mine anymore or can't find any more shelf space, I take them to the annual community library booksale. I guess if they don't get sold and get thrown out and I don't see it, I don't feel so bad.

When I was in high school, I worked in our school library. I learned that books that hadn't been borrowed in the past so many years (I don't remember how many now), were sent off to storage or gotten rid of somehow. So I had a campaign to check out as many books as I could that hadn't been checked out in awhile. One week I did titles starting with "A" and then the next week "B" and worked my way through the alphabet so every section got at least some attention. My little campaign to save the books....

[durinsbane2244]

I believe I once read in someone's quote here something along the lines of "When a government burns books, they will soon burn people."

Very true.

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by durinsbane2244

I believe I once read in someone's quote here something along the lines of "When a government burns books, they will soon burn people."

Very true.

Thats what I'd do to you

[Mari]

I love books because I love reading. I couldn't throw a book away, and I must admit I also like those romance paperbacks.
I love everything readable!!!
That's probably why my eyes are as bad as they are.
But I usually don't buy books unless they are really cheap (I read at average 10 books of 300 pages a week, so buying them would be... financially impossible). I am a proud member of three libraries. That solves the problem of having too little space on the shelves.

[katya]

I'm a member of three libraries too. :]

[cee2lee2]

There's only one library around here, but I make good use of it! Whenever I move, one of the first things I do is locate the public library and join up.

[katya]

I'm a member of the libraries in all the places I live (all across the state) plus I can use the school's. I also have books overdue at all of them, haha.