Friday, April 1, 2011

"One more bookcase, and we'll have to sleep on top of them..."

There's a secret issue which many readers suffer from without necessarily having to address it at book club meetings, the library, or purchasing your long awaited favorite author's latest at your local bookstore... buying too many books too fast.

I went three months without purchasing a single book once. I was trying to be economic for the sake of our  upcoming wedding. This is a long time ago, as I've been married nearly a year now... since then, I'm sure I have tripled my book ownership. Out of that immense stack of books, I can say I have read maybe a third of them. That's right. I foolishly own probably three hundred books I  haven't even read yet. Insanity.

OK, so I work at a used book store. It's the best place on earth for someone like me, but the worst place on Earth for my wallet. I'm limiting myself recently to one purchase a paycheck, and it had better be either classic literature, a Man Booker winner, or a Pulitzer winner. Hey, at least it sort of follows my agenda!

So, where the heck do I put all these books? Well, I'll tell you. I have four bookcases. On the bookcase my father built me when I was in college, I have all books pertaining to mythology, history, and science. I have a fiction bookcase that I recently purchased at Target ::sigh:: I love that bookcase! I have a two shelf bookcase in my bedroom for my Man Booker winners and photo albums (because I scrapbook like I read, and it's quite honestly equally out of hand), and a fun four shelf Soho bookcase from World Market for my darling Pulitzers... phew!

I still have a stack of graphic novels and biographies that are homeless. My husband gives me a look periodically that says "you can't have my closet where my comics live." Fair enough! At least he has his own collection!

I realize how obnoxious this habit of mine has made me. I also see that I sound like a pretentious tart with too much disposable income. I love to read. As a kid, we moved all the time (military brat). International moves were the worst because of the weight limits put on our container for a family of four's furniture and possessions. I had to give a lot of my books to local charities for the sake of staying within limits. Don't get me wrong, I'm a serious advocate for cleaning out and being less materialistic. I just don't know if I'll be able to find another $3 copy of a Man Booker winner! MUST BUY!

I hope to be able to share a love of literature and learning with my children, should God grace me enough with the gift of motherhood. I'll be able to hold their hands and walk them over to the complete Chabon or Woolf, however their personal tastes take them. That's my excuse!

Reader Response Time:
What makes for a purchase-worthy book? If you have a ton, where do you keep them? Do you have a local used bookstore you trade at? You tell me!! 

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