Besides these shelves, we've got books spilling out all over the house - piles at the side of the bed, rows on the top of chests of drawers and so on and so on. Trouble is, even if I don't really like a book, I find it hard to let go, just in case... in case of what? I'm not going to recommend it to anyone or read it again to see if I missed something first time round, but somehow it's still impossible...
I'm not usually a hoarder (unlike my other half) - I'm pretty ruthless with clothes, dvds, furnishings and other bits and bobs. I'm a regular seller on ebay and donor to my local charity shops. But somehow books are different. Each one has its own personality and they become your friends. And you wouldn't just give up on your friends and throw them out, would you?
One answer of course is to switch to ebooks, but I've been resisting this for a while, even though I'm feeling more and more of a pariah because of it. If I travelled any distance regularly or lived in a cupboard, I definitely would invest for the convenience. But when I do take a train I find it very annoying not to be able to see what other people are reading, even if it is quite likely to be Fifty Shades of Grey. I mostly read at home and develop an emotional attachment to physical books - their look and feel and size and weight and smell - that an ereader just can't compete with.
I couldn't agree more with you Claire - books are more than just printed pieces of paper, and we connect so strongly to the words that it's hard to part with them. I have real separation issues with my books, which is a Bad Thing - as my house is getting somewhat taken over by them and Other Half looks very disturbed when another book shaped envelope comes through the door.....!
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