Books. I've got a few.
Over at The Lounge today (which is being hosted by the FABULOUS Kim!) the topic is Books. And you know that is right up my alley! So here is my contribution ladies and gents!
There was once a time when I never though these thoughts would ever run through my mind, let alone pass my lips, but today they have.
I own too many books!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I think hell might just be freezing over, the sky is certainly falling, and I just saw a pig fly past my window.
I wish I could say that I was joking, but I'm not. I have too many books (and bookshelves). And I need to do something about it.
Once upon a time, before kids and their copious amounts of crap invaded my life, I used to think that I could never own enough books. Working in the book industry for my entire adult life, I have collected hundreds of books. I would take anything that was on offer, and spent most of my wage investing it back in the companies I worked for, in the form of buying all the books!
But now? Now, I realise that might have been a mistake. At this point in my life, the last thing I need is more inanimate objects taking up what precious little space I have left in this house. Between the mountains of small clothes, masses of baby paraphanelia and plethora of toys, there is barely enough room to think, let alone move. So something has to go. And sadly I think it's going to have to be some of my books.
Don't get me wrong, I won't be getting rid of all of my books. I'm not that batshit crazy (yet!), but there are a large number that really don't need to be occupying the shelves of my home like some crazy Wall Street protestors. The question is, what do I do with them???
I'd love to sell them and make the little bastards pay for their housing these last few years, but I don't know how to go about it. My first thought is to list them somewhere like eBay or Quicksales, but do people actually buy books from places like those? And do I list individual books or bundle them up and sell them like some literary lucky dip? There's always the book exchange I suppose, but the closest one that actually pays for books is a good 50 minutes away and I don't think I'd get back enough to cover the petrol to get there!
I could always donate them, which is what the larger part of me feels I really should do, but the other part of me, the one who looks after the finances of this household, which is currently living on one wage, can't bring herself to do that just yet.
So there is my dilemma. What I should I do dear Loungers? Have you ever tried to sell books before? Would you buy books from somewhere like eBay or Quicksales? Or should I just cut my losses and take them to my local Salvos or Vinnies?
One last thing before I go.
Mistakes in books. They fucking shit me to tears! How freaking hard is it to proof-read a book properly. If I pay good money to read something then it better bloody well have no mistakes. Yet almost every book I read I find mistakes.
More than anything I feel it's a little bullshit on an authors behalf. The least the bloody editors and publishing houses can do for their cash cows is make sure there are no silly mistakes in their books. And it's the least they can do for the people who hand over their hard-earned cash to them for the pleasure of reading said books. Nothing is more annoying than enjoying a good book and coming across silly mistakes and typos. It ruins the reading experience for me.
Does anyone else find this? Does it bug the hell out of you?
So in conclusion, to sell or not to sell, annoy or not annoy, those are my questions and I would appreciate your answers!
Happy Thursday peeps!
There was once a time when I never though these thoughts would ever run through my mind, let alone pass my lips, but today they have.
I own too many books!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I think hell might just be freezing over, the sky is certainly falling, and I just saw a pig fly past my window.
I wish I could say that I was joking, but I'm not. I have too many books (and bookshelves). And I need to do something about it.
 |
| This is the "good" bookshelf. The one where I keep all the books I love. It is alphabetised by author and is strictly fiction only |
Once upon a time, before kids and their copious amounts of crap invaded my life, I used to think that I could never own enough books. Working in the book industry for my entire adult life, I have collected hundreds of books. I would take anything that was on offer, and spent most of my wage investing it back in the companies I worked for, in the form of buying all the books!
 |
| Here is 4 of the other bookshelves I have sitting around my house. The first one is old books from when I was a kid, as well as some cool sciencey ones and cook books. The top photo in the middle is the bookshelf in the hallway, and yes, it is also currently doubling as a toilet paper holder as it is right outside the bathroom. It's also covered in Dave's muscle mags. The bottom pic in the middle is the bookshelf next to the one above, mostly covered in random crap and parenting/diet books. The last pic is the non-fiction bookshelf, and most of it is auto-biographies, sports or photography books. With a few Guiness World Records thrown in. |
But now? Now, I realise that might have been a mistake. At this point in my life, the last thing I need is more inanimate objects taking up what precious little space I have left in this house. Between the mountains of small clothes, masses of baby paraphanelia and plethora of toys, there is barely enough room to think, let alone move. So something has to go. And sadly I think it's going to have to be some of my books.
 |
| These two bookshelves reside in the over-packed spare room, or "hot room" (because the afternoon sun shines on it and it's freaking hot!) The first bookshelf is packed with yet more fiction, the crappier stuff, as well as old uni texts and scrapbooking and other craft books. The second one, the hutch, is filled with random fiction that wouldn't fit on the "good" bookshelf, as well as books I've borrowed from other people, some general knowledge, nerdy type books, and yet more photography books! |
Don't get me wrong, I won't be getting rid of all of my books. I'm not that batshit crazy (yet!), but there are a large number that really don't need to be occupying the shelves of my home like some crazy Wall Street protestors. The question is, what do I do with them???
 |
| The final bookshelf in my house is actually the one reserved solely for photo albums. Yes. I have a bookshelf solely for photo albums. My mission over the next few years though is to get all of the photos that are from my film days scanned in to the computer and digitised, as well as turning all of the albums that are filled with digital photos made in to photo books so as not to take up anywhere near as much space! And I do of course have my trusty kindle, which I love! This is also filled with shitloads of books. I love reading my kindle and use it often but I will always read "real" books too! |
I'd love to sell them and make the little bastards pay for their housing these last few years, but I don't know how to go about it. My first thought is to list them somewhere like eBay or Quicksales, but do people actually buy books from places like those? And do I list individual books or bundle them up and sell them like some literary lucky dip? There's always the book exchange I suppose, but the closest one that actually pays for books is a good 50 minutes away and I don't think I'd get back enough to cover the petrol to get there!
I could always donate them, which is what the larger part of me feels I really should do, but the other part of me, the one who looks after the finances of this household, which is currently living on one wage, can't bring herself to do that just yet.
So there is my dilemma. What I should I do dear Loungers? Have you ever tried to sell books before? Would you buy books from somewhere like eBay or Quicksales? Or should I just cut my losses and take them to my local Salvos or Vinnies?
One last thing before I go.
Mistakes in books. They fucking shit me to tears! How freaking hard is it to proof-read a book properly. If I pay good money to read something then it better bloody well have no mistakes. Yet almost every book I read I find mistakes.
 |
| Just a couple of mistakes in the second Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire book. There are even more in the first one! |
More than anything I feel it's a little bullshit on an authors behalf. The least the bloody editors and publishing houses can do for their cash cows is make sure there are no silly mistakes in their books. And it's the least they can do for the people who hand over their hard-earned cash to them for the pleasure of reading said books. Nothing is more annoying than enjoying a good book and coming across silly mistakes and typos. It ruins the reading experience for me.
Does anyone else find this? Does it bug the hell out of you?
So in conclusion, to sell or not to sell, annoy or not annoy, those are my questions and I would appreciate your answers!
Happy Thursday peeps!
sell or give them away. You won't re read them. Of course, I have sold books I've then had to buy again...to reread, So maybe don't listen to me.
ReplyDeleteDoes she not look incredibly like Daddy in number 8?!
ReplyDeleteI love reading so I have quite a few books too. I've taken to borrowing real books and ebooks from the library. I did take a green shopping bag to the local secondhand bookshop and they probably took a third and gave me about $8.00 in credit. I figured at least I got something from them and we have less stuff at our place.
ReplyDeleteMistakes in books can drive me nuts especially if they are so glaringly obvious that I get pulled out of the story. There seem to be more in ebooks, well that's what I've decided anyway.
I'm not really helping you answer your questions though, am I?
I have bought books from eBay especially near Chrustmas when my book club foes a secret Santa thing and you have to fine $20 or so worth of books from someone's wanted list.
Getting rid of books is really hard! I know I would only buy them 2nd hand online if they were really rare and I desperately wanted a copy - so it's a tough market. My gym has a shared reading shelf, so I've parted with a few more recently that I know I'll never read again. I tried to sell a box of fairly new contemporary literature titles to a book exchange type place when I moved house awhile back and they were completely uninterested. Since then, I've given them to charity shops or boxed them up for Freecycle. But mostly, I've just kept them - and my house looks a lot like yours!
ReplyDeleteAh, those blasted typographical errors in stories! Kindle books seem to be particularly afflicted by them. That seems to be the trade-off - less books in your house but more electronic imperfection.
ReplyDeleteWith your book dilemma, my approach has always been to donate books - either to charities or school libraries. Obviously there are book exchanges that might give you money, but they inevitably are overloaded with stock and aren't keen on more (unless it's a Winnie the Pooh first edition, of course).
And I salute you for having a photo album shelf too. Apparently you can store photos on computers these days. What the? What happens when your computer breaks or the electronic apocalypse comes? I read today that apparently Facebook is a goner within three years - all this change, change, change! All of us who invested in photo albums may turn out to be the big winners in the end, after all.
I'm shocked!! The OCD side of me wants to come over and reorganise all of those bookshelves with you. I reckon you need to do three piles: Chuck, Keep for a bit longer, keep forever. Revisit in a year. You don't need them all and lots of people would benefit for your declutter. I love that your albums are all in one place. I've done that too. X
ReplyDeletefrom your declutter... Speaking of typos... ;)
ReplyDeletemy two cents worth, keep only the ones you love and have reread. Ditch/sell/share the rest. Good luck with your decision!
ReplyDeleteYes, it seriously does bug me. The mistakes in childrens' books drive me mad. The are blatant. I don't know how they could be missed. Please don't throw your books out. You need to get your husband to turn one of your rooms into a library and have them lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Yes? Hmm maybe not. Good luck with it :)
ReplyDeleteYour shelves look like mine. To the brim! And those mistakes? They send the English teacher in me a little (truthfully a whole lot) crazy! X
ReplyDeleteOh I have too many books too! Every now and again I try and do a cull and its never as big as it should be haha! I know what you mean re mistakes, and what amazes me is how they get through, for example with my own book, I had to triple check it, I had an editor who checked it and they had not 1 but 3 proof readers check it too and i still found a mistake, much later reading it after publication! I am really keen to read the game of thrones books!
ReplyDeleteHow about trying to sell them first THEN after a certain period if they still don't get sold, donate? I think Craigslist or Gumtree would be good. Or even on forums. For the more popular ones sell individually then lucky dip for the less popular titles. Good luck! It really is amazing to own so many books! I wish my place was big enough to have a huge wall to wall library of books :p
ReplyDeleteAi @ Sakura Haruka
Jasper Fforde issues 'update patches' to correct mistakes and misprints in his book. In the above example, what he would do would be to issue instructions to cross out the stray T and write in a closing quotation mark. You can then print out a sticker to put on the cover stating that you now have the latest up-to-date version.
ReplyDeleteAGh it's always a tough call. I'd suspect you wouldn't get much for any of the books unless they are complete collections or rare or first editions (or out of print). SO I'd try it for any you have like that. Otherwise I donate mine to Lifeline, who have huge book sales on quite regularly and use the proceeds for their helpline.Then of course I GO to the book sales and buy more! (oops). As for the errors.. they KILL me. I'm an editor. It's hard to pretend I can't see them.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember who it was but they posted some ideas on where to stash books - in an old chimney, in the rafters? That is a shocking mistake, things get rushed through these days that is half the problem with subs not picking things up! x
ReplyDeletekeep your absolute favs an donate the rest. Easier and seriously more cost effective of your time.
ReplyDeleteAnd OMG YES YES YES. It is even worse on the Kindle cause I can't throw it in disgust.
Hmm....not sure if selling would work because I think more people buy books on Amazon. Second hand stores tend to give you credit which means more books. :P
ReplyDeleteOh and that's awful editing! It pisses me off too when I notice errors!!!
I know at our local markets there's a book stall that buy pre-loved books and resell them. Maybe there's something that's the same near you? I just read a book on Kindle with a mistake and I was like…"Um…Come on..This still happens?"
ReplyDeleteIt annoys me too. I find them in so many books. I just hope there aren't any in mine now that I've said that!
ReplyDelete