A bad case of Tsundoku.

[Emily]

I've been suffering from this chronic condition for most of my life. I think it started off with a now-battered, dog-eared and still-read BFG by Roald Dahl when I was eight. We recently built on a big, new room... the prospective bookshelves were part of the initial design to hold the then-overflow. Six months later, and much enjoyable accumulating, I'm thinking:

But I expect I'm not alone and in excellent Tsundoku company here... right?!

 

[RK Wallis]

Oh yes, totally! Even second-hand ones will do!

 

[Monarch]

I’ve always been an avid reader and have spent my life collecting books, mostly the classics and reference and scholarly books about Shakespeare and the Bible. I’m sure I must have over a thousand books, and with my several bookcases, we call one room of the house “the library.” However, with the electronic age, I find that I very rarely consult my bookshelves, or even re-read anything from it. And now—oh dread—my wife is wanting me to dust off all my books, and pull out the bookcases to vacuum (“Hoover”) behind them. Honestly, besides for looks, I’m thinking of dumping the majority of my book collection, especially since we’ll be moving again in a few years.

 

[Monarch]

One thought . . . if everybody suffered from Tsundoku, I guess we might all be published by now!

 

[Cadiz]

Guilty!

 

[Barbara]

Ah @Rainbird. Your bug must be catching because ever since October I've been buying books like the world depends on it. I've lost count how many, but my e-reader now runs so slow I can barely use it. Luckily, turns out there's a way around that little problem: I've started getting hard copies, and oops, I have currently over 10 physical books waiting to be read. No idea which titles are still waiting for me on my e-reader. Ok, I'd better put myself on self-quaranteen to stay away from all book selling establishments (my finances will thank me). So next time you come round, please wear a face mask. Thank you.

 

[Andy D]

Surely they’re what shelves are made for?? Plus they’ve the added advantage of making you look clever - and if they’re often competing for space with comics, like mine are, immature

 

[KateESal]

I'm quite good at not book-hoarding...but I think that's because I'm a school librarian! When I want to read another book, I sign one out for myself and put it back afterwards.

Basically, I'm borrowing the school's shelves for my TBR collection

 

[Cadiz]

I'm quite good at not book-hoarding...but I think that's because I'm a school librarian! When I want to read another book, I sign one out for myself and put it back afterwards.

Basically, I'm borrowing the school's shelves for my TBR collection

Wow, I didn't know that was your job. Wonderful. I was the student librarian at my high school since we didn't have enough of a library, or a budget to employ a real librarian. I studied the Dewey Decimal System and made up library cards for all 27 of our books. I guarded them jealously and cleaned them daily. No book was allowed to leave the room except in the hands of one of the teachers. The beauty of having that job was that I was given a key to the room so I could stay as long as I wanted after school was finished. I used to stay for hours, reading and enjoying the wonder of electricity. I still want to be a librarian when I grow up.

 

[KateESal]

I still want to be a librarian when I grow up.

'Tis a noble ambition.

 

[Leonora]

We built 'acres' of shelves last year. Now back to piles on windowsills. It's a law.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

We've been whittling down our book collection for our move. Which of course means there'll be room for NEW books afterwards!

 

[Emily]

Even second-hand ones will do!

Oh, gosh yes! Nothing I love more than a second-hand bookshop!! I used to live in Galway (west of Ireland) and we had the most wonderful second hand/publishers overstock/antiquarian bookshop called Charlie Byrnes. It was bliss. I spent many full afternoons in there. (And I met Martin Sheen in there once! He was studying in Galway Uni and he helped my then-toddler down some steps. We had a grand old chat and then he blessed me and all my family (!!) before wandering off. I thought he was a bit of a hobo (he looked like one) but a familiar-sounding hobo. It was only when he left that the whole shop, who, in Irish-fashion completely ignored him - became animated and told me who he was

I’m thinking of dumping the majority of my book collection

Ah now... One must cease such sacrilegious, scurrilous contemplation at once. My heart bleeds for those unwitting volumes of delight.

Your bug must be catching

It's a GREAT bug, in fairness

So next time you come round, please wear a face mask. Thank you.

I'll try. I've been making a prototype with kitchen paper and elastic bands. Looks very "Blue Peter" (@KateESal Having checked out BP, I'm trying to refrain from starting a toilet-roll-insert collection like the one I had when I was ten. It was impressive. But sadly, my mother took issue with the fact it spilled out from under my bed (I was always an addictive personality from which abundance followed to bolster said addictions) but more so because I was bringing home rolls from random bathrooms. I now see her point.)

I still want to be a librarian when I grow up.

ME TOO!!!!!!!

Now back to piles on windowsills. It's a law.

True. And those are the only kind of laws worth keeping.

Which of course means there'll be room for NEW books afterwards!

Yippee!!!!!!!!

 

[CageSage]

Surely they’re what shelves are made for?? Plus they’ve the added advantage of making you look clever - and if they’re often competing for space with comics, like mine are, immature

When considering a change of abode, I check the capacity of each wall with a doorway to ensure it has the holding capacity to be a wall of bookshelves, over the door, ceiling high, with a floorboard. If it doesn't meet my specs, I don't want to live there. Every wall with a door, including the front door (although the laundry might only get mags or comics).
What is life without a story hanging out close by? (and I include non-fiction in there, for what is reality but the story told from a specific perspective?)

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I've accrued 60 paperbacks in the last few months, thanks to my local charity shop having a three for £1 sale. Then, the library returned to selling withdrawn stock, so I've acquired twenty more titles in hardback. I'm glad the Cornwall Libraries are doing this again, as they went through several years of selling old stock to book disposal businesses who pulped them!

As it is now, I have 80 books waiting for my attention...so much stored potential! They stand in four piles, my digital alarm clock atop one pile. I've largely resisted the temptation to order them, though one pile is crime stories. After all, we are all librarians.

 

[Cadiz]

My luggage is usually full of books when I fly home to Philippines. I want to make sure that no child in my place in the provinces grows up without a book. And chocolate of course there must be chocolate.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

 

[Cadiz]

Someone even gave me a horror book in Braille. Something bad was always about to happen you could feel it.

 

[Emily]

Something bad was always about to happen you could feel it.

All the LOLs!!

 

[Cadiz]

My luggage is usually full of books when I fly home to Philippines. I want to make sure that no child in my place in the provinces grows up without a . View attachment 5106

Yes, this is how most Filipinos return home from working overseas. These are what we call 'balikbayan boxes' or 'returning home' boxes. Pasulobong (returning home gifts) are always a requirement.

 

[Dean Baxter]

I don't like books.

 

[Emily]

Sorry, @Dean Baxter , I can't hear you. No, nope, those words are completely unintelligible. I think you have a gremlin in your computer...