Comments on: Keepers

By: Lisa Mondello

Lisa Mondello — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:33:50 +0000

I haven’t quite been able to part with my keepers yet. I have made the move out of my office and into storage. I know, I know. If they’re not at my fingertips, why bother. But some of those books I just can’t part with. I may have to rethink this when my box of books arrives from San Francisco.

We’re still in the middle of renovations but my office is going to get my attention (a cleaning and a good coat of paint) in the fall!

Lisa

By: Patricia McLinn

Patricia McLinn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:29:11 +0000

Just now resorting to double-shelving? That makes you a mere dabbler in book overflow, Judy.

I’m down from about three-quarters being double-shelved to about half. I felt that was huge progress.

By: Charlotte Hubbard

Charlotte Hubbard — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:55:52 +0000

Gee, I seem to have struck a chord here! We all love our books, don’t we? We acquire them because they call our name–or they beg to have a story come out of the fascinating/unusual info they contain…or they help us escape into other worlds. I grew up as an only child, so books were my constant companions. Only because 20 years in this house has enabled me to accumulate 3,000 sq. feet of furnishings and STUFF am I realizing it’s time to donate, big-time!

By: Kim Watters

Kim Watters — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:46:05 +0000

Hey Charlotte,
We must be on the same wavelength. We painted our office last month. (not because we’re moving it was just time) I donated 8 storage boxes full of books to a local charity that has a huge book sale here every year. I thought I was done sorting, but have just discovered 4 more boxes in the shed. I hate saying goodbye to so many friends, but I hope all those books will find homes where they might actually make it off the bookshelf some time. Have a great weekend.

By: Estella

Estella — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:12:56 +0000

Sounds like your neice is a wonderful person.

By: Laura Resnick

Laura Resnick — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:57:22 +0000

You’ve had those encyclopedias since the fourth grade???

I have moved far too many times to be a pack rat or a saver. I once moved 9 times in 3 years. In 2003-2006 I moved 4 times: 2 long-distance, 2 international. (Yes, my email address is the most stable thing about my lifestyle.)

So I pretty much only keep stuff that I use. My household rule: If I haven’t used something for two years, I get rid of it.

But I do have a lot of books, of course. (Every friend or paid crew who has ever helped me move has complained about the boxes of books. And I just tell them: Stop whining–you ought to see how many books all the OTHER writers have!)

But, unlike you Charlotte!, I have only a very small number of volumes from childhood, things of great sentimental value (ex. a copy of LITTLE WOMEN handed down for 3 generations in my family).

Mostly, the books I keep (and keep regularly packing and moving and storing and unpacking) are the books I read, re-read, and love too much to give up; or books I use in my work; or books I intend to use in my work (I’ve got stacks of background reading here for various under-contract projects); or books I THINK I’m going to use in my work (I’ve got boxes of background-reading for prospective projects that I don’t yet know when I’ll write). Since I don’t have enough shelf space for all my books, and since I move too often to have a lot of furniture, I’ve learned to make endtables and hall tables and printer stands by stacking boxes of books and covering them in nice batiks.

LauraR

By: Charlotte Hubbard

Charlotte Hubbard — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:49:02 +0000

Hi, Judy! Long time no see! And Ali, it’s nice of you to join us here! Trust me, there was a time I couldn’t have parted with that set of Americanas…it was special because in an era where most kids worked from World Books, my folks believed I needed the more “advanced” encyclopedias because they already knew I was college-bound. Great looking set–still is.

But it’s nice to know these books will find other homes with dedicated bibliophiles. And yeah–it means my shelves are clear to accumulate more! We never outgrow our reading habit, or the inclination to buy books “because I’ll use them for a story someday.”

Now, back to my painting…I can tell you Kilz primer white is not my fave color or aroma!

Charlotte

By: Ali

Ali — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:55:55 +0000

Aww, Charlotte, what a wonderful niece you have
I have two sisters who are much younger and I hope to influence their life in a positive way. They both love to read, and I buy the Brat (my 6yr old sis) books whenver I can, lol. I especially love sharing books with her that I used to read as a child.
With my other sister, 11yrs old, I’ve recently started helping her write a story *bg*. She’s really getting into it and I think it helps us keep close as she lives in another state

Ooh, as for your downsizing projects, congrats to you… I would not have been able to give up my books, lol… maybe later on, but not right now

By: Judith Myers

Judith Myers — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:45:11 +0000

Dead on, Charlotte. Every once in a while, if we’re lucky, we get a chance to make a positive impression on a young person and then have the delight of watching them grow and blossom. Props!
As to winnowing your book collection, now that you’re in practice, would you like to take a little trip to California and help me do the same? I’ve recently had to resort (cringe) to double-shelving, so something definitely has to go!
(What?! Did I hear some craven soul in the background whisper, “You could stop buying so many.”? Humph. Blasphemy! But you may be right about the encyclopedias…)