Book-winnowing

[tamaranth]

Am winnowing my books. Two-fifths to go to storage, one-fifth to go to amenable book dealers / LJ friends / charity shops, two-fifths to stay.

Luckily, my subconscious was taking care of me, and only printed off the book list A-G. So I'll have to stop, as I can't check off what's there and what isn't, or mark each volume's fate.

Is it only me that feels guilty about books bought and then left to languish unread for years?

Is it only me who's terribly reluctant to discard old favourites, even if there's little hope of my ever reading them again?

Is it worse to discard a book you've read and enjoyed (more than once), but which has no literary merit whatsoever¹; or a book that may have literary merit, but which you have never managed to pick up²?

Am surprised at how few books I loathe with a vengeance. Though there are some.

Off to bed with a Neglected Book now. Much of my C J Cherryh stockpile is going, but I may as well try some of her harder SF first ...

¹Sharpe's Devil -- Bernard Cornwell
²The Ambassadors -- Henry James

Comments

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Discard (2). No one is ever going to test you again (and Henry James can be blamed for the entire culture of literary criticism which despises sf so you can geel utterly guiltless).

My current policy is "if it's non-fiction and the British Library holds it....."

Checklist of doom!

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

1) No

2) No

3) Has to be b).

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

'classics' versus 'books that mean something to you, not to kulcher vultures' - easy ;-)

sometimes it's quite nice to find a book I've completely forgotten I bought!

1. no - but I only feel guilty sometimes
1. no - I keep them!
3. worse to get rid of 1 (which is what himself meant too)

[ladymoonray.livejournal.com]

If you've done A-G you're doing fantastically well! You're allowed to stop.

Please don't chuck out your favourites, even if you think you won't read them again. That's something you could well end up regretting. It's nice (and well worth the time/space hassles) to have them on your shelves when you settle down in your own place again.

*hugs*

[childeric.livejournal.com]

Robert Plant -- Mighty Rearranger

Worth getting?

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

oooh yes, definitely. Nothing drastically different but some very solid Plant. And lovely guitar.

[soulstar.livejournal.com]

1) Nope, not only you!
2) Absolutely not. *clings to beloved books*
3) Definitely worse to get rid of the non-literary but enjoyable book. Books are *for* reading and enjoying. Keep it!!