I have managed to reduce the number of books I have after some severe weeding out, but they still fill two large bookcases.
This is one of them, full of old friends I cannot bring myself to part with. Gerald Durrell, Georgette Heyer, Paul Theroux, Jodi Picoult, Rosamunde Pilcher, Jane Austen, a whole shelf of books on Tibet and another on travel amongst many others. I have collected them over many years and although I mostly read on my Kindle nowadays I still re-read some from time to time.
It occurred to me the other day that when I pop my clogs all my books will probably get dumped, a sad end for them. None of my family are really readers and those who do occasionally pick up a book only read in Portuguese. There are no charity shops as such here where they could be donated, either.
I feel exactly the same about my books. Who will treasure them when I am gone? We have charity shops here for them but I won't be taking them there myself as I want to keep them all for as long as possible. I have a wide variety of subjects, one being books about farmers and their daily lives. They are about farming in the old days and so interesting. I am a bit older than Rachel who comments here and I love her blog posts about her farming family as they remind me of my youth and family farm. I also have history books and Francis Kilvert etc. Also Borley Rectory interested me at one time. There are so many subjects on my bookshelves including steam railways - I could go on!
ReplyDeleteHope that you are recovering from your operation.
Wendy (Wales)
Books really are a blessing, aren´t they? Like you I also have a wide selection. I´m recovering well thanks although a bit sore when I bend down or raise my arms...the perfect excuse to avoid housework!
DeleteI was looking at my shelf of travel books only the other evening thinking that they really could go as now if I have a travel query I always turn to the internet. I haven't touched any of the books for a long while, except for Theroux who I would never part with as they are always something to read if I am short of a reading book. I no longer keep any fiction, they go straight to charity, and my only other books are art catalogues purchased at exhibitions I have visited. Keeping possessions to a minimum is something I actively try to control.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see that you read my blog Wendy. I had no idea. Thank you for mentioning it.
I like reading my travel books in order to see through another person´s eyes, especially older books. I have an 1888 edition of Mungo Park´s Life and Travels in Africa which is fascinating.
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