So I have a lot of books, probably too many. I’m currently in the process of trying to cull the collection of any unnecessary, never-turned-to books … a process which has been an interesting experience to say the least. As part of all this book sorting, I’ve been moving books around between bookcases and re-connecting with books which have some sort of significance.
In an effort to gain daily inspiration, I’ve cleaned off the shelf above my computer and put together a gathering of special books which I could never, would never … ever … ever, get rid of.
So here they are (in no particular order of relevance) … Over the coming days I’ll discuss the reasons why these particular books are important to me and why they have earned their place in my bookshelf ‘hall of fame’.
Hello again! How wonderful to see you back. I’ve only read The Great Gatsby and Walden (which is surely one the most beautiful books ever written) but they all look fantastic. Hello again, why didn’t you tell me you were back before. I missed you. I shall have to get all the RSS feeds and linkages again. Hello,
Wonderful to see you back! I have a backlog of books I’m trying to get through and this coming list of books that inspired you may add to my list.
This is a lovely post. I really should attempt a similar cull, but whenever I do I find I stop far too early and start reading… I see we have a few favourites in common – Possesion & The Princess Bride among them. I love Alain de Botton, but have only read The Consolations of Philosophy, and I haven’t read The Year of Magical thinking, but saw it on stage last year with Vanessa Redgrave – it was full of sadness and truth.
My better half is at me to do a bookshelf cull – not sure I can bear to…
Hehe no chance of hiding the books, I’m actually looking for a new place for us because he moved into my flat and it’s way too small for two people…when one of them has bought a book a week at the least since age 14, and is now 30.
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Hi Paul: Thanks so much for your very warm welcome back, it’s very nice of you indeed. I wanted to make a low-key return to the blogging world, so my apologies for staying quiet about being back. I’ve missed reading your wonderful work as well, but back on deck now and looking forward to catching up on it all.
Hi Ricardo: Thanks so much for dropping by again. I hope you find something here to inspire you, or at the very least, inspire you to share the books that are significant to you in some way, shape or form (I always find it an interesting insight into other people). I’m really doing my best to not buy any more books for the immediate future, and simply ‘shop from my own bookshelves’ for a while.
Hi Francesca: Thanks so much for visiting. I completely understand the reluctance to cull books, honestly I feel like I’ve still got a lot more work to do in the art of being able to ‘let go’ before I can say goodbye to more books. It’s incredible what you discover you have sitting on your own shelves. I will admit though that getting rid of books that I don’t like, will never read, or enjoyed but am unlike to turn to again – has been a really cathartic process. It almost feels like I’m getting to the essence of what is important (or at the very least, freeing up some space on the shelves). I thought about seeing the stage production of The Year of Magical Thinking, but may hold off for another time – seeing Vanessa Redgrave in the role must have been amazing.
Hi Nico: I know exactly how you feel, saying goodbye to some books is like saying goodbye to a friend (and sometimes can be even worse than that). Perhaps you can distract your partner by hiding books in more secretive places, and thus giving the illusion of reducing your book collection…
Hi Nico: Yes, the struggle for space against a combined collection of books is one that I am intimately familiar with. Our solution was to move from an apartment to a house, and then to buy more bookcases, and yet somehow I still need more… It is official, I am a book glutton!!