Okay-here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.
Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books -- it's the letting go that's the difficult part. ... During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I've certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others' shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.But there is also a category of titles that I've clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I've yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I'm not sure, as I'm constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.
So, the question is this: "What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?"
Oh, I think this is such a good question! When I cut down my library several months ago, I still kept more than whole bookcase of "to be read" books. And that was after passing on tons of them. Honestly, I think that I had more unread than read in my collection. Red-faced, me.
Some of what is in my "to be read" pile are additional works by authors that I've read and loved. The last two Jon Hassler books to read. One more Georgette Heyer. Several Trollope books. Six (yes six!) more books in Galsworthy's Forsyte series. All the books in the Jewel in the Crown series, picked up at a used book sale. A couple of volumes of Dickens. Some of them I put off reading because when I read them, I will have finished all of them (Jon Hassler) or finished all I have of them (Heyer) and I don't want that to happen. By not reading them, I still have "somethng good" in reserve.
That's crazy, I know. But it is how it is.
Then I have another subset of books that I've been meaning to "get around to" for so long that I can't give up on the idea: Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, the Horatio Hornblower series, Colleen McCullough's First Men in Rome books....
I have toyed with the idea of making a resolution to buy or check out of the library no new books, except for book club books, for a year and just read my own library. It would take longer than a year to do!
How 'bout you?
Hi MamaT
I can heartily recommend these Colleen McCullough's First Men in Rome books. I recently read Antony and Cleopatra. I think this was after I had seen all the latest Rome series DVDS ofomr our local DVD hire shop. I used th elocla public library to supply her books
Karnak.
One thing I plan to do when we unpack at our new house is put all my unread books on one book case in the living room. Though that may be impossible. There may be more than one book case worth. That's just my books. If you count all the books my husband owns that I've never read and would like to read....