Minimalizing Your Books?????

Found this interesting site via StumbleUpon. I bookmarked it because there is so much truth in it, and its where I am right now in Life. Too much input, I am afraid. Here is the link: and really, I didn't find anything that I dont want to read of this blog.....

I have lots of books, for lots of reasons. I could easily become a book hoarder......or, maybe I already am.......I have carried boxes and boxes of books that I have collected for 40 years to the Library, to a fund-raising book sale, to the thrift shops, to whoever would take them......

Seriously, I could set up a living space surrounded by tall shelves of books and be quite content.

I don't enjoy our library anymore. They have replaced it with a new building. It's carpeted and metal and steel shelving, and too much space, and too much light and all the old volumes have been replaced. It's not fun anymore. I don't enjoy reading classics in the new jackets. I don't know if I can purchase a Kindle. That said, I have found some e-book sites and have read on-line and find that quite satisfying-----however, if I really like the book, I must have it in my hands, and feel it, and write in it, and carry it around with me to meditate on it.....

I recently won some old G. H Pember books on ebay. Can't imagine anyone parting with them, they are so rich in expository commentaries of the Bible. Reminds me of Nehemiah searching for lost and old volumes because the truth had gotten so buried that it was no longer available. The old paths, find....scripture tells us.....I see why, today.

I think that is my fear of electronic books. The limitations of what is available to read. A sort of self imposed censorship, without even really realizing it. Only what the Kindle people think is popular and classic is available. I have always had an aversion to popular.....anything. And, like I said already, classics just don't read well in aluminum and glass........



I decided after reading the article on minimalist book keeping that I need to make a list of my favorite authors and see if I can keep the collection to what I would take on a deserted island......helpful?

I probably wouldn't take my collection of Alice in Wonderland books, because I am mainly collecting them for one of my sons. He can take them to his deserted island.......

The book illustrated at the beginning of this post is one that I am offering on ebay right now and its a beautiful volume, but I have no other interest in it except that. I decided that keeping books because they are beautiful is not one of my criterias.

I resisted putting any new volumes on my shelves for a very long time, but some books I haven't been able to find in an old volume, and some are just recently published, so, I have to compromise there.

And you know one of my weaknesses is, if I find my favorites a second and third time, I might have to purchase them in case I want to give one away....or....just because. I did that with my William Barclay commentaries. I found some at a rummage sale for 50 cents each, and although I already had them, I could not resist purchasing them at that sale. I think I tried to give a few away....but learned--my love isn't everyone else's love......

The kids love Roald Dahl. I buy anything Roald Dahl I can find. Even if I already have it, because I have four boys that all love to read him. I can pass them on, and they can have them for their new libraries.

Well, I have a new project. Minimalizing my book collection. It should be quite an adventure. I get to list 100 items on ebay right now for free. I only pay if I sell them. It's a good time to purge 100 books that I liked at one time, collected for some reason, but now, feel no need to hoard them. Let's see how I do.

A Perfect Diary

I found a publication that I am in love with. It's a Korean Artist named Kim Sungshin. I found the diary on Etsy and after looking at the four pictures they get to have, I knew I had to have it. It is very small, 5" x 6 1/2", but I don't mind because it is so rich in illustration. I am doing a full blog post about it at my Shebrews blog . Come over there and look for the post titled: Confessions of a Bibliophile.

A good Book and a Dog.......

This is a first edition Howard Pyle, "The Garden behind the Moon". My boys enjoyed reading "The Adventures of Robin Hood and His Merrymen" by Pyle. He authored a four volume "Story of King Arthur and His Knights" and "Book of Pirates", but I did not have this when they were still home. It is in sad shape with what appears to be fire damage---soot surrounding the exposed areas, as if it was on a shelf when it happened. Water damage on the cover back.......could be a story in itself.....who knows? I don't remember where I purchased it, I just picked it up browsing through my bookshelf looking for something new to read or re-read......

And here be the dog.......my barista set it before me and said enjoy the "dog"......perhaps you can see the little circle around his eye? All of the sudden it reminded me of my gLove dogs
that I make. The barista knew nothing of my glove dogs, so it was like a little secret "wink" from them....you know what I mean? lol. I can be such a child at times.....tee, hee.

I wish I had that latte right now........it looks yummy....... Well, here is to Chere' who found a new home today......I had fun packing her up......and wish to send off many more.........

Life of a Bibliophile

Oh yeah. You thought I was kidding. Well the next few posts will show you I am not. I really have a book problem, only, I really, really read them and if I like them, several times.....and if I really, really like them, I wait to be alone and read them aloud.......if I can't be alone, I pretend I am reading for another person.......


This is only a sampling of what I own in books. Many have made their way to other places, and many I have borrowed and had to buy another because I forgot who I borrowed them to. If you borrow a book, unless someone says "I don't want it back", you should be sure to bring it back.......


My bookshelves are not in their best order right now, but I wanted to post before I leave for the weekend, and fixing them would have entailed time I don't have this morning.

My bookshelves are a mixture of children's books, nature books, many many devotional type and biblical study type, and lots of "character building" ones---which I am not sure one would testify have affected me....lol. I hope they would, but, I fear that I display far too many social weaknesses to prove it.

Funny, when the blogger asked what my favorite books were, I was stumped, because first of all, they would probably be "B" side books, ones you never heard of, and probably because I tend to have favorite "authors" vs favorite "titles".

I enjoy reading turn of the century writing the most. My library consists mostly of that, but I have learned to appreciate some newer writers also. I stopped reading novels quite awhile ago, first of all because I couldn't find a novel writer I liked with the exception of Victoria Holt and all her alias'. But, I find my reading time is so limited that I tend to read "learning" type things.

Well, I must be off now and pack for the weekend, but I hope you leave a comment if you drop by. Let me know if you love books as much as I, and if you blog about it, I would like a link. Thanks.