If you had lost all your books in a fire, would you replace them, or just get them all on a Kindle?

[PeekaPeeka]

Just that, really.

We had some stuff in storage while we're having some building works done at home, and everything was completely destroyed in a huge fire at the storage unit on New Year's Eve.

Some people have lost literally everything they own, so I am trying to feel lucky that we have "only" lost a relatively small proportion of our belongings.

BUT amongst other things, I've lost every single book that I owned. I'm gutted. A collection that I've built up over the last 30 years or so. Books that I've cherished and loved. Maybe 200-300 in total

I already have a kindle, and it's useful, but I don't love it in the same way as actual physical books.

So: if this were you, would you try to replace your collection, however gradually, via a mixture of second hand and new?

Or would you just think fuck it, it's fewer bookcases to dust and less "stuff" in the house - and just buy everything (eventually) on a kindle instead?

Oh no :(

I think I'd prioritise those books I often used (eg cookbooks) and those I knew I was going to read in the near future, but only replace those I had because I read them once and enjoyed them when the urge to read them again took me.

As for Kindle vs physical book, I find that kindles are only good for books you read cover to cover. Reference books and cookbooks need to be flicked through, so I always keep them as physical copies.

Probably out of line with the majority, but I wouldn't. I like reading, not books. Bookcases full of books that you're unlikely to read again are just clutter that need dusting.

I'd put in an optimistic insurance claim, and rebuy on kindle as and when in the future, ie when ereaderiq tells me that the books I want are 99 pence.

I'd then use the rest of the money for something else such as a holiday.

I'd replace some, the ones about art and cook books and my favourites, but most would be ebooks. I do like a room that has a few books to browse in but I used to have 1.000 books together with my EX and I left most behind when I moved out. I'm happier with less books (but there have to be a few books)

Oh no, that's awful. I'd get them on a kindle as I can then read when waiting for the DCs and so on. Reference books to dip in and out of would have to be a paper copy though - an atlas is no good on a KIndle.

Kindle. Definately

Depends , does the storage insurance cover the cost of full price book replacement? X

Sorry for “x” was also texting

I think I'd secretly be quite glad! I love reading but we have too many books. I have a Kindle and use it, but I buy real books just as often. I wouldn't replace all my books if they were lost. Maybe I'd replace 20% of them, but otherwise I'd see it as an opportunity to get new books to read.

When we got kindles we sold all our books (except cookbooks etc.) so I definitely would not be replacing. We also got rid of all CDs, DVDs etc. - it's very nice having fewer things to clutter the house!

I have a lot of large non-fiction, particularly gardening textbooks and natural history books, so I'd replace those as they are big and have a lot of photos in them. Novels I'd replace a few special ones, but the rest I'd buy a kindle and put them on there.

I’d only replace them when I actually wanted to reread them. Funny how many of my favourites I don’t actually want to reread, because I am fond the memory of reading them at a particular time and a particular impression they made on me.

Embarrassing when I read something I had once found profound in my late teens and it now reads like pretentious wank to me.

Thanks everyone. The insurance should just about cover everything, I think. The storage company are really dragging their feet, though - basically everyone heard about it on twitter/the news,and it was almost 24 hours after the fire started before they managed to put out a statement or send out a generic "were really sorry, but yes, you've lost everything" type email. So that doesn't give me much hope that the insurance process will be quick. Over 1,000 units were in use, so it's affected a huge number of people.

We also lost all our DVDs and CDs, but I'm not bothered about them - the CDs we'd already copied onto iTunes, and I don't have the same emotional attachment to them anyway.

Some personal stuff as well that can't be replaced, but luckily not too much.

I think it's still probably a bit raw to be making any decisions, but it's really useful to hear everyone's views - thank you.

Oh, I'm so sorry. That would be an utter nightmare for me...so many of my books are connected with particular parts of my life; some are genuinely unusual (I hesitate to say rare as I don't know, but some date back to the 1870s); some are inherited from my grandparents. I had them all in storage for a year while we moved, and unpacked just before Christmas. It was like greeting old friends (and the kids did the same with their picture books even though they're older now). I would grieve for these books for a long time if they were lost.

for you, what a wrench. You can certainly replace some as Kindle editions, and there will be others you can replace as nicer hard copies (Penguin clothbound classics are lovely, for example - I have happily thrown out my exhausted, mass-market paperbacks of Dracula and Frankenstein and replaced these). But no, I would say there'll be some you'll always miss. And it's ok to feel the loss.

I’m so so sorry and fingers crossed for a pain free insurance process. Not quite the same, bit we lost everything in a flood (burst cold water header tank, so fresh clean water, but like raining indoors). I dried out some cherished favorites and luckily cook books survived as in a cupboard but to answer your question, we’ve never replaced the books we lost. Actually we never replaced a lot of things, and are much more ruthless and less attached nowadays.

Thank you everyone. Blondie I'm sorry that you've been through similar. It does suck big time. But I can totally see the sense in not having as much "stuff" to get attached to.

I think I'm coming to the conclusion that even if I replaced some of my favourite books, they'd still not be my books, the ones I got as presents from my grandmother etc - they'd just be books. Yes, I realise that probably sounds ridiculous...

So maybe the smart thing to do is to just get everything (except cookery and reference books) on a kindle.

My kindle is old and slooooow. Does anyone have any views on whether it's worth splashing out on a kindle oasis, or are the new paperwhites just as good? I like the idea of the page-turning buttons on the oasis, but it is £££ more...

That really is a loss !
We made sure we were insured for 'replacement' not 'worth' - so I could and would have to replace every single book, because I only own books that are important to me.
Kindle and audible are just additions.
If you want to "read only" get a paperwhite, DS has a fire and can do kindle and audible.

I have the Oasis, which I preordered and had in my little mitts on release day I'd kept my old keyboard version til it died on its arse. I am a desperately heavy user, though, it goes everywhere, I have getting on for two thousand books. I pretty much read for a living so to me it's as essential as a car or laptop.

It took me some time to get used to it. The heft and balance is different, it's squarer, and the case is kinda rubbish. But there are features I love beyond words. The autoflip so you can pass it from hand to hand and still have the buttons on the side you need. The light is gentle on your eyes. Whispersync is great if you use Audible (I don't use it much as I think Audible is too pricy, but it works well). Glory of glories for me, it will bluetooth to a speaker for text-to-speech - I use that a lot because I have no problem with the robot voice. Storage is HUGE.

So. If you're likely to use it a lot and you want the buttons and sound features, definitely get the Oasis (I held out forever for those buttons!). If you're ok with swiping and don't use audio, then you don't need it.

Oh Peeka - I came on this thinking 'actually, I have just lost a shitload of stuff in a fire' and found out it's the same fire. Devastating, isn't it?

Personally (and this is what I've done with my own books), I keep actual copies which have sentimental value or are of books or series I particularly love - and I do periodically upgrade them with limited editions or special binding copies. Everything else goes on the kindle.

Oh, LBOC, I'm really sorry - it's so shit, isn't it. It sounds like you lost a lot. I'm so sorry. Trying to look on the bright side, at least it's helped us declutter

We've not had the promised phone-call yet from them - have you? I'm not impressed at all with the way they've handled it so far.

Thanks again to everyone for all your thoughts on kindles etc. I shall go and look at some in John Lewis or somewhere, I think. But yes, I might rebuy just a few of my absolute favourites. I'm finding it hard to imagine a house with no books in it!

I'd try to replace as many as possible.

Nope, the first I found out about it was the generic email I received yesterday. Not heard anything from them since and having dug out the insurance details it appears we have to call Belgium(?!?) to raise a claim.

My unit had everything I'd wanted to keep from my deceased DM's house when we sold it this October. So all the pictures and bits from my childhood are gone, which is difficult - and doesn't have a monetary value to it.

Oh, and if you can track one down, get a kindle voyage. They sometimes pop up new on eBay, but have been discontinued by Amazon. I'm on my seventh kindle and they are the best by a long shot!

Sorry for your lost books.

I keep books because I like having them around, though I give some away, and if I lost all of them I would start collecting books again, but I'd only replace stuff I'd like my kids to read one day. I have a kindle but I still read ordinary books too.

I wouldn't replace them at all, I never re-read a book. It would be quite liberating perhaps!
I let visitors choose and take books from my study with no return required - I just ask that if you liked it - pass it on! I still have 100s though.

Agree with the PP who said she liked reading not books.

Once I've finished with a book it goes to the charity shop.