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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to begin to feel weird about books?

40 replies

IntoTheLight · 08/09/2013 20:31

I have a lot of books, I've collected them and inherited other people's collections. They're on shelves all around the house, where ever I can fit them. I used to adore them but I'm beginning to, dunno, feel grossed out by them. Is this odd?

My cookery book collection (region of 350 books) is my most adored and has been built over 15 years. However, I'm feeling guilty about it. I don't know why I'm feeling guilty (it isn't the cost - I can afford them). It's something about the actual books. As though I'm saying to myself "DUH, you can get this all online!".

Is there some pop psychology angle to this? I'm a bibliophile and I'm feeling properly anxious about it! IABU?

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 08/09/2013 20:32

What is a bibliophile???

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 08/09/2013 20:37

It's probably because people keep banging on about going paperless/digital and how fantastic that's supposed to be, and generally trying to make people feel insecure about valuing artefacts and objects.

I've been around long enough to see how quickly files and devices become obsolete, but books last. As for recipe books - no, you can't get everything online. There are lots of recipes online, but lots in books that aren't.

Books are great.

Moonstorm · 08/09/2013 20:37

I hate books around the place. I got rid of most of my cluttering, dusty (I dusted them, but they gather dust) messy-looking books. I have a mid-sized bookcase in the bedroom.

I revel in the snobbery of those who revere books and look down on me Grin

FWIW I love reading, but now rely on the library and my Kindle. It's very freeing (and much cheaper)

MissManaged · 08/09/2013 20:38

Well, if the books are now making you feel "grossed out" then I would say that your bibliophilism is a thing of the past. Sad

LaurieFairyCake · 08/09/2013 20:38

I can get this.

I've also hundreds/thousands of books and I've gone off the cheapy ones and only really love the rare ones.

They feel dirty and cluttered now Sad
And they take up all the space and spread dust.

It's taken all year for my Kindle fire to worm it's way into my heart but it has. All the freebies, all the availability - none of the dirt.

I never thought I would say this - but R.I.P my books

mrspremise · 08/09/2013 20:43

I have well over 1000 cookery books and use them all. Some more than others, I'll admit, but I do use them all. Books are a very personal thing, don't let anyone judge you for choosing to make room for them Smile

wannabedomesticgoddess · 08/09/2013 20:43

I have a small bookcase in the living room that is stacked with books I have no intention of reading again. I have so far resisted the urge to carboot the lot of them, to make way for my cook books. I would never stop loving the cookbooks.

I hate kindles though.

Original poster
IntoTheLight · 08/09/2013 20:45

I don't have a Kindle, I do have an ipad, but I prefer to read a paper copy of anything.

I definitely reckon the no-paper clutter-free life marketing has worked on me. Also the zealous, obsessive cleanliness that everyone's into - books aren't really wipe down.

I feel like a cult member being debriefed.

OP posts:
mignonette · 08/09/2013 20:49

I have thousands of books including over 3000 culinary books. Many are at home but I keep them in storage too and lend them out to many friends. They 'sign' them in and out in a little book Grin.

And I keep them clean. Glassed in bookshelving helps too.

I also have a Kindle which is second best but suffices at certain times. I am flexible, me and can do both. It needn't be either/or.

You can't lend books on a Kindle though. I also have a great regard for the book industry itself-the typesetters, graphic designers, publishers, printers. They are all being squeezed out. Books can be works of great beauty.

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 08/09/2013 20:49

I don't get why some people seem to think that liking books, or keeping books around, is some sign of "snobbery". I genuinely don't understand it.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 08/09/2013 21:03

I have abibliophobia, so I'm of the belief that it's better to have too many books than be stuck somewhere with no books at all.

In terms of reading books, I'm only really comfortable if I have at least two spare books, not including the one I'm currently reading. I very rarely read a book twice, so there is no point in buying them; I borrow them all from the library. I have pretty much exhausted our local library but I regularly deserve new books from other libraries in the county.

My children read a lot, but 95% of the books they read are from the local library or school library.

As far as reference books are concerned, the internet has dramatically reduced the number that we use.

So a visitor to our house might not see many books on our shelves, but we probably finish at least a dozen books a week between us.

Turniptwirl · 08/09/2013 21:06

I love books and can't bring myself to throw them out even the ones I didn't really enjoy and will never read again! I do read some classics via email as its free and use my local library.

I think books are a necessity for young children (and free via a library so storage and cost no excuse!), like picture books and lift the flap books.

Once children are reading proper story books then its less important to have the physical book.

I judge people who don't read for pleasure. I don't judge people on the format of their books!

mignonette · 08/09/2013 21:13

God by the time my children were four months they already had several hundred books to choose from. They have been loaned out to so many other children. I think my library is better than any local public one Grin. I have spent my whole life creating it. I don't just buy books because I want to read them either. I like to have something for 'all seasons'. I love books so much.

MacaYoniandCheese · 08/09/2013 21:16

Not exactly the same but I was in our local (giant) bookshop the other day (first time in a long while Blush )and it was oddly deserted. There weren't the usual hordes of browsers, the bustling cafe bit had closed and most of the store was occupied by 'bargain books' tables. It felt like I was in a monument to a time gone by. Also, I couldn't find anything that piqued my interest and I found that the magazine section repelled me (I used to love spending an afternoon reading them all for free...now you can get all that on the interwebs). My conclusion is that the Internet has rewired all of our brains...we know have this kind of greed or hunger for colourful, interactive, mainlined information that is not being met by traditional printed media. Or something like that...Confused.

Moonstorm · 08/09/2013 21:17

It's 'snobbery' when they judge others for not having/ liking books around. If they don't judge, then they are not 'snobs'.

Original poster
IntoTheLight · 08/09/2013 21:19

'the magazine section repelled me'

Yes! It's so weird. I want to go back to the way it was - I feel destabilised. Confused

OP posts:
Moonstorm · 08/09/2013 21:24

this is what I mean by book snobbery Smile

bluesbaby · 08/09/2013 21:30

I'm a bookworm, but I have to say, whenever my shelves get overflowing I send a stack to the charity shop or suitable friends. I hate the idea of unread books. Books should be read! I get so sad looking at huge book shelves of books that are currently not being read. They should be read! Share!

thecatfromjapan · 08/09/2013 21:30

Goodness! I've been experiencing this!

I'm amazed to find someone sharing it and putting it into words!

My cookbooks have escaped the feeling - I love leafing through them and looking at the pictures.

Mignonette is right about not being able to share Kindle books - but I find I've been giving, not lending, books - to try and get rid of them.

It's so strange. And yes, I have a Kindle.

Do you think there is some weird kind of subliminal messaging in the Kindle ..?

ZingWantsCake · 08/09/2013 21:46

I wonder why you feel guilty.
the only thing I get sometimes when I look at books is that I hope I won't die soon because I'd miss reading everything and wouldn't be able to cook all the recipes or make all the lovely things I want - patchwork & quilting, sewing dresses for DD, jewellery, crochet, x-stitch etc.Sad

is it like that?

I don't have a Kindle.
I prefer books. I bought 5 books last week - 1 cookbook, 3 about chain maille, 1 craft book.

(I almost bought a cookbook for kids and yet another Mary Berry one but spent that money on nail varnish instead!Grin)

hotair · 08/09/2013 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beamur · 08/09/2013 22:00

I resisted a Kindle but have one now, DP has one too - the very best part has been the stopping of the accumulation of rubbish paperbacks! We both still buy books, but less often and are more choosy. We don't have enough space for the books we have so I'm happy there are fewer coming in. I'm also much better than DP at getting rid of books I'm sure I won't read again.

YANBU to question whether you need to own all these books any more.

Bue · 08/09/2013 22:28

How is it possible to actively use over 1000 cookery books? You would have to be consulting over 3 different books a day, all year!

minouminou · 08/09/2013 22:30

I have always been a huge bookworm, but these days I actually find it physically difficult to read a book. I just think....your stupid pages, your stupid lignin fibres that will smell of vanilla and then crumble....

Then I think about if the internets break for ever (don't type Google into Google, anyone!) and realise that we'll have to go back to paper, and that makes me feel worn out and dusty inside.

I was looking through an old book with really quite rubbish low-res photos in a couple of weeks back - I actually went to zoom in (a la iPhone) to see if I could get more detail and felt annoyed that I couldn't.

Well, we once had stone tablets, then wax ones, then parchment, then paper, now pixels....whaddyagonnado?

BoozyBear · 08/09/2013 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.