AIBU to like my obsolete books?

[Jezzifishie]

DH put some shelves up so all of our books are in one place - it completely fills one wall of the lounge. My friend came over and spotted the wall, he asked why we'd bothered as books are obsolete now. AIBU to feel sad about this? To me, it's not a home unless it has books!

When we finally get the extension built my first two requirements are space for a large floor to ceiling bookshelves (at least 3m wide) and space for the piano. Everything else is negotiable. OP your friend is a philistine.

I love books!

I have hundreds, they're everywhere in my house, I do have a kindle, but nothing beats a real book

I'm one of those that inhale when going into a bookshop, I can't imagine a house without books

Though I know someone who barely knows what a book is, her kids are being brought up using nothing but ipads and tv. I don't say anything, but inwardly I judge

I only read books on my kindle now but have a house full of books; my DCs refuse to have kindles and, in any case, my books are part of my history.

I love books but don’t have any downstairs - the few I’ve kept are upstairs where visitors wouldn’t necessarily see them. I use a kindle and my local library - I hate the judgement that because we don’t have any books on display that our home lacks soul.

I am pleased to report that not all the younger generation think books are obsolete - DD is 16 and has already built up a collection of nice editions of her favourite authors (Scott Fitzgerald and so on). She also buys vinyl records, despite listening to music on spotify most of the time.

And she can't be alone, as someone seems to buy the vast numbers of YA novels now being published, even though everyone in the target market has some kind of device they could get a kindle app on.

We have so many books. We have 8 floor to ceiling bookshelves, double layered as well as smaller shelves around.

I’d disagree that books are obsolete. There’s room for both physical books and ebooks.

I have drastically culled my book collection over the last 5 years or so - we just don’t have as much spare space these days - but there’s still plenty of books on our shelves.

Typically ones that I loved enough to want to read again someday, ones with sentimental value, or reference books - I find most reference books easier to navigate in physical form.

I do find ebooks harder to navigate.

I like flicking through books.

DS has a dedicated reading half hour a day at school and they can only take physical books in. It's been great introducing him to some of our favourites & he's getting kudos from his teacher for his tastes

as someone seems to buy the vast numbers of YA novels now being published

That would be me I read everything, really, but I love middle grade and YA (my kids fall into those categories so really they're read by all of us). Partly because that's my job, but I find the stories are just so much tighter - better plotting, no extraneous waffle.There's no room for middle-aged men contemplating their bellybutton fluff and musing on why they can't get a model girlfriend who breasts boobily through life. Looking at you, Murakami.