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Original poster

Where are the bookshelves?!

490 replies

Babysharkdododont · 07/04/2021 20:38

Inspired by another thread, do people genuinely not believe its possible to live without shelf after shelf of books in a house, or is it, as I suspect, faux naivety / virtue signalling?

We've not got many books in our house, both adults are degree educated professionals, but feel no need to have books. When I've finished a book I pass it on, as I've no desire to read the same book twice. We've a few shelves in the study with a few technical manuals etc, but these go out of date so quickly as to be obsolete as soon as they're printed, so we go online mostly.

The dc have books of course as they don't tire quickly of rereading, but I certainly don't think we're slobs for not having lots of books.

What are these books people are so keen to keep, and tell everyone that they must have?

OP posts:
TheSandman · 09/04/2021 15:55

It's still theft no matter how you dress it up.

Yep.

Bluesheep8 · 09/04/2021 15:59

*It's still theft no matter how you dress it up.

Yep.*

The Book Thief

GuildfordGal · 09/04/2021 16:09

Because I wasn't stealing a book. I was stealing an unconsidered 'shabby chic defurb, isn't this twee?' interior design wank prop that would - if I hadn't rescued/saved it - never been read and been thrown in a skip the next time the place was redecorated

What infuriating, arrogant, deluded rubbish. You stole.

You stole a book that belonged to someone else. I repeat: that's NOT being a book lover, it's simply theft.

Awful behaviour.

adrianmolesmole · 09/04/2021 16:13

I was stealing an unconsidered 'shabby chic defurb, isn't this twee?' interior design wank prop that would - if I hadn't rescued/saved it - never been read and been thrown in a skip the next time the place was redecorated.

YOU decided that, how do you know that it wouldn't be read or didn't belong to someone specifically (like the owner)? Have you even read it yourself? Or have you stolen just to put on your own shelf, or to sell and make money from it?

Chicchicchicchiclana · 09/04/2021 16:53

@Bishbashbosh101

A particular recent favourite of mine was someone who wanted recommendations for books to have on display on a special shelf somewhere that every visitor would see in her house.

But that is someone who clearly doesn't have books. Not the fault of the people who have books. Those people would never think to buy a pretend book.

You need to decide who you have a problem with.

Well no, actually, this is someone who does have books she just wanted recommendations for impressive books for the special shelf.

Also, why do I have to decide who I have a problem with? It's pretty obvious that I dislike the fetishisation of books. Owning books is a whole world away from reading books. And neither past time is compulsory.

Bishbashbosh101 · 09/04/2021 16:55

I think I will go into Waterstones and select some books that others would inevitably purchase as clever and trendy decor, but which only I would love and appreciate.

I will not pay for them because I am not stealing books, I am stealing decor. If stopped at the door, I will explain that it's ok because I'm just stealing unloved decor.

PopAyetheSailorMam · 09/04/2021 17:16

@Bishbashbosh101

It must be exhausting in your head, OP.

I have lots of books.
You don't have books.
I don't know why you don't have lots of books or why you don't want them. I am confused about what you do when you can't sleep.
You don't know why I don't know.
We're different.
I don't know what virtue could possibly be signalled by any of this ignorance.
The end.

I see this as a ‘Scandi noir’ series. Off to find a Bergman to star in it.
RampantIvy · 09/04/2021 17:25

[quote SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]@RampantIvy - I think the reason I reread books a lot is, at least partly, the fact that I skim read, so I do miss things first time round, and when I reread, I find new things. I know I also like the familiarity of well-known books when my mood is particularly low - and I judge myself negatively for both of these things.[/quote]
@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius I rewatched the entire series of Line of Duty, and didn't realise until the second watch how much I must have missed first time, so I know what you mean.

Elphame · 09/04/2021 17:32

I have well over a 1000 books and I actually worry about the weight of my upstairs bookcases on my old floor joists.

I don't have TV though.

RampantIvy · 09/04/2021 17:36

I don't have TV though.

We do. We have three TVs in our house. I read, I also enjoy watching proper TV Grin

Watching it on a laptop/tablet is not the same, and the sound quality is awful.

Elphame · 10/04/2021 22:40

Watching it on a laptop/tablet is not the same, and the sound quality is awful

Don't do that either! I generally buy a couple of books a week in paper format and download some throwaway fiction for the kindle.

I just lost the habit about 20 years ago and even if there is a TV in the room ( eg hotel) it doesn't occur to me that I could switch it on.

DancingQueen85 · 10/04/2021 22:45

I got rid of the majority of my books as I read most things on my kindle nowadays. DC have lots of them

RedcurrantPuff · 10/04/2021 22:45

I used to have loads of books out but I don’t now. Just a few recipe/reference/work textbooks. Everything else is on my kindle now. I don’t re read books really so other than a few favourites I gave all mine away or put them in the loft.

Tallybo · 10/04/2021 22:45

Sounds like quite a niche, I've never had anyone mention the books in their house, let alone cast judgement. We have a fair few as both me and DH often re-read series' of books, but tend to now buy them on kindle. No bookcase though, just shelves

me4real · 11/04/2021 02:03

I find it daunting to get down to reading nowadays.

A Youtube on a subject is somehow more accessible/seems less hard work.

But this evening I did open a book (!) I need to read for book club and am skimming it. It was ok once I got going.

I don't have a TV just laptop. Don't have much money and as I can watch everything I watch on the lappy, a TV would be an unnecessary outlay.

RandomGrammarPun · 11/04/2021 08:08

That's interesting and just goes to shoe how we are all different, because I can't bear videos or YouTube stuff for instructional stuff - too slow and don't get to the point and, of course, you can't skim view like you can skim read.

Most documentaries are also too slow and too shallow compared to a book on the same subject, but obviously for something like travel, it's far better to see footage of a place and people, more immersive. For the most part, though, I find videos too slow and hard work with far less reward.

Elphame · 11/04/2021 09:13

Most documentaries are also too slow and too shallow compared to a book on the same subject

This is a big part of why I lost interest in TV so completely. It was getting to be more about the presenter than the subject. By the time they'd told you what they were going to tell you, recapped after each commercial break and told you (again) what was coming up there was about 5 minutes real content in an hour of programming.

Waste of time.

Coving · 11/04/2021 09:22

@Elphame

Most documentaries are also too slow and too shallow compared to a book on the same subject

This is a big part of why I lost interest in TV so completely. It was getting to be more about the presenter than the subject. By the time they'd told you what they were going to tell you, recapped after each commercial break and told you (again) what was coming up there was about 5 minutes real content in an hour of programming.

Waste of time.

To be fair some of the BBC Four ones, without ad breaks or endless post ad-break recaps, are still good, but I agree in general.

And there are some subjects that work far better than in a book, like anything about music or film, like Wim Wenders on Pina Bausch. I like Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema series, Neil Brand’s Sounds of Cinema, and I loved Antonio Pappano’s series about operatic voice types.

Heysiriyouknob · 11/04/2021 09:28

My house is built from books.
My sofa is made from books.
My children's favourite meal is book stew.
I have so many books that I am drowning in books.
Books.
I am clearly more intelligent than all of you.
Books.

MrsTophamHat · 11/04/2021 10:09

I'm a reader but the only books are keep (apart from the childrens' books) are ones that look pretty. I'm doing some shelves in my bedroom at the moment so i'm looking for some with green spines.

Once i've read a book I rsrely read it again so I don't see the point in keeping them. I use the local library a lot, the charity shops and my kindle mainly.

RampantIvy · 11/04/2021 10:15

It was getting to be more about the presenter than the subject. By the time they'd told you what they were going to tell you, recapped after each commercial break and told you (again) what was coming up there was about 5 minutes real content in an hour of programming.

I agree with you. They are so tedious. There are still some amazing gems though. We tend to avoid the ones presented by well known "slebs", but even some of them are really interesting. DH and I really enjoy watching railwat journey programmes and the best ones have been on channel 5. I have also started watching a lot of history programmes on Yesterday.

I dislike the way some programmes are dumbed down, but there are still some worth watching.

Francescaisstressed · 11/04/2021 10:27

This screams that its aimed at someone in particular or you are defensive. I did English lit at uni and love reading and have loads of books, lots of which are now sentimental. I have never looked at someone else's house and thought what you suggest if they did or didn't have books..
Why so judgemental?

JaninaDuszejko · 11/04/2021 10:53

@Heysiriyouknob

My house is built from books. My sofa is made from books. My children's favourite meal is book stew. I have so many books that I am drowning in books. Books. I am clearly more intelligent than all of you. Books.
Do you have some of this furniture?
Heysiriyouknob · 11/04/2021 11:03

@JaninaDuszejko yes of course I do. I just love being surrounded by them.

In all seriousness though, I care that a person is nice and not an absolute twat. My test of that isn't that they have a heaving bookshelf in their sitting room.

I can't say it's something I've ever thought about because I couldn't give a shit about what others chose to do in their spare time.

I currently have a huge box of books in my shed. They have been carted around three house moves now and are now damp and ruined and destined for the tip because I decided a couple of moved again that I didn't want books cluttering up the place.

I have ten or so books that I love and have read and re read since I was a teen. I'll keep those. But as the years have gone on I've become less interested. I read things on the internet. Shoot me.

Glitterblue · 11/04/2021 11:13

@1Morewineplease I'm the same. DH, DD and I all love reading and love books. We have shelves full of books in the alcove next to the fire, 2 bookcases in our bedroom and DD has one massive bookcase plus shelves in the alcove next to the fireplace in her room. We don't get rid of books, we all reread them and I agree that they are like old friends. I guess it's all down to whether you're a book lover or not. FIL has read one book in his whole life. DH and I have said to each other onnthe subject of FIL that we couldn't live without books but that's not us judging, just commenting on how different we are to him. I wouldn't like not to have more books in my home, it wouldn't feel right to me. But I don't judge friends who don't have them in their houses because books are not important to them, and they're happy with their lives and homes as they are.