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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 We've a few shelves in the study with a few technical manuals etc, but these go out of date so quickly as to be obsolete as soon as they're printed, so we go online mostly.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:
thebillyotea · 11/04/2021 11:21

@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.
are you trying to be funny, or are you boasting about being allergic to books or something?

I never understand these posts, does it make you feel so inferior that others prefer a house full of books (or plants, or pets, or children...)?
WHY?

Heysiriyouknob · 11/04/2021 11:53

@thebillyotea just being light and making light of things. No horrid motive. Apologies if it pissed you off, the thought of it just made me chuckle that's all.

Heysiriyouknob · 11/04/2021 11:57

Also, I don't feel inferior! Anyone can do as they please, as I said in my other post, I don't generally notice.

I used to have books about but one day I just decided I didn't want "stuff". But I appreciate others don't see books as stuff. But my view is mine and no reflection on anyone else.

Confusedandshaken · 11/04/2021 12:33

The digital age is changing the way we consume culture. You can no longer assume that a house without books means people don't read. Books, DVDs and CDs, magazines and paper news media are becoming obsolete just as videos, cassettes, vinyl, 8-track tapes, 78s and transistor radios have done.

I read a lot, at least 2 novels a week, but recently gave away over a thousand books as the Kindle is so much more convenient. We still have many, many shelves of books in the studies and upstairs hall but guests wouldn't see them. We no longer have any cassettes or videos (although DH insists on keeping all the vinyl - packed in boxes in the garage for over 25 years!!). I read papers and magazines on my iPad. Now I'm retired I watch, listen and read more than I've ever had time to do before but the clutter is greatly reduced. Heaven!

RampantIvy · 11/04/2021 15:49

The digital age is changing the way we consume culture. You can no longer assume that a house without books means people don't read. Books, DVDs and CDs, magazines and paper news media are becoming obsolete just as videos, cassettes, vinyl, 8-track tapes, 78s and transistor radios have done.

So true. I belong to a book club. As soon as the next book is decided I download it onto my kindle. Interestingly only one other member reads on her kindle. The rest order their books and wait up to a week for them to be delivered. We still have DVDs and CDs. DD is a student, but still watches Harry Potter films over and over again.

Elphame · 11/04/2021 16:26

I like to actually own a copy of media that I have paid for.

Kindle only gives you a licence. When it ceases to exist (which it will at some point) then those books I've paid for will all disappear unless I work out how to download and store them on my own storage media. I guess that if I delete my Amazon account I'll also lose all the books so I'm trapped into having an Amazon account.

I won't miss most of them but there are a few I'd need to track down a physical copy of. It's easier to buy a paper version in the first place and not all the books I buy are available in e-format.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 11/04/2021 16:32

This is exactly why I keep so many books, @Elphame. And I think too few people know about the licence issue with Amazon.

CounsellorTroi · 11/04/2021 16:37

Kindle only gives you a licence. When it ceases to exist (which it will at some point) then those books I've paid for will all disappear unless I work out how to download and store them on my own storage media. I guess that if I delete my Amazon account I'll also lose all the books so I'm trapped into having an Amazon account.

I wonder if this is also true of the Ibooks app? I use both of them.

nancywhitehead · 11/04/2021 16:42

I get quite emotionally attached to books and I like having them around, I find them comforting. We have a lot of books in our house. I don't think there's anything wrong with people who don't, though.

MrsPsmalls · 11/04/2021 17:08

Yeah I used to own books and now I don't. I don't miss them at all. They went the same way as DVDs and CDs for me. I still read. I can still revisit stuff on the kindle if I want, and professional books are online. Parents and pils houses are stuffed with books. I dread having to get rid of them all. DH is trying to sell some of his last remaining engineering books at the moment. No takers of course as it is all available electronically. Books make a house look elderly to me, like too many ornaments or photos.

Elphame · 11/04/2021 19:26

@CounsellorTroi

Kindle only gives you a licence. When it ceases to exist (which it will at some point) then those books I've paid for will all disappear unless I work out how to download and store them on my own storage media. I guess that if I delete my Amazon account I'll also lose all the books so I'm trapped into having an Amazon account.

I wonder if this is also true of the Ibooks app? I use both of them.

Almost certainly

Apple Books uses epub I believe which is more open format than Kindle. The issue would be getting the books out of the Apple universe and stored onto another device.

I've never bothered with Apple Books as you can only read them on Apple devices. When my second kindle died I was at least able to use my iPad as a e-reader. The kindle app gets more and more unwieldy with each new "improvement". I'm assuming they want me to buy a new kindle!

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 11/04/2021 19:27

@adrianmolesmole

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?

I must remember this defence when removing a guitar from the wall of a local venue. They don't know that it's a musical instrument with provenance and a resale value of several grand - AND I know how to play guitar, so I'd obviously enjoy it more than anybody else before sticking it on eBay
mathanxiety · 12/04/2021 01:04

Why would you steal a book & why would you brag about it?

It was probably bought by the pound just to occupy the shelves.
Books are like love and light. They are meant to be read, shared, spread around.

We have a lot of Little Free Library boxes where I live. They are free as you would surmise, and operate on the honour system. You might find something lovely in one, or even valuable. Or just something you would like to read. You can take several and never deposit any. Or deposit lots..

The local public library stopped issuing fines for late or even completely lost books a few years ago and the result was many, many more people using the library, especially families with little children. Books were being read, which is what they are for, and children were enjoying the experience of reading. Parents didn't have to dread the hassle of finding and returning books by a certain date, or fussing about the cost of late fees or charges for lost books. The late charges, though minimal, and the book recovery charges - not minimal - were keeping people away from the library and all its wonders.

I don't know if the normal rules of property always apply to books. Certainly some, some of the time, but not all, all of the time.

GreyhoundG1rl · 12/04/2021 01:07

I don't know if the normal rules of property always apply to books. Certainly some, some of the time, but not all, all of the time.
What a load of tripe.

mathanxiety · 12/04/2021 01:50

Care to expand?

BeyondMyWits · 12/04/2021 08:18

I don't know if the normal rules of property always apply to books. Certainly some, some of the time, but not all, all of the time

Yes they do, all of the time. I can use a book of mine to prop the wobbly leg of a table if I want. That does not mean you can steal it because you disapprove. I could rip it in half, I could cover it in brown paper, I can paint pictures in it, I can pile them on a bookshelf because I think they look pretty. I can use them in a heap to keep my door open if I want. They still belong to me and you taking them would be theft.

I can put them in a box at the end of my drive saying "free" , then you can take them and it is not stealing.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/04/2021 13:56

@mathanxiety - if someone came into my house and decided I was using my books as decoration, would they have the right to take any they chose?

If someone owns a book, whether the owner is a private person or a public organisation or business, surely it is still legally a possession, and therefore the normal rules of property - and theft - would apply to them.

Thewinterofdiscontent · 12/04/2021 16:08

In defence of the book thief, the restaurant clearly wasn’t giving the book the respect it deserved. Plonking a first edition where anyone could get food all over it isn’t a great idea.

Blah1881 · 12/04/2021 16:45

I have hundreds of books and re-read them regularly. I read several books a week and always have- favourite being mid century English literature. I have all the books I ever owned in shelves around the house- it makes me feel secure. I generally love clutter- I also have maybe 200 framed prints and postcards around the house. But yes, the house is like a book grotto. It’s not virtue signalling- my husband doesn’t read, nor do most of my friends- and they are more successful than me. I just love books.

Blah1881 · 12/04/2021 16:56

Actually back in the 18th century reading fiction was considered a dissolute and corrupting activity, and there was quite a moral panic- sort of like with computer games today. I see computer games now being considered as more of an art form and gaming being viewed as more of an improving activity.

pallisers · 12/04/2021 21:46

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

At the beginning of the pandemic people on zoom calls began to realise that their bookshelves in the background could be used to send a message about what kind of person they were. A wonderful bookstore near me (The Brattle Bookstore) saw the market and started a service where they would ask what message you wanted to send and then "curate" a bookshelf for you and send you the books :)

Phrenologist · 12/04/2021 22:18

@pallisers

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

At the beginning of the pandemic people on zoom calls began to realise that their bookshelves in the background could be used to send a message about what kind of person they were. A wonderful bookstore near me (The Brattle Bookstore) saw the market and started a service where they would ask what message you wanted to send and then "curate" a bookshelf for you and send you the books :)

Grin

How specific could you be about your ‘message’? Like ‘multilingual intellectual with a relatable liking for quirky graphic novels’ or ‘Zizek, Baidrillard and the complete works of Katie Price’? Grin

pallisers · 12/04/2021 23:12

As specific as you wanted :) They were prepared to "curate" any impact you wanted to make - you told them what you wanted to project and they found the books for that (I admired their pivot as their store was closed for months).

GreyhoundG1rl · 12/04/2021 23:20

That is clever. To quote some philosopher who's name escapes me (!) The key to success is: Find a need and fill it.
They've done that magnificently Grin

pallisers · 12/04/2021 23:22

I know! it really is a fabulous book shop too.

www.brattlebookshop.com/

But not embarrassed to offer "decorating with books" services.