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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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 We've a few shelves in the study with a few technical manuals etc, but these go out of date so quickly as to be obsolete as soon as they're printed, so we go online mostly.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:
Kitkat151 · 07/04/2021 21:08

@GreyhoundG1rl

You seem quite defensive about it, op. Why?
Very defensive, I agree.....and I agree with PP that you don’t need a university education to be an avid reader
reluctantbrit · 07/04/2021 21:09

I have shelves full of books but I started buying more and more ebooks than physical books. I also was a frequent library customer as we started having space issues.
I re-read a lot, books are like good friends I like to re-visit so favourites are kept and every two years I do a clear out.
DH on the other hand will only re-read factual books. Novels he will hardly pick up again, maybe several years later and then realised he read it before.

I wouldn't necessarily discount a person for the lack of books, friends keep them in the bedroom I normally don't go into so from a first glance you could argue they don't read at all.

Babdoc · 07/04/2021 21:09

One day, in the not too distant future, my house will probably sink into the ground and disappear forever under the sheer weight of books it contains! Grin
There is not a single room without bookcases, apart from the bathrooms. Plus I had to get the joiner to put ninety feet of shelving in the attic to take the kids’ old books.
I do periodically go through and weed out a sackful for the charity shop, but several new ones rapidly replace them.
I am not “virtue signalling”, OP. I’m just a bibliophile. My most valuable book is a first edition from 1695, but I love them all and read (and re-read) daily. I cannot imagine how I would have got through the year of lockdown alone, without my books.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/04/2021 21:10

Doesn’t upset me if others don’t have bookshelves- books can be stored on a kindle for one thing- but everyone can do as they like.

I have some books on shelves, some on kindle, and some on the floor behind the bed! Grin

throwa · 07/04/2021 21:10

I have over 3500 books on my Kindle. I love books. I read a lot. I re-read my favourites a lot. I was delighted when they invented Kindles (other e-readers are available) so I didn't have to have bookcases full of books all around my house.

My children are still at the physical book stage although both have 50+ books on their Kindles as well.

I have 8 boxes of books currently hiding in the spare room behind me out of view of the Teams camera on my laptop. This has been culled from 12 boxes at the start of lockdown. These are all the reference / picture / factual type books which don't come across well on Kindle.

I am not sure what to do with the remaining ones though - I am keeping them just in case, although I know no one has looked at them in at least 3 years (house renovation etc).

CounsellorTroi · 07/04/2021 21:10

Being surrounded by books is like being surrounded by friends.

Chwaraeteg · 07/04/2021 21:13

I wouldn't be suprised to walk into someones house and not see any books. I would just assume they kept them in their bedroom or something.

It would be unusual not to have any bookshelves at all though, especially if you have children. I think there is value in having some books hanging around for browsing purposes. You never know what you might idly pick up one day and suddenly get sucked into. For that reason only I think it would be sad to grow up in a house without books.

I'm quite taken aback that you say you never read a book twice though! I think you might be really missing out! Reading back over an old favourite can be really enlightening. I've found that some books have held different meanings for me at different stages in my life. The best books have something new to say every time you read them imho.

ViolentVienetta · 07/04/2021 21:13

@Babysharkdododont

Sorry I've not explained myself well, I see that. What I was trying to say is, if you want a house full of books that's grand, if you don't that's equally grand. What I don't quite get is people exclaiming that they couldn't possibly live in a house that's not full of books, as though it's some sort of value judgement.
People say absolute shite all the time. The sooner you just accept that the easier life will be.
loggybear · 07/04/2021 21:14

i am an academic and barely have any. granted most of mine are at my parents' because we live in a small place - but people often think that's weird. however, having written quite a few myself - i much prefer living next to a library. the reality is that i can't afford to just go out and buy whichever book I want but I would only move to an area with a good library plus I can obviously access all the university ones in London.

I actually find owning books quite stifling....i love the transcience of library books, their sociality, the way in which it has been and will be read by others.......a little bit like internet - you do not own it but have access to it. i like that but as i said thats pretty unusual for an academic in my field

Ihatefish · 07/04/2021 21:14

I have loads of books, many of which link in with others so I might look sometimes up when reading something else, poetry books I read over and over. Reference books, cookery books -there’s lots of reasons to keep books.

I couldn’t live somewhere without a place to keep my books but I don’t expect everyone else to be the same. Guess someone might look at my house and think where am I going to put my 72 inch tv. But then I would much rather live without a tv than books

MissKeithsNeice · 07/04/2021 21:16

I see you OP, and I raise you not using a Kindle cause it doesn’t smell the same.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 07/04/2021 21:16

I find houses without books unnerving. I've lived my life surrounded by books and it feels sterile and unhomely without them...

2021youpromisedyoudbebetter · 07/04/2021 21:16

I have a bookshelf and lots of books that are in the attic as I do give out books to friends, family and donate to charity but over the years I've just collected and am a massive reader. I now have a kindle and audible to stop me buying so many, I am also a massive fan of the library but still seem to have an abundance of books. Reading is my hobby, it's not a case that I read to feel smart it's what I've always done to relax

GreyhoundG1rl · 07/04/2021 21:17

Did someone diss your decor on Teams, op?

PrtScn · 07/04/2021 21:17

I keep all my books. I have the party wall lined head to toe with bookshelves and books. Helps with soundproofing.

ForeverAintEnough12 · 07/04/2021 21:19

I read a lot. I also hand books on like you and I read a lot on my iPad. If I love a book or series I buy it in a nice paperbook or hardback! So not only do I only have two shelves of books, they look like they’ve never been read as they generally haven’t 😂😂

PerpetuallyUnderwhelmed · 07/04/2021 21:19

Don’t you want to pass on books you have read and enjoyed to your children? I want my children to be able to approach my shelves and pick up something they might be interested in when they’re old enough to do so. Browsing books is pleasurable so I like to create my own little library. Having said that, I don’t keep every single underwhelming paperback.

1frenchfoodie · 07/04/2021 21:19

YANBU. As a cookbook enthusiast I’ve c. 200 I’m unlikely to trim in any meaningful fashion but the majority of fiction hangs around because I’m too lazy to find ways to sell on or donate somwhere charity shops are not a thing. I dont think having 100s of the things makes me any better than minimalists, library enthusiasts or those that dont read much.

Original poster
Babysharkdododont · 07/04/2021 21:20

Now see, there's an undertone of spitefulness in some of these posts, a judgy "But where would I put my fucking huge television with all these books" type sneer. That's exactly what I'm getting at.

Is it assumed that if your house isn't full of books you sit mindlessly watching reality TV and eating microwave meals - that's the undertone in some of these posts.

Some people prefer to be out, see friends, excercise, study, DIY, whatever, rather than spend lots of time reading, and I'm one of them.

I'm all for live and let live in whichever way people chose, but this sneary attitude really does rub me up the wrong way.

OP posts:
1Morewineplease · 07/04/2021 21:21

It's not "a value judgment " nor is it virtue signalling!

Some people love to read, and re-read. Some people like to paint. Some people like to jog. Some people like to do yoga.
Some people love to watch telly all day. Some people love to cruise along canals.
Why can't people, who love reading have bookshelves?
As you are both uni folk then you should understand the attachment that some people have to books.

I'm trying hard to not criticise... but please think hard about what you're saying.

Not everyone is as interested in reading as you are... and maybe you're minimalist in your decor , but please do not judge people who love to read.

MapGirlExtraordinaire · 07/04/2021 21:24

Morewine did you read and understand the OP?

OP did not anywhere judge people who love to read! She judged people who judge people for not having huge bookshelves

There is a big difference

I'd have thought an avid reader would have the comprehension skills to understand that Wink

Shopliftersoftheworldunite · 07/04/2021 21:24

I am a passionate reader. I’ll read literally anything but I have very few books in my small flat. I would a love a massive house with a library but I live in London and am sadly not a trillionaire. I wish there was a non-Amazon way to easily buy books for kindle though.

GreyhoundG1rl · 07/04/2021 21:26

Some people prefer to be out, see friends, excercise, study, DIY, whatever, rather than spend lots of time reading, and I'm one of them.
That's just nonsense, really. People with books don't do nothing but sit in an armchair and read, they do all those things you've listed too.
You are incredibly defensive.
The whole tone of your posts are Listen, you bastards, I don't have books because I don't fucking WANT books, and that's ALRIGHT!!!
It is alright. So who ruffled your feathers?

LonginesPrime · 07/04/2021 21:26

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

I think you'll have to ask the weird people saying that, OP!

I have heaps of books because I like them, but I really don't care what other people do or don't read or keep!

Strangekindofwoman · 07/04/2021 21:26

MN has a thing about books. It's a MN thing.

I have very few books, I do have a kindle and a couple of big TVs though.