Have you ever thrown a book in the bin?

[HopSpringsEternal]

I did yesterday for I think the 3rd time in my life.
The first was that book by Gina Ford when DS1 was about 2 weeks old. It was all the rage at the time but DS definitely didn't want to follow the rules. In fact it was DH that threw it out and I was definitely a lot more.content.
The second was when I got out my old Doctor Dolittle books to read the kids and I realised they were littered with the N word. In a sort patronising racist way "the nice n man". Didn't want that word seen or normalised by any other kids so in the recycling it went.
The last was yesterday. Lying in bed realised their was a Neil Gaiman book on my book shelf. Didn't not want a book of that vile bastard staring at me so into the bin he went.
Foot all other books if I don't want them anymore.I just take them to the charity shop. But I didn't want to inflict the above three on anybody else.
Has anyone else?

I think I've only literally thrown away books that were really damaged (i.e. fallen in the bath) or had chunks of pages missing, or DS2 had torn all the flaps off a lift-the-flaps book. But I've thrown a few across the room, and then got rid of them via a charity shop. Most memorably, that sacred cow, 'This is Going To Hurt' by ex (thank god it's ex!) doctor Adam Kay.

I really wanted to like this. Everyone thought it was amazing. It was a bestseller. It was on the side of the angels (or so the hype had it). I found it appalling - massively misogynistic, riven with awful stereotypes, and the utter contempt he had for so many patients that had the misfortune to encounter him ... Because I wanted closure on the book I did keep on to the end, and it became a bit of a twisted pleasure to log all the instances of misogyny. I then wrote exactly what I thought of the book, and by extension, the man, on a post-it, stuck it right in the centre of the book, and put it in the bag for the next charity shop donation.

The Golden Child. I loved the book, but oh the ending.

Im not sure they are amused as much as clutching their pearls

i’ve only thrown books that are beyond repair. anything else goes to charity/ music magpie type place.

Fair enough!! I love JK Rowling - she's amazing, imo. A great writer of both children's and adult novels, a decent and courageous person who sticks to her ideals, a generous philanthropist, and a strong supporter of women's rights ❤

But I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't think you were entitled to throw out any books that you own, and don't want anymore! It's not a crime to bin a book that you've bought with your own money - any book at all, be it the Koran, Harry Potter, The Sandman, or Stranger in a Strange Land!

(Besides, I don't think any big name authors are out there weeping over us binning their books 😂)

Many times. Books are so yesterday’s medium

Indeed. Didn't she say that she still got the money whether her books were read or burnt?

Years ago, during my chick-lit era. It was a book that came free with a magazine (what was I expecting?)(but remember free shades, combs, scarves, tote bags, shampoo, perfume etc… Even free chocolate!). I was no reader of high literature…

It was about a model (I think) called Perri, who pisses off to the wilds of Scotland, meets a rugged (boring as fuck) farmer bloke, who sweeps her off her feet etc, etc… It was so utterly shite. I pulled it out of my handbag & binned it on the Kings Road.

Yes! It was a brilliant tweet (which is par for the course for her). So no need for everyone to get hot under the collar on her behalf - she's fine with people binning her books, as they still must have bought them to bin them!

And it's not as though Harry Potter is getting any less popular - people are still going to buy the books brand new!

I was just one of those kids who was taken to Sunday School but was never suckered in by the fairy stories. I found the whole thing hypocritical.

Yeah just once, got one years ago for a work book club we had at the time. I can’t remember what it was called or who it was by but it was a local author so we picked it. It was truly awful. All I remember is he kept droning on about ghosts and being touched by a marble breast. It was too bad for a charity shop and some other poor soul risking getting it so into the bin it went

One of the Earthsea ones by any chance? Can't remember which one it was but it scared me so much I put it down over 30 years ago and still haven't been brave enough to go back to it!

ive only read the OP but was also coming on to say Gina Ford 😂
(She who must not be named on MN - is that still a thing)

I've binned a few that went mouldy due to being stacked under windows in cold damp houses! I think I ripped the covers off and composted them rather than binned, but same difference really.

I'm happy to cut up books for craft projects too. The average paperback is not a sacred item.
At the moment I'm reading a terrible kids book as language practice, and it will most likely get recycled or cut up for quilting papers at the end.

I (gently) threw my Kindle down onto the sofa after reading THAT BIT in the third A Song of Ice & Fire book. My partner, who'd read it before asked me very sweetly "Oh was it a nice wedding?" I almost throttled him!

before i ask my question have you watched the game of thrones series ?

I have now, I hadn't when I read the books. I watched the first series and decided I wasn't waiting a year to find out what happened next.

personally after doing some analysis, it seems danny was always ment to become the mad queen, yes the producers rushed it with the last season but all the signs were there and i think thats why martin has not finished the last book because it will be where danny does become the mad queen

He hasn't finished the last books (he says there are 2 more to come) for a lot of reasons. He's working on at least 2 other TV shows, travelling to conventions and doing lots of other things. Plus I think he's written himself into a corner with the books and doesn't know how to resolve it all.

true , but im not sure, id say its more the reaction the show got from danny being or turning to be the mad queen, that said the show did seem to suggest danny could be resurrected with the dragon carrying her off etc

Nah, he was struggling to get any of it written even before the show came out. The 5th and latest book A Dance With Dragons came out almost 15 years ago. I don't think it's got much if anything to do with the reaction to the show; GRRM has said his ending is different. And he won't change it massively now, he's spent 5 books laying the groundwork for the ending, it'd be too hard to change it now.

fair points, based on your readings of the books, what are your main summary points of who they become of the main characters eg danny, jon snow, please ?

I bought a book of poetry by Charles Bukowski in a charity shop when i had a poetry group phase a few years ago, it was son disgustingly misogynistic i put it in the bin. Absolutely vile,it didnt deserve to exist.

I read a lot. I always give books away after in the local free library. But a few years ago I started to read a book which in its opening chapter’s, with no warning, had child sexual abuse in it. I’d never read anything about that topic vey triggering for me.

I didn’t then know what to do with said book as the free library is for children to use too and imagine if a child opened it on those pages, the books all get mixed in together.

so my only choice was to put it in the bin. I’ve also seen another copy of that book in the free library so I removed it and binned it too.

Yes, a puff piece on Prince Charles (as was). Not one of the famous books, something I was given.

I like royal biographies but that one upset me as was so twisted in his favour.

I chucked it in the bin in the Paris metro about 20 years ago

I have to say I quite like Charles. He's a totally inappropriate choice for a king but that's republican me speaking.