Monday, April 21, 2014

Musing Mondays (Apr. 21)

April 21, 2014
MusingMondays5Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!


 Confession of a Bookaholic --

Honestly there should be a twelve step program for people like me.  I am a hopeless, weak individual completely taken in by the glitz of a cover or the promise of an alluring dust jacket synopsis.  I should be ashamed of myself.  Really.

Here we are, on the morning of the day we are planning to build yet more book shelves for our ever growing collection and I just can't help myself.  I have had one of each generation of Nook -- each bought with the idea that the new one had more upgrades and features and by using an e-reader I would somehow purchase fewer physical books to add to our ever-expanding library which could be considered a public library branch in size.  So, considering that we are planning this bookcase for the last remaining piece of free wall space in our little house, I thought I should possibly pay closer attention to the e-reader so I went exploring Barnes and Noble's Nook Book section and much to my horror -- there it was --a  virtual sale table.  OMG -- there is a page of books under $2.99 --- some free.  

Have you ever had a moment that you lost control and couldn't stop it, somewhat like Alice falling down the rabbit hole?  Yes, there I was.   I now have about a half dozen new books on my Nook.  Wellllll, I whine, isn't that was it was for? To reduce the number of physical books?  Ugh.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no help for people like me, no solution.  I just have to accept myself as I am, a weak individual, a wimp, when it comes to printed material.  It is part of who I am, right?  Is it really so bad, though?  I could have a weak desire for other things much worse, right?  Designer handbags or shoes.  Jewelry, Yachts and houses in the Hamptons?  Ok, not quite the same thing but you see what I mean -- having too many books, too little space to put them and not enough time to read them is hardly the worst of the problems that I could have.  

So I guess it isn't such a terrible affliction after all.   I mean, too many books could be useful -- to share with others, to use as decoration, to prop up table legs -- or to keep me current, to keep my mind sharp and to give me something to fill the hours and take me to places/situations that I would never dream of being.  Such a wonderful escape -- books.  

Yes, I don't think I feel bad at all about my lack of control in procuring books of any sort -- physical or virtual.   They bring such pleasure -- if even just looking at the cover art.   What have I learned from this?  That if I talk to myself long enough, I just justify almost anything!  

5 comments:

JC Jones said...

I could not have said it better myself. I turned my living room/dining room into a office library with 3 wall of shelves and have added more. I own a Nook, a Kindle and a iPad all full of books, many unread. There is not hope for us. I am thinking about doing a Little Free Library on the street at my house. I can keep it stocked if people just take books and don't leave any.

Boyett-Brinkley said...

JC Jones -- I do loan books out and for the most part am not concerned if they don't come back. There is a bin in a shopping center here, like Goodwill, that is for donating books so I don't think we are alone in our affliction!

Anonymous said...

One of the things I love about books is lending them to others... I read some books thinking X will enjoy this. As you say there are worse addictions to have!

Anonymous said...

I love lending my books to others so it is good to have full shelves so they have plenty of options although there are some friends that I think of when I read a book and think X will enjoy that one. As you say there are worse addictions to have

Anonymous said...

There's nothing wrong with buying books! As long as you read them :)

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