Do you keep your books?

[Sofia]

I used to keep them all. But quickly found it difficult to find room for new ones. So instead I keep certain ones and just give away others to either the library or anyone who wants them really.

[sib]

I tend to keep all my P G Wodehouses because they're the kind of thing you can read again - it's also quite difficult to get hold of some of them. After that, I'll probably keep books that were presents, and others I tend to not keep. One book I've often regreted not keeping was the Drones Omnibus by Wodehouse - I gave it to Oxfam. While I know that that's a good cause, it had a pretty big crease down the spine, and I often think that they probably didn't put it out for sale anyway.

I also saw the exacty same edition on Amazon the other day selling used for

[Angel]

Very rarely lend my precious books out. On the occassion that I have I have never received them back! Even my mother handles my books with caution, and constantly tells me on the phone that they are safe,

[greenchair]

I keep most of my books and I only donate them when it's a book that I didn't like

[KAY]

Definately couldn't give them up. no way!

[Liz]

Once I've read a book, I keep hold of it in case anyone I know wants to read it - that way I can either lend or swap with them. Books that I haven't got a hope of someone wanting I take it down to the local charity shops.

 

I only ever keep books if I have enjoyed them so much that I would want to read again, or if the book means a lot to me, for example... a very good friend of mind gave me his copy of The Woman in White in which he wrote a special message for me. Even if I end up not liking the book, I'll still keep hold of it for as long as possible.

[kernow_reader]

I get fiercely possessive of my books. On the rare occassions I have given one away I've lived to regret it.

[Louiseog]

Not at all give them all away!

[Weave]

I keep certain books but the rest I just pass them on...

[Nici]

I keep the best ones on my bookshelf to be read again and to lend to my friends and the rest i take to the second hand book shop near me to swop for new books

[DaddysGem]

I used to keep every single one of my books. But now i just keep the books i enjoyed, and i swap the rest for books i would like to read.

[kitty]

I Keep all of mine unless they were really bad. When me and my boyfriend move in together, he wants a computer room and I want my own mini Library!

[Polka Dot Rock]

I keep more than giveaway.

 

If I've really enjoyed a book (or if it seems something to me), I hang onto them. I like seeing them around - mainly on my bookshelves, but they're normally hanging around on tables as well...

 

But I'm certainly not averse to giving them away, as you will see here In fact, I like to re-home them: it's nice to think a book is wanted

 

I have this dream of creating a library of one's own. But as it's probably going to be a good while before I have a place completely on my own, the 'library' will only get bigger and bigger and bigger!

[wrathofkublakhan]

I am pretty loose about it. In general, they pile up until I give them to my local library or some charity. I won't re-read very many mysteries and I run through them quite often.

However, like most; I keep many to re-read.

Some of my favorite books have been used books that were gifts, "here, you need to read this" or "this is what we were talking about the other day" - examples are:

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

The World According to Garp

The Illuminatus!

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

The Stand

Sho-Gun

 

As you can see, I have some really good friends!

[JudyB]

I keep all my books unless they're really bad. I'm running out of bookcase space though. Borrowing from the library helps which is where I get most of my books from nowadays - if something stands out then I will buy my own copy. I also tend to buy my own copies of 19th century literature - in particular I am collecting the Rougon-Macquart cycle by Emile Zola.

[Bunny]

I keep the really good ones, but the others I put on greenmetropolis or amazon

[Bigbananas]

Most of the books I read I keep as I tend to collect books from my favourite authors, and will read them again in the future, plus I have become a bit of a library for my friends who borrow regularly.. Of course they have to promise to look after them and not fold the pages!

[Purple Poppy]

Bigbananas said

Of course they have to promise to look after them and not fold the pages!

 

LOL, a girl after my own heart!

 

I am a hoarder. I hate saying goodbye to books, but sometimes it has to be done...lack of space. So Green Met get some and charity shops get others.

[Bigbananas]

Sorry to sound dumb, but what's this Green Met?

[Kell]

Sorry to sound dumb, but what's this Green Met?

Green Metropolis is a site where you can list the books you no longer want for sale and buy others very cheaply. For each sale, 5p is donated to the Woodland Trust, 70p goes to the running of the site and the rest goes to the seller (books are listed at £3.75 each - the seller pays postage on paperbacks, but can add a small amount to eh price of hardbacks to cover postage costs).

 

There are thousands of books listed and it's the place I tend to check first when I am after a new book for reading circle as there are often several copies of books available, especially if they're popular ones. Then, when I'm done, I list them for resale.

 

And you don't sound dumb at all - nobody should ever be made to feel dumb here just for asking a question.

[Bigbananas]

Thanks Kell, will look into that site when wanting to get new books or get rid of some of mine

[Karen1]

I tend to keep the majority of mine, unless it is a book that I know I wont ever read again, in which case I either sell it on eBay, give to a friend or take to the charity shop.

[Fay]

I keep them, all of them. My wardrobe has more books in it than clothes!!!

[aromaannie]

I've had to start being strict with myself as I never read a book more than once so it's pointless me keepin them. I sell them on Green Met and here. On another sight i swap them for toiletries etc and I take 1 a week to the local charity shop

[Suzanne123]

I keep them ALL!

They take up a lot of space in my room