angie Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Hey, Is it just me or does any of you out there like to keep their books on display?I know lots of people who read a book then give it away or sell it.I just cant bare to part with them even if I didnt particularly enjoy it.I nagged my partner until he put up a very large set of bookcases and shelves,only to find now ive run out of space already lol. I like to enjoy looking at what I have aquired over the years and also have a "to read" shelf.Is anybody out there as sad as I am?I really love books and would love to live in a library. Ange:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I only give books away (to charity shops usually) if I haven't really enjoyed them. If I have enjoyed a book, I need to keep it. About ten years ago, when I was moving house, I gave away some books I had enjoyed - and have been buying them back over the years ever since! I do have some disorganised piles of books around the place, but mostly I have them on shelves, organised into series, authors, and/or genre. I also have a couple of bookcases of Folio Society books collected over the last 28 years or so (gulp, is it really that long?) which are my pride and joy. My partner is quite used to me saying, "Do you think you would be able to make a bookcase in that space there?", and is very good at building custom shelves for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Hey,Is anybody out there as sad as I am?I really love books and would love to live in a library. You'll soon discover that you have joined a forum of the well read sad ones who would all love to live in a library of one kind or another! I have lots and lots of shelves, but only recently dedicated one to the books I am waiting to read (TBR) ~ I have no idea what took me so long. I keep a lot of the books I read, but I also give them away to family and friends and I charity shop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 When I was moving out of home a couple of years ago, one consideration when looking at places was to work out which room would be my library. There was one 2-bedroom place with a large, light main bedroom and a small and somewhat dingy second bedroom. I was planning to sleep in the small room and use the large one for my library. My main priority when I moved out was to set up my bookcases in my 'library'. It's by far the room I've spent the most time and effort on. So yes, I like to have my books on display. There's a 'Show your bookshelf' thread somewhere around here where people post pics of their bookshelves, if you're interested! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I only have a finite amount of space in our small flat, so I have to be choosy. However, there are certain authors whose work I collect, so I have all their books and keep all of those books. They are on the large bookcase in my livingroom. I only pass on paperbacks (and very rarely hardbacks) that are not by my "collection" authors and that I know I won't read again. Sometimes I come across a one-off that I know I will want to read again (for example, The Messenger by Andrew E Shipley) or I'll have been given an autographed book, so I'll keep hold of that, but nowadays I do pass on a lot of books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Unfortunately two hoarders in a small house means no room for anything to take pride of place, and with thousands of books between us, the books go wherever there is space to put them. There are book shelves in every room in the house filled with books, books on top of bookshelves, books in boxes in the attic and books in piles on tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steeeeve Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Hey, Is it just me or does any of you out there like to keep their books on display?I know lots of people who read a book then give it away or sell it.I just cant bare to part with them even if I didnt particularly enjoy it.I nagged my partner until he put up a very large set of bookcases and shelves,only to find now ive run out of space already lol. I like to enjoy looking at what I have aquired over the years and also have a "to read" shelf.Is anybody out there as sad as I am?I really love books and would love to live in a library. Ange:lol: I'm the same. I can't give books away. I'm lucky enough to have the big bedroom so I have four bookcases and if I get rid of other stuff like...the tv I reckon I can fit two more in if need be I love having them there. Not all my shelves are arranged so well but what I like even more than a shelf of books to be read is a shelf of books that I have read. Feels like an accomplishment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I have different bookcases for different books. My best books are kept in the bookcase in the living room, so they're more out on display. This includes our old books, our leather-bound editions, my large books, and a lot of our hardcovers. In my small bookcase in our bedroom, I keep a lot of books from my TBR list, and some of my favorites (all my Japanese books, my John Sauls, most of my little paperbacks I've had for years...). BF has his own for the same purpose...it contains most of his Greek/Roman history books, Hemingway paperbacks, and his Mark Twain collection. Our big bookcase in the computer room contains the rest. The least favorites are in storage in boxes in the laundry room closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I like to have all my books on display. My favourites, and most of my TBR pile are displayed by colour on two shelves over my bed - the centerpiece of the room. I also have a two tier wheely unit with my tv and playstation on - that holds all my Philosophy texts and my hardbacks. In the living room, there are three shelves in a corner unit with my review books, my Buffy books, and anything else that was left over after all my other organising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I have one large bookshelf in my living room that holds all of my pretty fiction books and my big art, architecture and design books. The rest of my books are in flat boxes under my bed and the bottom drawer of my dresser . I'm kind of crunched for space but all the books not on the bookshelf are easy to access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 We have three bookcases in our not very big lounge full of books. With a computer in the middle and the TV in the corner they fill one wall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 We have three large book cases too - two in the lounge (one of them also contains photo albums) and one in Coran's work room, which is full of mainly his software books. One of the book cases in the lounge is reserved for predominantly non fiction, and the other one, with the photo albums, fiction, as we tend to have less of that. In my own work room I have one small book shelf with books about writing and publishing and of course a copy of each of the two editions of my own work. There is a box of copies of my own book under the desk for when people order them, which these days isn't very often. I am thinking of taking it out of print soon. I wouldn't necessarily say that the books have pride of place - the book shelves are not open ones, but they are an important feature in our house. Most of them are mine rather than Coran's, and some of the non fiction ones in particular I have had for years - from a reference point of view (and in case I ever do write a follow up) I couldn't imagine ever parting with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I am clinically unable to give/throw books away - I find it hard enough lending them out (my friend Andrea still has my copy of Kafka on the Shore, dammit!) - so consequently have many shelves full of books. My garage is heaving with them as well. Worryingly, I put them in author order as well. Don't get me wrong - I don't alphabetise them, just put them together. I wouldn't want Dexter loose amongst my Lecter's... I do, however, alphabetise my CD's and DVD's - but this makes sense to me. Say, for example, I want to listen to the second album by Fat Freddy's Drop I simply search along my CD's (of which I have hundreds) for F's and bingo there we are. The same for my DVD's. Imagine the panic I'd suffer if I couldn't immediately find Wall-E!!! I'm a freak. A freak, I tell you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I have two book shelves one full of all my series and collected authors and the other full of random books I've read and 3/4s are my TBR. I also have a cupboard in the living room which I put all of the cookery and cat books and any that are too big for my book shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Between hubby and myself, we have a LOT of books, and they are basically all over the house! So in a way they do take pride of place, but only because there are so many of them that we have to put them wherever we can. As for getting rid of books - I really struggle with it. Sometimes I've ended up with more than one copy of a book for whatever reason, and I will happily give one away, but I struggle with the others - even ones I didn't enjoy that much. I don't mind lending books out - but only to a very small number of people, who I know will give them back. I've lost too many books when people have 'borrowed' them, so now I tend not to lend them out very often. Although if a friend expressed an interest in a book in my collection, I would happily buy them a copy:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 My books don't have pride of place because I have too many to fit in one place, but I do have books in every room in the house, I don't actually have enough shelf space, the are piled by the bed, doubled up on the 4-5 shelves I do have and on windowsills and tables.. I love each and everyone but I don't mind lending spread the joy I say...but give them back when they are finished... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arewenearlythere Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I keep my books in boxes, for some reason I'm worried that the pages might yellow in sunlight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I'll only give books away if I didn't/am not enjoying them or I've enjoyed them so much I want to replace them with nicer, longer lasting editions. It is my aim to slowly build a library of pretty, collectable volumes I can pass on to my (future) bookworm chikdren so even though my living space is confined to half a bedroom - no living room etc. - I still have a bookcase and a half filled with painstakingly, lovingly categorised tomes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 We have a relatively small house so keeping loads of books is a challenge. I have a bookcase in the recess between the lounge/dining room which houses all my history and non fiction. I have a nice display cabinet in the lounge where the books are housed on the bottom shelves and one partition for books. The rest of the cabinet is for china/Wedgwood and the like. I keep other books in my daughter's room (she doesn't live with us now) but it's getting more clogged up. I have to be strong now and pass on paperbacks that I've read - esp. ones that I know I won't read again. So far I've managed to keep our bedroom book free (except for my Sherlock Holmes collection:blush:). It's a good job OH is relaxed about my book collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I have one small bookcase where my favourite books are displayed. Then the rest of my book mountain is in storage boxes; I simply don't have the room to put them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frugal Mule Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I keep every book I read and often like to stare at them on the shelf thinking about each one and reviewing them in my mind I also have a little rule that nothing goes on the shelf until it's been read and finished. Keeping them is my little indulgence and I don't collect anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 A lot of my books used to be stored in big plastic storage containers which were then stacked up in the bottom of the wardrobe in the spare room mainly because I never had any proper bookshelves. Some - those that were being lined up to read or new additions - were stacked in piles in the corner of the bedroom or stacked in smaller piles on the desk or bedside table. My boyfriend, however, got a little tired of either knocking them over or tripping over them, so caved in and bought me a set of matching bookshelves for Christmas one year so most of them are now taking pride of place on them in the spare room which I now like to call 'The Library'. My next three or four reads though, along with my current read, are still sitting on my bedside table and those that have recently been bought are stacked on the desk waiting for me to catalogue them. I log each book I buy in a spreadsheet, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that, right?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandra Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 As many books as possible are displayed in the book shelves in my study. We don't have a big house and are very limited for space, so my less-favourites are stored in boxes on top of our bedroom cupboards and in the loft. I can't wait for the day when I can have loads more space for more bookshelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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