Thursday, October 16, 2008

Booking Through Thursday


Okay–here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.

Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.

But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.

So, the question is his: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?


There are a few long-unread books sitting on my shelves, but not many. Eventually either I read something or I part with it, and as much as I love my books, I don't mind cleaning the shelves once in a while. As far as long-unread books, what comes to mind right away is Gandhi's autobiography (which I read several times in high school but not since, and not the spiffy new edition I got for Christmas a couple of years ago) and some big Russian novels I really should have read when they were assigned to me in college! Otherwise not much.

14 comments:

Lenore Appelhans said...

I have quite a few unread books waiting for their moment in the sun... but the one which has been waiting the longest is The House of Seven Gables by Hawthorne.

Kimberly @ kimberussell.com said...

I bought "The Kite Runner" at a used-book sale a year or so ago because I was told I MUST read it. Unfortunately, every single book that has come in afterward via library, bookstores, or swaps have been read first. The Kite Runner is now underneath one of the speakers on my desk. It's in plain view every day. But it's still unread.

SmilingSally said...

Good morning, Marie,
You are GOOD. To be like you (having the ability to empty shelves) is what I aspire.

Wanda said...

Read 'em, review 'em, pass them on!
A great motto for those that can stick to it. :)

Shana said...

Marie, I'm assuming you enjoyed Ghandi's autobiography? Your list is impressively short. Good for you!

Shana
Literarily

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

You're doing so much better than me with your books, I plan to purge mine out a bit very soon.

Serena said...

I have a few books on the shelves that are unread, though the biggest pain is the Brothers Karamazov. talk about Russian novels.

Jules said...

I just cant part with them. Unless I disliked the book, I wont part with it. Although Steven Kings dark series may be given away to a better home.... But parting with a book is alomst like parting with a hand.

Anonymous said...

I knew it...Russian novels will most likely top this week's BTT chart! I say go for Anna Karenina if you haven't read it. :)

Yasmin said...

My list is too long to list...I have over 70 books on my TRshelve. :(

Anonymous said...

I try to stay away from books that are to huge, as they might just end up on a shelf,lol.
www.thesocialfrog.com

Anonymous said...

Ghandhi is a book I would like to read too.

Anonymous said...

I have a few of those oh-so-long Russian tomes sitting unread on my shelf as well.

Audrey said...

this is a very good question, with (for me) an embarrassing answer. There are many books on my shelves that I have read, and keep because I enjoyed them and want to have them in my collection. I've also been known to buy a book after I read (e.g., from the library) because I just feel that I want to have my own copy. But it would be embarrassing for me to count the number of books I have that I bought because I wanted to read them, and I still haven't. The deadline that comes from taking a new or long-awaited book out of the library is probably the only thing that ensures that I'll actually read it soon after bringing it home. I still haven't read Hermione Lee's recent biography of Edith Wharton (bought in May, 2007), the last P.D. James mystery (not the upcoming one, the one published in 2005!) and two of the last three Martha Grimes books (I did read the latest one, but only because it came from the library), and these are only the ones I can see from where I'm sitting. I'm even trying to follow a serial, because it sounded like so much fun to read something this way, and I'm now 25 chapters behind (out of 25).
I like reading your blog...I lived in Brookline for about 12 years and miss it!