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The library is big, very big, not Library of Congress big but "What? You bought MORE books," big. At least that's how The Missus Herself sees it. She's probably right, I have reached the point where I might need to start culling the herd, or at least ponder adding an addition to the manse. The former would hurt me, deep in my soul, the latter would hurt me, deep in my wallet.
How many books? My guess is well north of 500, but somewhat south of a thousand. How far south, who knows. In addition to the shelves you see above, which make up one wall in my computer room, there are two additional, much smaller, bookcases in two of the other rooms of the house. Not to mention the piles of books on the floor of the computer room and the two piles of books in the bedroom. Hhmm, maybe I do have more than a thousand books.
The oldest book I have is probably the Bible I received at the age of thirteen, no, it's not one of those printed by Gutenberg, though I am indeed old, I am not that old. Second edition at best ...
I do not lend books. Probably (no, pretty damned likely) because of these two incidents -
- Hey, I'm going TDY to the Philippines, got anything I could read while I'm there? (No, not everyone runs the bars when not at work in the P.I.) To which I said yes. I loaned the fellow two books by Sven Hassel, upon his return I enquired as to where the two books were. He answered "probably still in my hotel room." I probably said something uncomplimentary. Yeah, I was pissed off. I was an airman, he was a staff sergeant, so no reprisals were possible.
- Had a very good book on the Confederate States Army which my former pastor expressed an interest in reading, so I loaned it to him. Months later, he had gotten divorced, he was involved in some minor controversy and had left my church, said ex-pastor moving to another town. His life was a wreck at that point (he has since recovered quite nicely and we are still friends.) I didn't ask what happened to the book, figuring it was irretrievably lost.(It was.) But from that day forth, my books don't get loaned. I hate borrowing books from others as well, I'm scared that a page might get smudged, or crinkled or (Heaven forfend) I might actually lose it.
So no, I don't rent pigs, er, loan books.
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Most cherished books? That's a tough one. If pressed I would answer with the following list: Swords Around a Throne, Hunt for Red October, A Time for Trumpets, Shogun, and no doubt a number of others which escape me at the moment.
Faves? See the previous list.
Military history is my thing (duh) but damned near anything by Tom Clancy (his originals not the "Tom Clancy with ..." stuff,), anything by Lee Child (Jack Reacher books), James Clavell (Shogun, Tai-pan, etc.), I'm also a big fan of: Stephen Coonts (Flight of the Intruder and the entire Jake Grafton series), Dale Brown (Flight of the Old Dog and more), and there' probably a dozen other writers of fiction I can't remember right now. I read a lot, there is always at least book in progress, sometimes two (reading, not writing, got four, or so, in progress on the writing side. Yep, I need to finish the first one.)
Rick Atkinson, mentioned the other day, is a big favorite, as is Ian Toll, and James Hornfischer was a great author, I was stunned at his passing. James Holland has done some great stuff on World War II, he also has videos on YouTube which are well worth watching, par exemple -
That video. all by itself, sent me out to buy that book (next day I think, at Barnes & Noble). Now if someone mentions his name and "book" in the same sentence, that's usually all it takes to send me off to look for that book (unless I know I already have it).
Oh, a book I forgot The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, a huge favorite, loved the movie as well. I've read (and enjoyed, and own) most of his son Jeff's books as well.
So yeah, books, big fan.
Have you read anything by Kent Anderson, especially 'Sympathy for the Devil'?
ReplyDeleteI have not, and a quick check online tells me that I absolutely need to read that book. From what I read, Anderson is an author worth delving into. Thanks BadFrog!
DeleteI used to have a lot of physical books, but about twelve years ago I started acquiring electronic ones, Mostly from Amazon but a number from Gutenberg. I also acquired several refurb Kindle Fire Tablets. Lately I put 128 gig chips in four of them and started loading them up, duplicating the books across the set. So far I loaded about four thousand, with about five to go.
ReplyDeleteI will never read all that I have now in my remaining lifetime, but it doesn't stop me from picking up more. Al least I don't have to deal with the physical books as that would be beyond my available space and shelving. I have lots of history, military and otherwise, various ones on different scientific and physiology topics, sf and fantasy, a little historical fiction, noir type of potboilers and many more miscellaneous ones.
Electronic books have saved me from living in a book cave, and if I lend a book, the original doesn't get lost.
Having yet another book to read is something to live for, even if you never read them all.
DeleteBefore The Fire, I had over a thousand books. I am getting as many of the replacements on Kindle as possible, as they can be backed up with tablets in various locations, assuring survival.
ReplyDeleteOh no! It happens, but glad you're recovering the lost library.
DeleteThat was me, my new phone didn't identify me.
DeleteDoes it really know you well enough to identify you?
DeleteWhen we moved into an RV I had to get rid of my books... I tried keeping some but there was just not enough room so I went to the Kindle. If I want to hold a book while I read it I can find one but most of the time the kindle (or tablet or laptop) does the job for my reading.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a house now but I still read with the kindle...
What I do miss was my non-fiction reference books, most about building something, those books in the e-format just don't do the job.
Yes, e-format books as a reference is difficult.
DeleteLee Child lost me with the one about an "Underground Railroad" for deserters of the forever wars; previous to that, sure.
ReplyDeleteOriginal Clancey? You bet! Was just mentioning to a colleague how I received a hardcover of the SDI one for Christmas when it came out.
Boat Guy
Which Child book was that? Be interesting to look at.
DeleteClancy was my go to, when he died, I was crushed.
Sarge,
ReplyDeleteYou and I are completely sync’ed on authors in the military history paragraph. Love them all. Killer Angels was required reading at “Armeee Training, Sir!” Explained a lot of “How,What, Where, Who, and Why” of the Army way of doing things.
Headed home today. Lot’s of reno on MBD’s house accomplished. My back’s incessant complaining will attest to that!
juvat
You should rest that back ...
DeleteBy reading a book!
That photo of the bookshelf is proof that in the dark...when all is quiet at night....that books produce MORE books.....alll by themselves! Electronic books have many advantages save for one, they can't reproduce the physicality of a paper book. I know Sarge, old school, excuse me while I go yell at the kids on my lawn.
ReplyDeleteThere is that need to hold that printed volume in my hand, smell the ink, the paper, the binding.
DeleteEh...more than 500 hundred and less than 1000...guilty as charged? I think my last official "accounting" two years ago was over 700, but there may or may not have been other purchases since then... I will say that my Japanese history, culture, and philosophy section likely outstrips any book store or non-University library in a 1,000 mile radius. I have occasionally "culled" them, but really it is just more modern books that were for the most part purchased used and I had no intention of reading again.
ReplyDeleteI have my own filing system and in fact perhaps get "excited" if someone mis-files a book.
Like you, I do not lend them. I will happily buy someone a used version before I lend a book out.
Biggest risk of new books? Reading a book that I like that has other books footnoted, just making my regular book store stop and finding "something I cannot live without", and getting into any subject I do not know enough about - first response: "I probably need a book on that".
I'll bet your library on Japan is impressive.
DeleteYes, sometimes reading one book leads to another ...
Then another ...
Then ...
But that's part of the joy of reading which some will never understand. Not in this crowd though, I'll wager.
Above 600 hard copy, approximately 3000 on Kindle. I purchase ebook first, and see if it makes the cut to hard copy to go into the library. We share many of the same authors. Seems to be something the commenters on this blog share.
ReplyDelete-Barry
Great minds ...
DeletePeople that don't return borrowed books are probably the same ones that don't return their shopping carts. Evil.
ReplyDeleteBINGO!
DeleteI have never made that correlation, I shan't forget it!
I started unloading books a few years ago to people who would enjoy them. Even when I loaned them I never really expected them back. The only one that pissed me off was an autographed copy of Joe Foss's autobiography. I lent it to my father in law and when he died my POS brother in law threw it out. Sending a dozen books on hunting and the outdoors to a friend for his hunting camp as soon as I finish scanning the internet.
ReplyDeleteSome people have no shame.
DeleteDamn, an autographed copy?
Double damn.
Moves have whittled down my books. One move, I brought three paper bags of books to the VA hospital's library. But yeah, I have a lot. Even more on my Kindle (backed up to my computer). Project Gutenberg has been a boon there for classics. My favorite one from there was a book about being present during the building of the Panama Canal, "Zone Policeman 88".
ReplyDeleteHold on and I'll go fish for a link.
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4786
DeleteI did lose some books when I went into the military. Parents cleaned out the old nest to make room. Lost a few while moving from base to base, though I tried to keep the number of books low as in the service one does tend to move!
DeleteI bookmarked that site, wow, always free. Another place I need to go spend time exploring and that book you cited looks fascinating.
DeleteProject Gutenberg will suck up more time than you might think possible.
DeleteI believe it.
DeleteHarry Franck, the author of Zone Policeman 88, wrote 15 more books about his travels (also available free). I haven't gotten through all of them yet.
Delete👍
DeleteBook...the repository of history and fantasy, and historical fantasy in some cases, sometimes even fantastic history. SWMBO and I used to have, I think it was 15, encyclopedia, most missing one volume. Go to the recycle center at the dump where they had a book room. 1932 World Book? 5 bucks. 1926 Colliers? 2 bucks. 1912 Britannica? 5 bucks. With the early '90 Britannica we bought from Britannica we had at least one from every decade from the 19-teens through the 1990s. It was great to be able to pick a subject and get a snapshot on the Thoughts of the Decade on it and see how they changed through the decades and according to the editorial bias of the publishing house. Also to see how things were treated. Look up "shoe" and in the 1912 and 1926 you got told not only what they were and the history, but how to make them, step by step.
ReplyDeleteWe also had, via eBay, a reprint of the 1876 Britannica Facsimile First Edition. The articles in that really go into detail. It was interesting to see things written by Franklin, and articles about economics in the colonies, and our currency in the LSD system rather than dollars.
The Recycle Center also paperbacks for a nickel, hardbacks for a dime. Picked up a little 1930s Don Quixote, in Spanish, for a dime. Ended up giving that to one of my step-sons teachers who was quite taken with it.
Alas, with several moves it became too much of an effort to move those hundreds of pounds in dozen of boxes of books. And lately, I've found it more and more difficult to read the printed page, so I'm relying more and more on books on electronic devices where I can embiggen the font, change the brightness and contrast, and, at bedtime, turn out out lights, read myself to sleep and let the electronic gizmo slide trom my hand and not worry about finding my place the next day.
The convenience of an e-book is real. Less weight, less hassle and yes, you can carry your whole library around with you, even add to it without leaving the house!
DeleteComputers, programming languages, and science fiction (mine); law, romance, and mystery (hers); cooking (ours) We share with each other, they rarely leave.
ReplyDeleteBookworms should maybe not be allowed to marry. I'll guess several hundred banker's boxes, with contents lists on the lids. Two of oriental cooking, three of bread, ... almost too many.
A practical man, that's what you are htom. I like it.
DeleteMy collection was ruthlessly culled when I retired and moved - 975 discarded, with 4927 packed in 124 banker boxes going with (I know the totals because each box was carefully inventoried so I could find particular books again). About half are on shelves now, the rest still in boxes.
DeleteThat's a lot of books.
DeleteGreat post! Thanks. I had every Real Clancy book in hardcover, but have since donated them to a bookshelf at work. I realized that I'd never read them again, my shelf in nowhere near the size of yours, and someone else could hopefully get as much pleasure as I had out of it.
ReplyDeleteI still have mine, somewhere in the shelves. I will reread them every five years or so.
DeleteThe only Clancy book I recall rereading was "Red Storm Rising", I've bought that as second hand paperback more than once, great story!
DeleteCook books these days are all on-line or a cooking show/short, I save them on the computer and if it's a regular thing I'll print it out and keep it in a 3 ring binder.
BUT I do have an older copy of Joy of Cooking!
Yeah, there are so many online resources these days.
DeleteWhen I moved south, my library didn’t. We sold off and gave away about 90%. I still have a number of books (which I’ve not counted). Until I found a reason to move. I too bought books of all kinds, but primarily history, biography, mystery, and action thriller. Most of the authors you mention are on that list, as well as John Sandford, Ed McBain, and John Grisham. I’ve saved a lot of cash over the past six years by joining the library and reading ebooks. I once had a habit of buying paperbacks 5 and 6 at a time, then eventually having to box them up and figure out what to do with them. There had to be hundreds, because it was 50 years, and I was a voracious reader. I only read one book at a time now, and only have one on hold at the Library. I’m not counting my Bible, or a couple of other continuous daily reads.
ReplyDelete~Skip
Ooh, and cookbooks, too!
DeleteMoving can really cull the herd. No plans to do that, but one never knows.
DeleteOne bookcase is the spare bedroom has a number of cookbooks. We use those!
DeleteHaving begun to "downsize", i.e. moving out of our rather large family house to a two-bedroom condo in more pleasant climes, I find I have to leave (amongst many other possessions, such as a shop and handloading equipment) my library behind; most of which covers one wall (8'x 50') of the RV garage, not to mention several other bookcases scattered around in the house (No! tchotchkes and stuffed animals precluding easy access to books are not permitted). Yes, I'm a voracious reader and have read (some closely studied) every book I've hoarded; those of little to no value have been given away or thrown out depending on degree of disgust.
ReplyDeleteI wish, like my wife, I could read on a Kindle; I simply cannot! G-d knows I've tried so many times. When reading, I like to refer back (maybe as many as fifty pages at times and then, of course return to the current page) to something the author's (or his character's) said which is contradictory to the present line (a good reason why at least well-known scifi author should have never tried his hand at mystery fiction); this is almost impossible with the Kindle.
My favorite book: The Hobbit. An enjoyable, well-written story line that defines the difference between good and evil (even for someone with an IQ of 80) without a single reference to the Bible, not that I have anything against the Bible which I've read (both Old and New) more than several times.
My most treasured books:
1) the 10 volume OED from 1937, rapidly being replaced now by Wiktionary and the Online Etymology Dictionary,
2) a 12 volume kokugojiten, again rapidly being replaced now by Jim Breen's fabulous online work: WWWJDIC,
3) my grandfather's prayer book given to him when he was bar mitzvahed a couple of centuries ago, published in Hebrew with sidenotes/translations in Hungarian.
Guess I'm one of the last of the dodos who must have the heft of a book in my hands to fully enjoy it.
Referring back, checking a map some pages down the road, holding that volume in my hand - I'm one of those dodos too.
DeleteI haven't found an e-reader that was comfortable to use. I tend to hold a book in my left hand and touch the page with my right (old, very old, habit from early speed reading training.) Devices insist that I'm telling them to do something, and do it.
ReplyDeleteThe user interface for a book has been perfected over a thousand years.
DeleteSoftware? Meh.
I hold the kindle paperwhite (day or night, it works) in my left hand (by the edge not the screen) and tap it to change the page with my right. Not the same as a book but it does work.
DeleteIt's all in the technique.
DeleteMy wife, years ago, asked me to get rid of some of my books( 500 plus) and I told her she can purge all my books after I’m dead and gone….
ReplyDeleteIf you haven’t read “Gates of Fire” by Pressfield, than your in for a treat!
"Gates of Fire" is on my list, finished his "A Man At Arms" a couple of weeks ago, superb writer!
DeleteQuite a flock here with similar interests, habits and hordes of books. I still stick to dead tree versions and reject digital books, but love the ease of internet research. Library shelves and piles are probably well over the 1K mark, plus another several hundred in business inventory. Almost all on military history or weapons related, but some historical fiction or thriller types (Clancy, Shaara, Lee Child, Tony Hillerman, Vince Flynn, C.J. Box, Alex Berenson, Brad Thor, Daniel Silva.) Most of the fiction stuff we listen to on CD version from the library on our frequent and long driving trips.
ReplyDeleteLike Sarge, I do not loan books, but sometimes give away stuff to good homes, or even library book sales or Goodwill, or sell them.
At one point I had the complete sets of Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies [and Navies] in the War of the Rebellion- total of 164 thick volumes, but sold those and use the digital version on line, to my wife's great delight. (Digital are MUCH easier to search than the hard copy!)
In addition to all that, I find Ancestry.com a very valuable research tool, and the related sites Newspapers.com and Fold3.com. Archive.org has a wonderful selection of books (especially govt documents) as well as their invaluable "wayback machine" for websites.
My wife is a voracious consumer of fiction and romance novels and hits the library on a frequent basis.
Yup, do love them books!
John Blackshoe
I can vouch for your taste in reading material!
DeleteHello, my name is Suz and I am a bookaholic...
ReplyDeleteMoving does tend to decrease the number of books for sure. My oldest is a first edition by James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans. It was my great-grandfather's.
What do I like to read? Pretty much anything that isn't red hot or nailed down. But action, adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, history, biographies are all fair game. And while I love walking into a bookstore and smelling "that book smell", most of what I read now is on kindle. I have the app on my cell phone, as well as on my computer. I like the enlarging font feature, and when traveling, my library is always right there.
Loaning? Not so much. I am more likely to buy you a book for a present then loan you a book. However, when I do cull through, I donate to the local library, hoping someone else will buy it again
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Not much for reading library books as I have noticed the authors I enjoy are not seen much in the library...not progressive enough tastes I guess.
Numbers? Definitely north of 1000...especially if counting cookbooks, gardening books, camping/bushcraft books, medical books...
If I have to have a bad habit, at least it is one other folks could benefit from at some point in time. I did manage to infect my son with the book-bug. Always made sure he had a book with him whenever we went someplace. Now I am working on my grandson...
Sue
Hi Suz, welcome to Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.
DeleteBooks can take us places we can't go, especially historical works (fact or fiction).
Crusty Old TV Tech here. Great library you have there. I have one 3-high bookshelf thingy with all my ham radio/electronic reference stuff in it, old QST's, 73's, Radio Amateur's Handbooks, Lord of the Rings, Asimov, Heinlein, McClain, Clancy...you get the picture! My oldest book (other than my Great Grandfather's family bible from the 1880's) is a dogeared worn out copy of Fahrenheit 451. That one sent on many trips with me over the years all over the world. Second oldest is The End of Eternity by Asimov, IMHO his best work.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten that book, time to seek a new copy.
DeleteI never counted since each move over the years cost too many books. I haunted the old used book stores that used to be in every town and bought thousands and then left them behind. I now use kindles, Sony ereaders, iPad and the occasional paperback but I still haunt the old bookstores and friends of the library sales because I know I’ll find old friends there. It’s been pretty dire these last 20 or so years because it is nearly impossible to even give books away and 90% of the used bookstores are long gone. On the road this week and got to tap a couple of libraries in and around Mt Vernon, Washington.
ReplyDeleteStill have bookshelves in all rooms on all 4 floors but find I mostly prefer the ereaders these days.
The e-readers are convenient, I'll give them that.
Delete