What Booked Hooked You First? Go and vote for your favorite first book that brought you into the world of reading for pleasure. I of course voted for Pippi Longstocking. They're giving away 50,000 books to a state, so you can also vote for that too. They have celebrities favorite books too which is kind of interesting. 
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I'm most of the way to my goal of reading 100 books this year, and I'm keeping track on Good Reads. A really fun and easy to use site, where you can learn about new books from your friends and acquaintances, write book reviews, participate in online book clubs and discussion, play an endless user-created book trivia game and keep your to-read list manageable. I'm Juliezs on there, so if you join up, let me know so we can share some books!my 'read' shelf:
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Sometimes I feel as if I'm drowning in reading material around here, between all the books and magazines. Which is honestly how I like things, I don't like not having anything to read. But there has to be a serious evaluation of exactly how many books we need to keep, otherwise it gets completely unmanageable.
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I'm most of the way to my goal of reading 100 books this year, and I'm keeping track on Good Reads. A really fun and easy to use site, where you can learn about new books from your friends and acquaintances, write book reviews, participate in online book clubs and discussion, play an endless user-created book trivia game and keep your to-read list manageable. I'm Juliezs on there, so if you join up, let me know so we can share some books!my 'read' shelf:
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Sometimes I feel as if I'm drowning in reading material around here, between all the books and magazines. Which is honestly how I like things, I don't like not having anything to read. But there has to be a serious evaluation of exactly how many books we need to keep, otherwise it gets completely unmanageable.
My husband and I have realized that we have a very hard time giving away a book once we've read it. That "once it is gone, it is gone forever" feeling. He rereads books all the time, there are always several paperbacks that he is picking up and putting down in strange places around the house. Apparently he doesn't read a book from start to finish everytime (weird, huh?). I only re-read a book if I really really liked it a lot, or know I read it and can't remember it and it is bugging me for some reason. But I like the comfort of knowing that I can put my hands on a book and not have to buy it again, or hope that the library has it.
I'm kind of analyzing here, what categories of books do I have, and what are my reasons for keeping them.
Books that hold fond memories, witness the several boxes in storage of children's books that I read as a kid and my kids read and are done with. They're waiting to be read by eventual grandchildren? Or as we say around here, visiting children (to not put undue pressure on our teenagers to produce granchildren soon!). (these I can keep!)
Books that I read and really enjoy and will read again. (these I can keep!)
Books that I've read and kinda liked and will probably not read again. (these need to go!)
Books that I bought at some point, and haven't gotten around to reading yet. (Mostly keep, and hey, read them already!)
Books that I've been given to read, but haven't yet, but I swear I will. (Then I'll decide whether to keep them).
Reference Type Books that I have that I know will be useful at some point in the future. (really? will they?)
Books that I've borrowed, fully intending to read them. (keep them separate, read them, return them).
Books that I've borrowed, fully intending to read them. (keep them separate, read them, return them).
For my art studio-to-be I have 12 banker boxes of books and magazines. Definitely have to narrow that down as I don't want to have more than one bookshelf in the small space. I think I'll try listing some of the books and magazines I know I'm not interested in over on the Quilter's Flea Market yahoogroup.
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This is a review I just wrote about a great fiber related book I recently picked up in the library. Textiles Today:A Global Survey of Trends and Traditions.
Here I thought this would just be a pretty picture book, with some textile stuff from around the world, a'la FiberArts magazine. Well, it is that, but the writing is terrific, and so interesting. Covers history, current scientific research being applied and used in textiles, military funding, textiles as shelter, recycling and "green" technologies. One of my favorite sections was on fiber being used in buildings, including quite a bit about the swim cube in Beijing. A whole lot of info in this book, that I had no clue about, and pretty pictures to boot.
This is a review I just wrote about a great fiber related book I recently picked up in the library. Textiles Today:A Global Survey of Trends and Traditions.
Here I thought this would just be a pretty picture book, with some textile stuff from around the world, a'la FiberArts magazine. Well, it is that, but the writing is terrific, and so interesting. Covers history, current scientific research being applied and used in textiles, military funding, textiles as shelter, recycling and "green" technologies. One of my favorite sections was on fiber being used in buildings, including quite a bit about the swim cube in Beijing. A whole lot of info in this book, that I had no clue about, and pretty pictures to boot.
At one time I was a serious bookcrosser, leaving books around town for others to find...it was a huge bold step for me who hoards books...but once I started it became addicting. I seldom reread books but I have a few that are just staples.
ReplyDeleteReading for pleasure came in the form of of "classics" that my mother had ordered...Heidi, Ali Baba and the Arabian Knights,...but what really sent me over the edge was poetry by Nikki Giovanni when I was in the 6th grade...changed my whole world!
Odd, I used to never keep fiction once I'd finished reading it. I had tons of nonfiction but my fiction was probably less than a dozen books. I read a lot of nonfiction and probably no more than a half dozen fiction books at most every year. Then a little over a decade ago I switched back to fiction (I read a lot of fiction as a kid and teen) and only a half dozen nonfiction per year at most. Nowadays I have to really love the nonfiction book to keep it, especially reference books, because so much online has made my nonfiction library outdated or redundant. My fiction, however, often tends towards books that were hard to find in the first place, so I want to keep them so I don't have to search and buy them again. Too, I've discovered the fun of rereading. And I read series, like mysteries and sci-fi series, so I hate to get rid of any books in a series if I'm not done with it (and of course the authors keep adding more books to most series). So, I'm drowning in books here. But your strategy, sounds like we think a lot alike about our books. I could go on, but maybe I'll just right my own blog now that you've got me thinking about it. I haven't posted a book post in a while.
ReplyDeleteI'm like your Marc -- I rarely read a book from start to finish anymore. I used to, when I had more uninterrupted time to read! But now I tend to read five or six things at once, a bit here, a bit there, so there are books in every room in various stages of completion. I reread all the time, maybe more than I read new stuff. It's comforting to me, like a conversation with an old friend, not as much work as a new friend! And I'm sorry I added to your addiction by giving you that box of books to take home the other day! :-)
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the new edition of Pippi with the illustrations by Laura Child?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Pippi-Longstocking-Astrid-Lindgren/dp/0670062766/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219453306&sr=8-3
As for hanging onto books, I pretty much only keep kids' books if I like the illustrations or if it's something I loved as a child and is in danger of becoming extinct.