My partner is of the opinion that once you’ve finished a book you pass it on; to a friend, to a charity shop. There is no point in keeping them.
I am of the opposite view. I love a shelf of books. When I visit someone else’s house for the first time I’m drawn to their books, to see what they’ve read.
A book shelf holds not just books of stories but memories. I have no recollection of what ‘Possession’ by A S Byatt is about but I clearly remember reading it on an overland trip across Zimbabwe. I do know ‘Middlesex‘ is the story of girl who grows into a man (a difficult plot to reduce to a sentence) and I read it under a palm tree on a beach in Cuba. On a long flight to New Zealand I read the epic ‘America’s Queen’, the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Some books remind me of commuting into London in my youth; the Colin Macinnes’ books beginning with ‘Absolute Beginners’.
I lost a lot of books in a fire it makes me wonder if I do need to keep books at all but then I look again.
There are books on the shelf that I don’t remember where I read them but I do remember being incredibly moved by them; ‘The Women’s Room’, Marilyn French. There are books that changed me ‘The Ragged Trousered Philantropists’ and books that I simply got lost in the story, Gabriel Gracia Marquez or Maggie O’Farrell. ‘Perfume’ has the best ending. ‘Tales of the City’ Armistead Maupin was a gift from my partner after our son was born. Tucked behind some DVDs are Beatrix Potter books from my childhood.
I don’t read very much anymore and I have weeded some out but it was wrench. When I begin to try to distill my books down to collection of favorites I struggle. I had five favourites in mind when I began writing this post but that pile grew and then I gave up. I love the shelves of books and I love all the things they represent.
This post is for The Gallery ‘Books’ at Tara’s blog. Pop over to Sticky Fingers and see what other people are reading.
A beautiful post and I agree that some books do hold precious memories. So many of my books have had to go now as we have so much stuff, but I have a selection that I will never get rid of. That is a seriously impressive collection of books that you have, amazing!
there is something about books that makes you want to hang on to them.
So nice books, I found myself turning the laptop on its side so I could read the titles.
really! that’s funny.
I found them really hard to photograph and keep it all in focus.
I do pass on a lot of books, especially paperback novels. There are some from my parents’ childhood which I will never give away. Books can be so sentimental x.
I wish I could. I do agree it is that sentimental attachment.
Now that looks like one interesting book case! I love hoarding books as well, but I remember finding books on the tube from time to time when I was commuting, from people who had left them there on purpose, in the hope that you would read it and then pass it on to someone else. I think that’s a nice idea!
I never found books on the tube – I did get involved in World Book Day and the aim was to give books away or leave them somewhere but I worried no one would pick them up. I don’t like the idea of an abandoned book!
A good collection of books at home is what saved me from zero interest in what was being taught at school. My father had collections of books on artists, musicians and great/classic fiction which sparked my interest and gave me direction so I think collections of books at home or at least good access to books is vital (at all stages of life!).
The thirst for books (outside school text books) – that spark your imagination and make you realise there is a different world out there, that all things are possible – is something we are trying to address with the children we work with the slums of Kampala. We’ve started some mini libraries for them and they can’t get enough!
I *heart* heart books.
I had little interest in reading as a child and we had no books at home. Something I made up for in my late teens and 20′s. Something I have no intention of repeating with my own son.
A fantastic legacy creating a library – everyone where ever they are should have access to books.
Beautifully written post, Gemma. I tend to give books to charity when they haven’t meant much to me but the memories revived by seeing old favourites on a shelf are wonderful.
It’s the memories that make me keep them – I know I won’t read them again but still!
I’m with you on the bookshelves thing but every now and then have a clear out, I always regret it. though
Can’t bear the thought of a Kindle. Lovely photos. I just know I would love your home! 
Oh Anya sometime you should pop round
I have become more ruthless, as i’m a hopeless bookworm. We’d filled one room & half of the garage with books, and it was becoming ridiculous. I have an informal system now, whereby charity shop thrillers/detective stories/”chick-lit”(don’t like the expression, but you know what I mean) get bounced straight back once read.
Others are, like you say, too precious to get rid of – either because of what they say, where they came from, or the memories they evoke.
You are a proper reader whereas I used to be a reader – makes it easier to keep them. The pile isn’t growing any more.
What a great collection. What lovely memories of reading you have
x
thank you
Posession!!!! I love love that book!
Possession. I didn’t get it! I can’t remember the plot except something about bathrooms – too clever for me!
I could lose myself in those shelves!
I think I could probably do the same in yours now I’ve read your post!
Gemma I have a man who thinks the same thing and that probably why we have NO book shelves in our home! Something I will be rectifying when we move to our new one! Most of my books are in storage and a load more are in the loft. I love collecting books and although I may never read them again, as you say I am proud of what I have read and what they meant to me. Xx
I regret putting mine into storage! never again.
I do hope you get your shelves Jenny X
I’m with you! I keep onto books forever because they often have memories behind them. My hubs is book obsessed – I once suggested buying him a kindle and it was as if I’d suggested we kill the cat.
ha ha! Kindle it’s like marmite! Personally I’m with your hubby not for me.
I only keep a few books which I return to for reference (but lots of magazines). I just never read a fiction book again so I’m always taking them to friends or the charity shop so that someone else can enjoy them.
I’m loving the new blog look by the way!
Pru
I know I will never read mine again (life is too short and there is so many books to read) but I can’t bring myself!
There’s a scheme I recall where you leave boos but tag them. Can’t remember what it was for the life of me. This blog post was a lovely read.
World book day. A collection of books are given out. They are all numbered an logged in a website and the idea is you leave them and the next person registers they have the book and then passes it on or leave it somewhere and the person that finds it registers and the journey of the book gets tracked – I wonder how well it’s worked?
I also love a full bookcase. I used to collect all the books I read but now I only keep those which I’ve absolutely loved. The rest are re-gifted, When you live in a country where books in English are very expensive it is a very welcome gift and people like to get a book better than chocolates when we go for a meal.
thats a lovely sentiment – I should do it.
I do like the look of a full bookcase but I’m afraid I’m with your other half, if you’re not going to read again then pass it on otherwise you’re just creating a dust trap
I’d rather dust them
Oh you do write a fab post! That was lovely. I am itching to get back into a good fictional read again. Love your book shelf!
ahh thank you. the post today have made me think I should read a book again – it’s been ages.
Big book people in this house. Although I was pleased when Mr Dad got a kindle as he had piles of reading books everywhere! Always find it strange when I go into a house with no books showing
me too!
Wow that is an amazing collection. Some books I would giveaway once I’d read but there are those books that should be kept and enjoyed again and again. Great post!
thank you and I agree!
Great post. I am jealous of all the places you have traveled to! I love looking at the books on our own shelves. Many are my husband’s which I have yet to read. I whittle them down every year or so but it pains me to do it and I keep the classics!
I guess maybe I’m hoping I can pass the classics on to my son.
i LOVE a shelf of books.. so homely. i find it hard to get rid of books, even if i’ve read them a few times. it probably is better to hand them on.. i loved the Curious Incident of the Dog in th Night – noticed that on your shelf. B
Curious Incident is one of my favourites – such a clever book.
We seem to have similar reading and traveling tastes! Reading this post was like hearing about old friends, Perfume, Garcia Marquez, The Dark Materials, road trip across Zim, I smile as they bring back lovely memories.
thank you – what a lovely comment made me smile too.
I love how you recall where and when you read some of your bpols but not the plot! I am the same and can not give books away without them being wrenched from my grip. Happy reading !
my memory is shot!
I used to keep everything – now, I do weed out some of the ones I’ve read, but can’t for the life of me remember! Not great at reading books again, even if I’ve loved them.
Like the idea of passing them on, but there are some I’d never part with, like my travel books, even though they’re way out of date – or ones from my childhood. Memories again.
Don’t feel I’ve done much reading this year, need a good recommendation to get me going. Lovely post.
I’ve struggled in the last few years to find anything to grip me enough to squeeze out the time to read it.
Travel books are a def keep – even out of day and will never to be returned too.
i am a great lover of books, never have too many, i like to keep them, but some times i pass them on, books define a person, can’t understand some people not owning any books?
I think it’s very sad when people don’t have books for their children and I wish more people read books for themselves. Thanks for commenting.
Even non readers like me hoard books!! There are so many memories stored in each book and its just hard to throw those memories away too.
I love your Penguin Classics
it’s the memories that keep me hanging on.
I am just like you… I cannot bear to part with books. I keep buying more bookshelves instead!
Love your memories associated with books. xx
More book shelves would be great – if I had the space for them!