Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Oh What a Glorious Feeling!

I have been struggling with an overflow of books. Normally this isn't a bad thing, but I have struggled with getting rid of books, any book, whether good or bad, interesting or boring. I have found myself physically incapable of purging my collection. The thought alone was enough to give me hives and set off a full-blown panic attack. Get rid of books? You must be CRAZY!

But like the crazy spinster with 100 cats, things had to change. It seemed that overnight piles of books had spawned more piles and things were getting out of control. Now I'll admit that, like the cat woman, I could be quite content in my insanity if left alone. But my family keeps shining the light on my 'problem', bringing clarity where I'd prefer a little darkness.

So for the past month I have been psyching myself up, trying to prepare myself for the inevitable day when I would weed out my collection. That day has come!

I cleaned my shelves. I actually took books off with the intention of giving them away, either to family, friends or the church. Yup, I'm thinning out my collection. Some of my favorite authors are releasing books in January and I decided I'd rather have some space to display the GREATS than clutter up my shelves with the OKAYS. And you know what? It actually feels kinda good. 'Course it could be I'm consoling myself with the knowledge that I have a book order on its way from Amazon, but we won't go there.

And you know what else? I got to spend three glorious hours surrounded by towering stacks of books as I sorted, cleaned, organized and alphabetized. The smell of paper and ink; the feel of holding great literature in my hands. Now I ask, is there anything better than that? It's an adrenaline rush for the bookish and let me tell you, I'm flying high!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hear you loud and clear. A book order in at Amazon. What could be better. Don't you just live for their "loonie" sales?? For you American readers, that is a $1.00 book, plus $6.50 S&H. The wakeup call that I am ordering too many books, is when I view my shopping cart (how cute is that) and there are four carts in a row!! You come by your love of books honestly Shauna.
DM

Travis Erwin said...

There are definetly worse household chores, but I too am a book packrat so I understand your reluctance.

Becky said...

I, too, LOVE my books...but have the problem of having long ago weeded out the "Okays" and am left with really, really good books that I actually go back and read again from time to time, and feel a great sense of loss at having to part with any of them. Some authors, I've bought every single one of their books, and so I couldn't bear to break up those sets.

I kept only a small handful of my vast "Love Inspired" collection when I moved, and I'm afraid now I may have to let go of my 4-in-1 Barbour book anthologies. Only because so many of the authors who wrote the ones I've loved have moved on to frying bigger fish...which I'm now buying. A girl has to draw the line somewhere, I suppose.

*Sigh* I'm trying to console myself with the thought of doing something noble by sending them all off to the troops. There was a clip from a letter (I think it was on Brenda Coulter's website) where a soldier wrote her after having read one of her books that someone had sent "to the troops". Now if I could just go through with it!

airingon said...

Way to go Shauna. I've been needing to do that chore too. Everytime I go to do that chore I find myself thinking I'll read that some day and the purge pile continues to get smaller. It certainly has helped me to put off getting rid of books when I can borrow yours. Thanks! I dread those kinds of tasks. (I struggle with movie purging also.)

Anonymous said...

Cleaned the shelf... Does that mean you dusted it and put all the books back? That's what I do! ;o)

The Daily Bee said...

I feel your pain. I have been psyching myself up as well. I need to make some room since I asked for a list of books that I've been wanting to read for Christmas... Books are so hard to part with, even the ones that are "okay". =)

His Girl said...

I totally struggle with the keeping too many books virus, too.


good for you!

Shauna said...

his girl - After I got over the shock of it, there was a kind of freeing feeling. ;-)