Between the Wars discussion

Hello Everyone,
I am planning to try and read from home next year after reading a rather delightful Book called HOWARDS END IS ON THE LANDING A Year of Reading from Home by Susan Hill.But as my Book excursions are a most integral part of my life I have decided that I am going to create a WISH-LIST of Books that I would still be allowed to hunt round for,the stipulation is that I must complete my list before January 31st as any Books mentioned after that would need to go onto the following years list.I am hoping that you will be able to furnish me with some titles that you would like to see as group reads next year so that I can honestly participate........
Thank You most Sincerely Indeed.

Hi DJ, does reading from home mean you are only going to read books that you already have in the house? And are you trying to gather all of the books now to have for next year? Sorry for the questions but I'm not sure I understand what you are doing. :-)

Hi Lee'Yes it does mean that I will only read books that I have at home or are on my WISH-LIST by the 31st December this year.The reason hat I am allowing myself a WISH-LIST is to let me try to gaher any books that people might think about suggesting for group reads as well as the fact the hunting round secondhand bookshops for unusual books is one of my big enjoyments in life and I thought to have a WISH-LIST it would still enable me to retain my hobby but possibly in a more focused way.....
I hope I made sense and of there is anything else you would like to know please let me know...

It sounds like an interesting project!

I think it will be...if I can restrain myself!!

I know it's going to be tough! I don't think I could do it.

Ah yes but my TBR. Is over 900 physical books and I still need to catalogue my Studio and so it should be easy for me.But this is why I am looking for people to give me ideas for books that they will possibly want to read next year so that I can either get them this year or have them on my WISH-LIST......
I can only try.....

DJ,

I loved Susan Hill's book. I especially liked the vignette with E. M. Forester. I commend you on doing this. I have tried to only read from my home library this year and have been about 90% successful...I was given some gift certificates to book stores and have I must admit fallen down that slippery slope of buying a few new additions justifying that a gift certificate doesn't seem to count as actual buying! Jane Brocket recently said in her book The Art of Domesticity-"There is a coziness, friendliness and reassurance in rereading beloved books and poems, the repetition is a welcome counterpoint to the sometimes more fraught and unpredictable nature of real life." Hope you enjoy your year of reading from home!!!

Thank You.I will keep everyone up to date wih my progress next year.
I do no hink you can blame yourself too much as these were purchased from gift certificates....LOL!
I hope that I will still receive gift books next year....
I have just realised he one hurdle I will face hich will probably be insurmountable....my annual trip to Aberfeldy and THE WATERMILL...it is one of my favourite "new" bookshops....I will need to think of a way round this one.....

DJ,

I understand your project I think. I am doing something similar. I allow myself to bookshop for anything that is a specific project. If I plan to do some research or writing on a topic or author, I allow myself to browse and shop for that subject on "book trips." Throughout the year, as group selections come up, I allow myself to shop for those books only. And limit to them, not everything by that author! ha ha So it has been working if I use will-power.

Also to mention that even with group reads, I have started borrowing from public library, especially if I don't think I would really like to own the book.

That allows you some continued pleasure in shopping, but also should allow you mainly the pleasure of reading from your own library. I haven't read Hill's book, but I would imagine she was looking for that pleasure of enjoying her own library, right? Simplifying and having more quiet moments rather than shopping moments.

You're the best DJ. So much fun to discuss books with and the love of books. I think whatever plan you establish will be a good thing for you.

DJ wrote: "Thank You.I will keep everyone up to date wih my progress next year.
I do no hink you can blame yourself too much as these were purchased from gift certificates....LOL!
I hope that I will still rec..."

You can always join me on that slippery slope and perhaps purchase a gift certificate for yourself in advance at your favorite bookstore....although what I can say from this project is that I have really fallen in love with my books again. I added to the project and cancelled my cable subscription so I could really delve into the rereading and reading of books I owned plus economically it has been a windfall. I started in January and the best part has been reading the books I purchased and just put on the shelf without finishing or I must admit in some cases even opening. Several were from the Strand bookstore in NYC and I had the added bonus of lovely trips down memory lane of my time there. One of the books on my shelf was So Many Book So Little Time by Sara Nelson. Her chapters on the etiquette of book lending and the stress of book recommendations was priceless. She also stressed that sometimes it was more beneficial to read a much talked about book after the buzz has subsided so you can truly appreciate the book. That so fit into the plan of only reading from home library for a year and I have not felt like I was missing out on anything. Plus I have really appreciated the gifts of books-I think a little more than before!!

I liked your plan too Sbaird. Especially canceling the cable subscript. I relate to that and really that is why I don't have a movie subscription too -- I have been focusing a lot of time on my reading. It seems like reading is one of the few things we do in modern society in quiet areas or rooms. I think that is why it is extra valuable to me. A true reason to shut everything off. Just that alone makes me wonder what non-readers do for quiet.

And you and DJ have both mentioned that books relate a memory to you of the time or place you bought it. I am glad you said that because I think that sometimes and wondered if others did. Some books are like literature AND souvenirs all in one.

DJ, you have over 900 unread books at home??? I'd say no need to add to the wish-list :)

I have about 250-300 that I need to read, and it can be a task, that's for sure. I LOVE the hobby of collecting books, but I just reached a point where I was buying duplicates because I forgot I already owned it, and even with multiple copies still wasn't reading the book.

I don't think there's any way one could predict what a book club will read next year, but you could definitely nominate only books you own. Either way, best of luck to you! :)

I am so happy you read Howards End is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home and that has inspired you. After I read it I did re-read a few from my shelves, but it also turned me on to other books she mentioned.

Cancel the cable subscription? I'm afraid I'd need a twelve step program for that.

Ivan wrote: "I am so happy you read Howards End is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home and that has inspired you. After I read it I did re-read a few from my shelves, but it also turned ..."

Thanks Ivan....although in my case you know you have it bad for reading when a bookshop owner suggests you should buy a TV!!

I'm actually considering having a " warm up" between now and the first of January as in I am going to start to try and only big books from my Wish-List but if I have the odd slip at this point I will not berate myself too much......
So Please keep any suggestions coming and remmber re Club Reads I am allowing myself to add books to my Wish List up until December 31st.......

I will keep you up to date on how the WARM UP is going...

I'm reading My Family and Other Animals because Susan Hill raved about it so.

That's Gerald Darrell if memory serves? I look forward to what you think of it....Sorry DURELL..

I actually have 922 physically owned books that I have never read at home and as I keep saying I still have to catalogue my studio which must have at least 1000 books in it, I do believe that I have read ( I hope) most of them but I truly believe that by the time I do it my TBRs are going to be over the 1000 Book Mark!!

Well, girlfriend, it does sound like you need to stop buying, and get reading :-)

LOL yes...But I would like to state that Wish List is so the I can gather up the last of my Agatha Christies and fi is off series etc....
Its not easy to stop when Husband says "But its your passion" and an ILL friend who also reads just says"That's not a reason. To stop!" You must admit it is not helpful....
I will keep you posted.

It sounds like you enjoy organizing your books and that shopping for books is very social for you, right?

You may have already done this but you might join a local discussion group that meets in one of your fav book shops or you might just have informal get-togethers there with anyone else you know who loves the bookshop and loves to talk books in general. That takes some of the pressure off having to read another book for another actual group for a set timetable.

And to help you have fun in organizing and re-organizing books -- do you donate books that you have finished with or change your mind about? I donate a lot and the process of donating is kind of fun for me because it means frequently going through, deciding on donations, and then reorganizing my shelves. That is actually becoming more fun for me than draining my budget and just having to find room for more books.

I thought these ideas might help you casually lessen your buying without it being a stark cut-off at some point.

Have you read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie? I really enjoyed that one.

I cannot imagine having that many books. It would make me depressed. I'd not know where to start!

Lauren wrote: "I cannot imagine having that many books. It would make me depressed. I'd not know where to start!"

I guess I must be wired differently Knowing that I have this many books at home to have this adventure with fills me with such a feeling of complete and utter bliss......

I just feel so lucky to be in this position as I know many people are not so lucky....

hi DJ I think I need to absorb some of your calm re the TBR lists!!! I am a little like Lauren and if a friend loans me a stack of books or I have a splurge I do get a little panicked and think I am never going to get caught up!! But then I went through my TBR shelf at home the other day which is double stacked back on the row and got really excited at all the books hidden behind that I had forgotten about and now am really looking forwards to reading!!

Ah Yorky Dear Friend it sounds like it would be easy to convert you to calmness in light of a large TBR.....Just remmber the excitement of coming across treasures to be discovered in your own home!!

I am intrigued by the idea of reading from home and a TBR list of 900+ titles.

My husband has a massive book collection. It has so taken over our house that I quit buying books years ago (my shelves have been overrun with his books). Fortunately, he lets me borrow his books whenever I want (he does not lend out books to anyone).

I have intentionally restricted my TBR list to books that are not here in the house, books that I would need to buy or borrow. I am pondering how long it would be if I added all the titles that we have that I want to read. Hmmmm. . . .

Sarah wrote: "It sounds like you enjoy organizing your books and that shopping for books is very social for you, right?

You may have already done this but you might join a local discussion group that meets in..."

Hi Sarah,
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to this......
You are quite correct in saying that shopping for my books is a very Social activity for me (that is why I still need to work from a wish list next year).
Re joining a Book Group in one of the Shops that I go to,there are a couple of them that I always chat about specific books with the staff when I am in(last week I was even force fed cake whilst in!)and have exchanged email with a couple of the girls who work different hours so we can all look out for books etc....I am not very good at getting to these shops for an actual group as they tend to be a fair distance away for a non driver like myself and we do not get well served with public transport.....But it was a lovely suggestion.
I confess that I am not great at donating books these days as I have done so in the past and then have years later gone to reread something to find it not there....I recently read a book I truly hated and was delighted to give it to a fellow volunteer who said they loved the author...I am also happy to give friends any duplicate copies that I have if they can use them!!!I find I get these as if I have favourite books people will buy me lovely editions as gifts if I only have it in a battered paperback.....In fact today I have been compiling a WISH-LIST of books from The collectors-library as I have an important Birthday in September and I had asked Husband to get me a really good copy of PETER PAN which believe it or not I do not have and have never read,I happened to be in WATERSTONES and found the most per-jink little edition-I purchased it on the spot as I knew Husband would be happy to put it away.And now I am compiling a Wish-List as I asked Husband if he could ask anyone who says about a gift to get me one of this set that I would like...They range from £7.99-£9.99 in Waterstones but can be purchased at about two thirds the price on AMAZON,which doesn`t seem too bad to me.......I can think of nothing nicer than having this small Birthday shelf of Books that I would love....I am considering putting a couple of my favourites down as I only have them in paperback(I admit I probably would keep this couple of paperbacks in case I ever had to go into hospital or anything,so that I would not worry about their loss!).I will let you know how this plan goes!!!!
I really appreciate you trying to help me hitting that sudden cut off....and I just want to say that the books on next years WISH-LIST will not be allowed to be read until the following year.
I am really looking forward to sorting and re-catagorising my books over the winter,as I want to really get them organised for my adventure.......

Pat wrote: "I am intrigued by the idea of reading from home and a TBR list of 900+ titles.

My husband has a massive book collection. It has so taken over our house that I quit buying books years ago (my sh..."

Fortunately for me Husband isn`t really a reader...so more bookcase space for me!
Although he has just asked for a book for our Anniversary.......

DJ wrote: "That's Gerald Darrell if memory serves? I look forward to what you think of it....Sorry DURELL..

I actually have 922 physically owned books that I have never read at home and as I keep saying I st..."

I'm so happy to see that someone else has a ginormus TBR pile. I have about 500 books in mine and yet I continue to purchase books. Every once in a while I feel a bit overwhelmed by them and do a hardcore purge but that generally only decreases the total by about 10 or 12 books. I know I will never read them all and that used to bother me but not so much anymore. I could be spending that money on way worse things!

Hi Heather
I'm not so good at the purging....But I do know that I will read all my TBRs through time...
Even last night Husband. Brought me in Ian McEwans SOLAR as a gift for our 12th Anniversary of our first Date..Its not 'til Sunday but I had just finished the book I wad reading....He got me it as I saw he interview with Ian McEwan onThe Bookshops Hay Festival coverage....

Sarah if you read this I will let you know how his one goes...
PS he is wooing on the screenplay for ON CHESIL BEACH..It should be good as Sam Mendez is signed on to direct it.If I hear more I will let you know...

I've done a couple of purges; and it really hurts. I had to get honest with myself and take a good long look at the shelf and ask: Are you EVER going to read it again? is it truly something you MUST keep? Do you even remember anything about the story or characters? And STILL I kept 8 out 10 of those books in jeopardy.

I take them to my friend Lisa's shop here in Tallahassee (The Paperback Rack) and just donate them. I refuse to give them to Goodwill. Why? Because, like Oxfam, they get all their inventory for free and wipe out all the other little book shops that have to aquire their books by purchasing or trading. At least Goodwill pays their employees (they are are not volunteers - to the best of my knowledge). I just don't think it fair play. Thus endeth the sermon.

Hey Ivan
It did no feel like a sermon...
1.) Glad to know it is not just me that purges hurt...
2.) I know at you mean about the charity shops,I do donate to certain charity shops as there are some I attend regularly and so like to give something back as I have found some wonderful books in some of them...Much ad I hate getting rid of books I find that I tend to gather up and size all my carrier bags to take in as they are always looking for these.....

Something I do object to about charities these days is the fact that they keep pressuring you into making a monthly direct bit hrougj your bank...which n this economic time to me os just not a viable option....
Ok no I need to apologize.Maybe I'm just being a trump as I can't. And husband recentygot. Inntenious pay cut which was preTty substantial!!

Apologies for spelling which was atrocious in my last post..... :-(

I felt guilty that I have about 50 or so books that I've bought but haven't read, much I certainly intend to. Thanks for relieving some of that stress, DJ! : )

Gabriele your welcome :-)
Unfortunately my TBR has risen expidentualy since I first posted this thread........