Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

I was just wondering if any of you every feel guilty for getting rid of books. You know like how you finally give in and get rid of some of your stuffed animals or something along those lines and you feel like they are saying "we had such a good time together, why are you getting rid of me?" Lol, I know that must seem crazy, but I have that feeling when ever I try to get rid of a book. Well I don't feel that way when I get rid of a book that I absolutely didn't like, but I have only had to do that once. Any way would love to hear some of your guys opinions on this.

Wow, I think I would have had severe depression if I had to do that :) I love my books more than I do really anything else and I find it very hard to part with them. Especially the ones that you like. Buying the same copy new just isn't the same for me. Because that is not the book that you actually read from. It's a weird connection with books...it is :)

'Do i feel guilty for getting rid of some of my books?',
to say that would be an under statement.

because, i sold my precious Percy Jackson collection and Breaking Dawn book.

but none the less, I've learned my lesson.

I instantly miss them, feel that I have to look something up in one of them (that I haven't looked at for years) and feel like I've somehow betrayed them. :(

Hence why my shelves and piles of books are overflowing!

If it's 1-2 sometimes 3 star books I'll swap them or give them to friends or relatives. Unless they're by one of the 5-6 authors I collect, then I keep them.

In my bookclub we sometimes bring a pile of books we don't want/have room for anymore, and the others can take some of them home.
I don't have anymore room in my home library, so I see it as a way of refining my collection, getting rid of books I wasn't crazy about, so I can buy new ones I might love!

I've never gotten rid of any of my books. I should, but I feel guilty just thinking about it. (Lol) Maybe someday if I know they're going to a good home I'll be able to part with a few.

I never feel guilty about getting rid of books... I always donate them and think about the people who aren't as fortunate as I am to pay full-price. That makes me feel a lot better!!

I have difficulty giving away books too. I have, however, made it somewhat easier on myself. I donate my books to our local library for their book sale. Someone else benefits from my books: the next reader and the library funds.

My children's book I would donate to their school. The teacher's always appreciated having their classroom libraries increased without cost

Maybe I am odd because I do not feel guilty at all. If I don't plan on reading a book more than once, I have no reason to store it when I could be using that shelf space for something that I really enjoy and plan on reading a lot in the future.

I don't feel guilty getting rid of books because it frees up space for more new books and I only "free" the ones I'm not going to read again, so I hope they find new readers.

I had decided to try and pare down my book collection about 3-4 years ago. I joined Frugal Reader, a new-defunct book trading site. My TBR pile that used to number 20 or less has blossomed to about 800. When FR closed down, I was already a member at PBS. I absolutely LOVE playing all the book-swapping games there.

At first it was hard for me to let go of my books. I used to reread them often. Once the books started pouring into the house, I found I didn't have time to reread them any longer. And, I didn't have such a hard time letting go of them. I know they are going to people who love reading as much as I do.

I still have a bit of a hard time giving books to Goodwill, or selling them at HPB, but I have managed to do both within the last year.

I USED to have 800 books, but I took pictures of my books for a contest and decided to pare down my shelves again. I lost 400 lbs from an eviction, but I remember the authors and am buying back the books I love.
what is hpb?

I am glad that so many of you feel the same because I thought I might be just a little crazy for feeling guilty :) But it is hard for me to get rid of books, unless I just absolutely didn't like them at all.

I can get rid of ones I didn't like. But I keep all of the ones that I enjoyed. I have also parted with some I hadn't gotten around to reading because I didn't think I'd ever find the interest to read them.

I didn't like parting at first but I almost need to to make space.

Due to space requirements (I have over 5k books), I had to start getting rid of some. I got rid of duplicates first, on PBS. Then purged the kids books for anything below the age level of my youngest. (Who knew I could get rid of Spiderman and Friends board books on PBS? lol). Then I started getting rid of stuff I'd read I know I'll never read again, which isn't as many as you'd think. lol I hate to get rid of books, but to make room for more I've had to start picking and choosing now and then and be pickier about what I pick up. (But hard to pass up books at 25¢/ea at garage sales!

i just sold 20 through craigs list.

I don't feel guilty any more. It used to be harder but when it got so that I was mistakenly buying duplicates a few times, I realized that I don't even know what I have any more. I was also clued into this when I'd go to buy a book in a series and didn't know if I had the earlier books, etc. So, because I can't even enjoy most of my books as they are stuffed into my walk in closet, with only limited shelving space out in common areas in our house, I decided to pair down. So, to free up space for books that I loved (and would want to read again), I have been selling or bringing the not so favorites to Goodwill type stores we have here.

The other thing I've done on sunny days is act as the neighborhood elf and left books out as free offerings to those that want them. There's this old stump on the other side of the park from my apartment building, from a tree that had to be taken down due to rotting. It was over a 100 years old when it was taken down so the stump is really wide. A local artist did some carvings on it and the top of the stump has been sanded and glazed, and little trinkets and toys have been glued to it. So it's got this special, magical feel to it. I leave the piles of books there on sunny days, and lo and behold, when I go out later with the dog, they are gone. That's kind of fun.

Yes! I used to keep every single book I had even if I disliked it, or I had multiple copies. However, I found BookMooch and I don't feel bad at all that my books are going to someone who will actually read them and possibly like them more than I do, (plus being able to trade them for books I want is always a nice bonus).

I also use to keep every book. It didn't matter if I really liked it or not. Every time I thought about getting rid of any of them I would have an anxiety attack. LOL Then one day a used book store opened up it my area. They give credit for your used books ... so I decided to keep the ones I REALLY love and get rid of the rest. The first time was the hardest. Now if it is not something I think I will read again, I just trade it in.

I never get rid of books, which means that eventually my house will collapse in on itself and become a black hole. I never know when something I read (or just bought) years ago will strike me. And the more books I acquire, the more they speak to each other...the more connections between them I see. Something in one book will remind me of something in another book, and of course I'll need to go check the other book, which will remind me of something in two others....etc., etc.

Not to mention the fact that all of my books represent parts of me...past interests, phases, moods. Just looking at the titles can be a trip down memory lane, and remind me of what I've learned, thought and felt over the years.

One of these days I'll get them all entered into my Goodreads library. I've only been a member since March...so many books...so little time...

I can easily discard books I didn't particularly care for, but hate to let go of any book I enjoyed.

Mick wrote: "I can easily discard books I didn't particularly care for, but hate to let go of any book I enjoyed."

I agree 100%. If I really liked a book I can never really get rid of it. I must add it to my other books that I enjoyed. This is one small problem that I have with borrowing books from the library. If I really liked the book, I find it a little sad to have to take it back to the library when its due date is near. But, then I just add it to the list of books that I need to buy to add to my collection.

If I hated a book, I must get rid of it immediately, by either swapping it or by putting it somewhere else in the house, for fear that it might infect my other books with its awfulness!

Veronika wrote: "I agree 100%. If I really liked a book I can never really get rid of it. I must add it to my other books that I enjoyed. This is one small problem that I have with borrowing books from the library. If I really liked the book, I find it a little sad to have to take it back to the library when its due date is near. But, then I just add it to the list of books that I need to buy to add to my collection..."

I'm the same way. I usually will read a book from the public library and if I liked it then I will go buy it for my own library.

I absolutely LOVE passing a good - or better yet - great book along to a friend. It trims down my bookshelf and makes me ready for something new and different. www.joeicarlton.com Joei

i dont feel guilty when giving books away as i know others will enjoy the book as much as i did. so it makes me feel kinda good about myself.

Getting rid of books doesn't make me feel guilty, though I don't do it very often. Perhaps I'm just a hoarder! I'm getting a kindle soon, so it'll be interesting to see if I'm the same with ebooks.

I had a massive clear out of my room at the start of the year, and for the first time in 15 years (roughly, since I learnt to read:P) I had to get rid of some books.

I kept all the ones that have sentimental value, and for the rest I donated them to the hospital I spent 2 months in when I was 18. I know first hand how boring it can be to be cooped up for so long. So that helped me to feel less guilty, because it felt like a good cause!

I never feel guilty getting rid of books i have read. I am fortunate to be given books all the time and i enjoy passing them on when i am done. i then encourage that person to pass it on as soon as they are done with it as well. Although, i must say, when i delete a book from kindle i do feel a bit sad. Those books cannot be shared. My motto, too many books, too little time.

I finally have to admit it. I do. I feel that they feel I didn't love them enough & they're right.

I'm a psycho.

Oh well.

Oh yes, but sometimes, it must be done. :'(

I tend to donate books that I will never read again. When I moved, I donated hundreds, but I have collected more. :-)