We’re downsizing our home, our lifestyle, etc. etc. etc. Everyone always talks about how liberating it is to release yourself of your possessions. And it is, indeed, spiritually a relief to let go of many of the things I’ve had cluttering my life for years.
However….
Downsizing my library of the 900+ books that are in it? Not so easy.
I originally had listed on BookMooch and Amazon.com a slew of books that I had read and enjoyed and was now done with. That made up the 200 or so books that I started out listing on BookMooch. Then I listed books from the 5 boxes of books that my friend Inga gave me (*cough*). Then I listed John’s unwanted/already read books.
That brought me up to about 350 books listed in various places. Out of over 900. The bulk of the remainder are books that I have not read or which I use for reference. The reference books are easy– figure out which ones I *really* need, and get rid of the rest.
There are books that are hard to make decisions on because they’re my favorite edition/translation. The Norton Authoritative Editions of Canterbury Tales and Jane Eyre come to mind for these– they have scholarly articles at the back of the book that are interesting, as well as large historical context introductions. The Tolkien edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight– stays, even though I have two other print editions (one a translation, the other in M.E.), and can download a translation of the work for free over the Internet. The Riverside Chaucer and Shakespeares– go into storage. I want to keep them, just not with me.
But what do I do with Ulysses, James Joyce’s big work that everybody intends to finish reading sometime in their lifetime? I have not just the book itself, but my notebook from reading it, The Bloomsday Book by Harry Blamires, and James Joyce’s Ulysses— two additional books of analysis and criticism to help me understand this tome. I continue to hold out hope that someday I will finish this book and get out of it what others have gotten. Paradise Lost was a sleeper hit for me– I didn’t like it the first time I read it, but I gave it a second chance and fell in love. I believe Ulysses could be the same way. Being “a person who tries to read Ulysses” is yet another part of my identity that I can’t quite figure out in the new life I’m embarking on.
But the most painful part of all, I must say, are giving away or selling the books I haven’t read yet. Whether they’re cheap romance novels or medieval volumes, I’m having a hard time letting go of books that I bought, wanted to read, and never quite got around to. World War Z by Max Brooks and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini are good examples– both highly popular on BookMooch, but I haven’t been able to dig into them, because of time and inclination. I want to read these books, but I simply haven’t had the time.
I should have taken some time-lapse photos of my office as I clear it out– bookcases are half-empty right now, and piles of “stuff” are on the floor.
The list of 62 books that I have marked as “read before I go” (hahahahah…. I can read about a third of these in the time I have) are below. And yes, many are cheesy romance novels– at least I have a chance of getting through them!
Updated because my original post didn’t have working links to LibraryThing.
The Best American Travel Writing 2005 (The Best American Series)
A Most Unconventional Courtship (Historical) by Louise Allen
Adored by Tilly Bagshawe
Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh
Crusader’s Lady (Harlequin Historical Series) by Lynna Banning
The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
Games People Play: The basic handbook of transactional analysis. by Eric Md Berne
One Night with a Spy by Celeste Bradley
The Gay Place by Billy Lee Brammer
Klondike Doctor (Historical) by Kate Bridges
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
The Book of Taltos by Steven Brust
Unexpected Son (Hometown Reunion) by Carroll
Weep No More, My Lady by Mary Higgins Clark
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement
Reluctant Daddy (Hometown Reunion) (Hometown Reunion) by Conrad
Those Baby Blues (Hometown Reunion) (Hometown Reunion) by Conrad
Dog Days by Ana Marie Cox
Lone Star Bride (Harlequin Historical Series) by Carolyn Davidson
Scientific Papers and Presentations by Martha Davis
How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper by Day
Trouble in High Heels by Christina Dodd
Fletcher’s Woman (Harlequin Historical Series) by Carol Finch
Innocence And Impropriety (Harlequin Historical Series) by Diane Gaston
Staying Dead by Laura Anne Gilman
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Drop Dead Gorgeous: A Novel by Linda Howard
The Raven Prince[hardcover] by elizabeth hoyt
Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde
158 Pound Marriage by John irving
Ashblane’s Lady (Harlequin Historical Series) by Sophia James
Apers by Mark Jansen/ Barbara Day Zinicola
The Trial by Franz Kafka
Elements of the Scientific Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students and Professionals by Michael J. Katz
Bride Of Shadow Canyon (Harlequin Historical Series) by Stacey Kayne
Mustang Wild (Harlequin Historical Series) by Stacey Kayne
Beau Crusoe (Harlequin Historical Series) by Carla Kelly
High Plains Bride (Historical) by Jenna Kernan
His Duty, Her Destiny (Historical) by Juliet Landon
To Distraction (Bastion Club) by Stephanie Laurens
Commanded To His Bed (Harlequin Historical Series) by Denise Lynn
A Good Yarn (Mira Hardbacks) by Debbie Macomber
Medicine and the Internet: Introducing Online Resources and Terminology by Bruce McKenzie
Roads : Driving America’s Great Highways by Larry McMurtry
The Wicked Earl (Harlequin Historical Series) by Margaret Mcphee
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Oath of Fealty by Larry Niven/ Jerry Pournelle
Fight Club: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Warrior Or Wife (Harlequin Historical Series) by Lyn Randal
Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland
Pope Joan by Emmanual Royidis/ Lawrence Durrell
The North Light Pocket Guide to Painting Trees (North Light Pocket Guides) by Patricia Seligman
The Lawman’s Bride (Harlequin Historical Series) by Cheryl St.John
Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George R. Stewart
The Vagabond Duchess (Harlequin Historical Series) by Claire Thornton
All the King’s Men (Harvest Book) by Robert Penn Warren
Her Irish Warrior (Historical) by Michelle Willingham
Once In A Blue Moon (Harlequin Next) by Lenora Worth
Once the townhouse nonsense has been finished up, the next project is seriously whittling down the stuff in this house – I could probably ditch everything *except* the books… Good luck and congrats on this project.
I can soooo relate. Books fill my home, too — many of them the same “cheap romance novels” you speak of. Even though I’m an English teacher with advanced degrees (and have read enough of Chaucer and Shakespeare for two lifetimes!) I still love the happy endings in those romance novels and wish that kind of wonderful feeling could be experienced by everyone. That’s why I now write them — I’m doing my part to promote personal happiness. 🙂
I hope the downsizing goes well for you, and that the de-cluttering makes for a more serene environment.Though parting with books probably feels like cutting off an arm, you’ll likely be more content afterward. And if you reeeaaaaally miss a certain book, you could always go buy it again.
I truly hope you enjoy WARRIOR OR WIFE, when you finally do get a chance to read it.
Blessings,
Lyn Randal
No fair, Lyn. Now I have to read it before I go!
Nothing quite like having the author herself drop by one’s blog to say hello! Thanks for the kind thoughts. It really is like kicking out my friends before the party has even started!