Friday, June 24, 2011

Book Count

As an avid reader and collector of books from all different genres and languages, I didn't think I had a very big collection.  About three years ago, I counted up my four book cases and lost count at around 600 or so; mind you, I was trying to catalogue them at the same time (you know, kill two birds with one stone!  I'm tellin' ya now, that doesn't work, it gets so confusing).  

So, the other day, while I had some time on my hands and I was on Bookcrossing I came across a topic where one of the members mentioned she was adding to her ever-growing number of books; and really had to stop.  It got me thinking that I didn't know exactly how many books I had in my little office here.  So, I grabbed a notebook, pen and found the calculator on my mobile phone and began counting each shelf.  After adding up the numbers from each book case and making a total from each of them (which was in the 200's), I added them all together.  By the third bookcase the number was well over 700 books!  When I added on the forth bookcase, I found I have 929 books weighing down this little room above my kitchen!
I was so amazed at how many books I could fit into this room, all I could do was sit in my chair at the computer and just look at the many books I had sitting around me and wonder:  how in the hell am I going to read them all in my life time?  And to think, I only started out with around 100 books when I moved into my townhouse 8 1/2 years ago and one book case.  The one question I have is: will I find the time seeing I'm a Bookcrosser and will have many more books arrive through the mail as well as family buy me more - and I'll also purchase more as the years go by.  Most of all, where will those books end up if I don't find space around the house?  And soon.  This little office won't be able to hold them all... no... soon I will have to find a bookcase that will make my collection venture outside the boundary of the door of my office; something I don't wish it to do (I made it a firm rule that I must contain my collection within my spare room; and nowhere else or it may take over my house; a good rule when I think about it now).  How many books do you have in your collection?  Have you limited yourself to a small number due to space problems; or has it gotten out of hand?  Does it take over the garage and shed, or have you found a way to store your books (a bit like I have) where you can purge them when you need to?  Well, until my next post, Happy Reading!

3 comments:

  1. Hi, Mozette!

    Here's one of your followers come to visit!

    This post caught my eye, and I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I read it...You should see our apartment! My husband grouses from time to time, but he knows it's a losing battle. Lol.

    There's one couch in the living room that we can't sit on, because it's LOADED with stacks of books. That's because I just have too many of them! There are FIVE floor-to-ceiling bookcases in the living room as well -- all of them full. Some shelves even have double rows of paperbacks! The entertainment unit is also full. However, we don't need it, because hubby bought a large HD TV a couple of years ago. (He loves to play video games on it!)

    Well, I could go on and on....there are also two floor-to-ceiling bookcases in our bedroom, and a three smaller ones in a spare bedroom. There are books on my night table, as well as the on top of the dresser!

    I once calculated that I probably have between 4,000 and 5,000 books...and I, too, ask myself if I will EVER read them all...but yet, I keep buying them!

    And I don't want anyone mentioning a Kindle, or a Nook, or whatever other ereader is out there!! I HATE THOSE THINGS! I have a passionate love for books as objects in themselves! They're my treasures!!

    Okay, I'd better step down from my soapbox...

    Of course you're not alone! Take a poll and you'll see how many of us obsessed book addicts there are out there! Lol.

    By the way, what is a Bookcrosser? I've never heard that before!

    Have a GREAT Friday and weekend! : )

    Maria @ http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/

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  2. Maria, a bookcrosser is a person who registers a book and leaves it out in public for another to pick up, read, journal and do likewise. It's a fun site and you can meet and talk with like-minded people there (people who have as big-a collection as you and me... trust me, us two are not alone in this).

    Thank you for your hilarious and wonderful comment... I'm glad I'm not the only one who is battling with the onslaught of my books... they are something I've loved and adored from a young age and - no - I can't walk past a bookstore without going in and buying one or two... or three... then I get home and cringe wondering where I'm going to put the silly things.

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  3. Hi, again!

    Oh, I see. Interesting. I'll have to check that out. There are some books I'd like to get rid of, believe it or not! One such is Cecelia Ahern's "The Gift", which I utterly dislike!

    You're welcome! Glad I made you laugh. And no, you're definitely NOT the only one! My mom and I argued for years about my book-buying addiction, even though she, too, loves to read. However, I went above and beyond her! My room at home got to be too cluttered because I kept filling it with books. Then I got married, and the arguments were between my husband (the first one) and me. Still, my collection kept growing, and growing... Now I'm in my second marriage, and THIS hubby has "sort of" resigned himself to sharing living space with my precious objects... Lol.

    Today he's going to the gym, one that's "out west" (in Kendall -- we live in Miami, Florida, USA), and he's going to drop me off at....you got it: a bookstore! It's a BIG, BEAUTIFUL Barnes & Noble!!! I guess he likes to live dangerously....

    Have a great weekend! : )

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