Obsession, Enslavement, Fetish, Passion?

[fancying_fantasy]

How much do you like books?

We recently counted how many books are in our house. We have over 4,100. So would you consider that a problem? I think books are great and its not my fault I can't stop buying them, I'm obsessed. My mom is even considering having our insurance raised to cover the books too. So maybe you think we're a little off our rocker?! My grandmother does, she can't quite understand why we buy so many books. So I told her isn't it better that I'm addicted to buying books rather than drugs? Silence followed.

 

[Stormpirate]

I've joked before that I need to start a Bookbuyer's Anonymous. I don't have nearly as many books as you, but I can't stop buying books. I just love browsing through a bookstore and buying ones that interest me.

 

[BookStop]

We had close to that many before our last move. We donated 1500 to goodwill, then donated 2000 to our bookstore. Now we are down to a managable amount(500?) in the house. (of course the store has near 10,000 now)

 

[Stormpirate]

I haven't counted mine in quite some time, but I'd garner I probably have close to 600.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Even though I'm technically a "poor student" (you know how it is!) I can't help spending my student loan on books (seriously, I don't need to eat, right?) Whenever I go into the city centre, I can't leave without going into Waterstones...and inevitably, I can't leave there without buying a book!

I've had a brief count and I've only got about 30 books here at university with me (half are course books, the rest I have to limit because I can't carry them home with me when I go home on the train!) But, thinking about my book shelf at home, I've probably got about...150 books. But I would love a huge collection, I've love to have a seperate room in a house that could officially be called the Library because all the walls are covered in shelves holding thousands of books!

 

[Alia]

Do children books count in that tally? *giggles* I love books and I feel bad that I don't read enough. I have guilty sensations and grow depressed because I go without... I'm sad right now!

 

[jackokent]

I have a room for books, no idea how many, but I also try and maintain a high turnover. I clear out what I've read and take it to charity shops. Then I often end up buying the same books again by accident.

 

[Stormpirate]

I usually can't get rid of books. I DO, however, have a box of books I've been meaning to take to the used bookstore. Before my husband built my new bookcase, I was overflowing and took out all the books that I didn't like. Now I need to do something with them.

 

[nixie]

I can't part with books, even if I haven't enjoyed them.Some books I have more than one copy of.I don't mind parting with ones that I have more than one of if its going to someone I know will enjoy it,but I won't part with them for any other reason.I'd say I'm obsessed.

 

[The Ace]

I've 3 bookcases and a fire surround full of books, and I'm never out of the library. I suppose I could be bordering on obsession.

 

[sanityassassin]

We have a large box hid behind our sofa which is full of books and a couple of weeks ago we decided to buy a bookcase to try and empty it. So on the Saturday I bought the bookcase and on the Sunday morning I built it then had to go out for a couple of hours when I came back Weave had filled the bookcase with just the books she has lying around the bedroom and the books in the box remained untouched and there must be around 150-200 in the box another 100 in the bookcase and a few more lying around the place still. We also have quite a few in storage at my inlaws and we have loaned out a lot as well. We must have close to 500 books in total and we find it hard to part with them

 

[nixie]

Speaking of obsession, when my brother was moving house my sister-in-law told him he had to get rid of a number of books.Not all of them but ones that he was unlikely to read again.He packed them into boxes for charity shop, but they never made it. He fetched them to me instead, all the way from Wiltshire to Yorkshire.Every time he visits a few of those books find a way into his car

 

[sanityassassin]

When I went to work in Belfast a few years ago I went initially myself and took a few books with me maybe about 5 or 6 but every time I visited home I would take a few more back with me and ended up with about 40 books brought over with me and a couple of dozen more bought while I lived over there. It did become a pain when I had to drag them all back again

 

[dustinzgirl]

You can all send me all of your books. They will have a good life and be used often.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

At last count I have a collection of 5,000 hardbound volumes. As a teenager, when my personal library was hardly as big as it is now, my dad used to harrass me for having so many books, saying it was a fire hazard (along with my artwork). Needless to mention, I've always caught a lot of flak for my reading habits - everyone from my family, so-called friends, girlfriends through to my teachers, bosses and co-workers.

Is it an obsession? No, I don't believe so. Something much more fundamental than neurosis is operating here. In a world that is increasingly and systematically dumbing and numbing itself down I find my need to keep my mind nourished that much more critical. Certainly the quality of conversation found in America isn't providing it.

 

[The Ace]

That's rotten Curt, My parents were avid readers and encouraged us all they could (I was enrolled in the local library at six, and my father took me there every saturday.)

 

[Cloud]

Even without knowing what this thread is about, I was rather caught by the title.

I think I must have 1000 + and it's only me. Another way of measuring is in shelf feet. Laying them all out would give me, maybe . . . 50 feet? Not that I actually have that many shelf feet--this includes doubled and tripled books on shelves, books stacked on corners, laying about, etc.

And there's only me! And I keep BUYING the damn things!

X-ref. to the thread about economic well being of children. One of the indicators was households which have less than 10 books. US landed about in the middle there.

Less than 10 book? I think I have more than 10 books in my PURSE!

 

[nixie]

Less than 10 books? I've always been surrounded by books

 

[Cerberus]

For me reading is a passion, I've got around 700 books here, probably another 100 or so still with my parents.
The wife doesn't mind me buying books as long as I keep them in the room where all my computer and music gear is, but I desperatly need more book cases as the ones I have are nearly all doubled up and I can see me adding more books to the collection each week. Charity bookshops are my curse.

 

[murphy]

Welcome to Bookaholics Annonymous. My name is murphy and I'm an addict. (Don't intend to stop until they close the coffin lid.)