Do you have a problem like Tsundoku?
- Thread starter Velocity
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Does old college text books count?
I used to have a mild case of this issue. I would buy book and while I would read some of them, many would sit unread. I recently went through and weeded out the ones I know I'll never read and donated them. The others are getting read slowly. I'm also on a WW 2 book kick right now and am actively buying ( and reading them) when I can get them cheap.
I love having books. Nothing like the tactile experience of holding and reading a book. Electronic versions will never replace that for me
I love having books. Nothing like the tactile experience of holding and reading a book. Electronic versions will never replace that for me
I did have a severe form of this. I didn’t just buy books I’d intend to read but knew I probably never would. I also bought books that I thought would look interesting in the sprawling library I intended to have, but never will, and never intend to read.
I gave up on both ideals, having time and peace enough to read what I want, and having space enough to hold them all, long ago. My personal collection is now modest but practical, and is mostly non-fiction anyway.
I’ve started buying Trek books from the eighties again, because Trek was Trek in the eighties, and I need my fix. I do tend to reread the same books over and over, but I write far more than I read.
I gave up on both ideals, having time and peace enough to read what I want, and having space enough to hold them all, long ago. My personal collection is now modest but practical, and is mostly non-fiction anyway.
I’ve started buying Trek books from the eighties again, because Trek was Trek in the eighties, and I need my fix. I do tend to reread the same books over and over, but I write far more than I read.
Okay, I can't do that. I buy food I will eat - no waste. Books I will read, DVDs I will watch.
Clothes with actual wear in them - makes me proud.
That being said I bought some cheap, second hand books purely for their hard back 'quaintness'. They stack on angles and with a lamp on them are rather decorative.
When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately had a mental image of Seven of Nine simultaneously fighting a Tsunkatse match and solving a Sudoku puzzle!
Next thing I know, Amazon is earnestly telling me I might like (follows a list of books I bought years ago). It's especially annoying when they tell me I might like something that they should know I already bought from Amazon.
Some months later I ran into him and said, "I have something that used to belong to you."
He was understandably puzzled as to what it could be; had he lost something backstage, during the last show we'd both worked on?
So I told him it was a Shakespeare play, and he was amazed... he hadn't even been in Canada when he bought that book. So it was a bit more well-traveled than expected.
I recently saw bookshelves that... well, I'm totally envious of Robert Silverberg. I belong to his Yahoo! group (he doesn't do FB or Twitter) and someone found a YT video of him at his home, promoting one of his books.
Silverberg's home is amazing. It's so cozy, and he's got it decorated with a lot of native art (like Asimov, he didn't just write science fiction; he also wrote quite a bit about mythology, and one of his non-fiction books helped get me through one of my anthropology papers in college.
Anyway, here's the video. I am in awe of his home, and his bookshelves:
I recently bought a Lindsey Davis novel I was missing (Scandal Takes a Holiday), from her Falco series. I first got into this series over 20 years ago when my classical history prof in college loaned me Venus in Copper. So my addiction to this series is all his fault.
Next thing I know, Amazon is earnestly telling me I might like (follows a list of books I bought years ago). It's especially annoying when they tell me I might like something that they should know I already bought from Amazon.
Heh, I bought a Shakespeare book second-hand and noticed the name in the book was someone I knew - I'd worked with him in the theatre on several plays.
Some months later I ran into him and said, "I have something that used to belong to you."
He was understandably puzzled as to what it could be; had he lost something backstage, during the last show we'd both worked on?
So I told him it was a Shakespeare play, and he was amazed... he hadn't even been in Canada when he bought that book. So it was a bit more well-traveled than expected.
Why not?
I recently saw bookshelves that... well, I'm totally envious of Robert Silverberg. I belong to his Yahoo! group (he doesn't do FB or Twitter) and someone found a YT video of him at his home, promoting one of his books.
Silverberg's home is amazing. It's so cozy, and he's got it decorated with a lot of native art (like Asimov, he didn't just write science fiction; he also wrote quite a bit about mythology, and one of his non-fiction books helped get me through one of my anthropology papers in college.
Anyway, here's the video. I am in awe of his home, and his bookshelves:
Do you know the BBC dramatisations of the first 5 Falco novels? Awsome! My first one was The Silver Pigs, btw
What do you think of the next generation novels (about Falco's daughter)? I can't make up my mind whether to start with them or not.To return to the thread's topic: I scarcely buy books nowadays since I'm running out of space. But I do buy tons of audiobooks as downloads - they take up no space and you can read them without glasses
I'd heard something about that, but had no idea there were so many. Getting BBC shows here depends on if they're on PBS, unless there's a specialty channel available by subscription for Canadians. What are the titles - the same as the novels?Do you know the BBC dramatisations of the first 5 Falco novels? Awsome! My first one was The Silver Pigs, btw
I haven't read any of the Flavia Alba books yet. I've been collecting them, in the expectation that they'll be good. Apparently Falco makes a cameo appearance now and then.
I've got the running out of space problem, too. That's one reason why I stopped collecting Star Trek books (mostly; I'll still buy whatever Greg Cox writes, and there are some missing or damaged books in my collection that need replacing).To return to the thread's topic: I scarcely buy books nowadays since I'm running out of space. But I do buy tons of audiobooks as downloads - they take up no space and you can read them without glasses
It's no exaggeration to say I've got over four dozen bookshelves, and could easily fill an additional room. I grew up with books (most kids get a teddy bear at night; I got both a teddy bear and books). So I'm most relaxed when surrounded by them.
There are a lot left to read, though. If I read a book a day of the ones still unread and didn't buy any more, I could easily go at least 3 years without reading the same book twice. And since most of them are too long to read in a day... add a couple more years.
yep, the titles of the audiobooks are identical.
I used to collect Trek books as well but have given away most of them around 2002. There were only few that I found worth reading repeatedly. I have one box of paperbacks left. Maybe I'll buy a few to find out how certain series continued/ended. (e.g. what became of the lizard thingy at The Captain's Table bar?)
At my town they have something rather ingenious: the book tree. It's a big cupboard made of a hollowed out tree trunk with a tightly fitting glass door. Everyone can put well-preserved books there and take any they like. A sort of self-service flea market for books. I found a few interesting ones that I always wanted to read and I have a bag of books I'm going to put there gradually, when there's some free space.
The location is well chosen: right opposite the tax office (lots of people in dire need of something to soothe their nerves).
I used to collect Trek books as well but have given away most of them around 2002. There were only few that I found worth reading repeatedly. I have one box of paperbacks left. Maybe I'll buy a few to find out how certain series continued/ended. (e.g. what became of the lizard thingy at The Captain's Table bar?)
At my town they have something rather ingenious: the book tree. It's a big cupboard made of a hollowed out tree trunk with a tightly fitting glass door. Everyone can put well-preserved books there and take any they like. A sort of self-service flea market for books. I found a few interesting ones that I always wanted to read and I have a bag of books I'm going to put there gradually, when there's some free space.
The location is well chosen: right opposite the tax office (lots of people in dire need of something to soothe their nerves).
^^^
They are called Little Free Libraries in many parts of the world. I occasionally visit these in a town outside of my city
They are called Little Free Libraries in many parts of the world. I occasionally visit these in a town outside of my city
Cool invention! =)
I had no idea that this was a worldwide phenomenon since ours is the only one I've seen so far. At any rate it's an excellent idea. This way you can be sure that your superfluous books get a good new home
I had no idea that this was a worldwide phenomenon since ours is the only one I've seen so far. At any rate it's an excellent idea. This way you can be sure that your superfluous books get a good new home
About a year ago, I spent about €60 in one afternoon downloading books from Amazon. Haven't read one of them yet.
Welcome to the board and to the thread!
How comes you didn't read any of these books yet? Real life taking its toll?
How comes you didn't read any of these books yet? Real life taking its toll?
Locations of Little Free Libraries around the world: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
You can even start one yourself!
Kor
You can even start one yourself!
Kor
I'd rather not - I'd take all books in and never give one away. Somehow books are more than just things. They are a sort of life form.
How do you solve a problem like Tsundoku?
(Sorry - just what the title made me think of.
)
(Sorry - just what the title made me think of.
)
I either somehow missed that last line, or only processed it with the back of me brain. Doh.
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