BooksRUs in honour of National Book Day
In appreciation of National Book Day I have bought a new bookcase.
My books were all over the place. So I have collected them up from under beds, in cupboards, holding doors open, keeping doors closed, and keeping window ledges from getting dusty. Now they all sit smartly in the new bookcase, always handy and findable. Trouble is, the bookcase is now full. I need to get another one.
I collect books. New ones, old ones, fiction, business, health, biographies, gardening and sport.
When I was young, books were relatively expensive, and not something you just went out and bought. You got them for birthdays and Christmas. The library was open 4 days a week Monday to Friday 9 to 5, with half-days Thursday and Saturday, closed Sunday. You could take out 3 books maximum. The reference library was quiet and unfriendly.
Now the Library is open longer hours including late nights. You can take out 8 books, and the reference library is bright and inviting, and there is a separate room for computer work.
Charity shops are awash with books. A £20 autobiography sells for 50p or £1. For some “celebrities” and footballers, that is all they are worth. Some shops have that many books, they don’t take them any more. Other sell 3 books for £1 just to get rid of them.
I like my Kindle. It probably holds as many books as my bookcase. But it is not the same as actually reading a book. It just doesn’t have the same feel.
I used to have encyclopaedias. There was something magical about choosing the right volume, opening it up and skimming the pages to find the subject required. Now the 36 volumes of information are on one CD. Stick it in the hole, wait 10 seconds and click the mouse a couple of times, and job done. Functional but not the same.
I think it was Shakespeare who said you can judge the quality of an educated man by the size of his library, and an un-educated man by the size of his television. He knew a thing or two did Shakespeare..
Anyway, I will do my bit for National Book Day, and go and buy a couple more books. Oh, and another bookcase.
Best wishes
Chris
Recent Comments
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Thank you, Chris, and yes you are right, I do own a kindle, so useful, but I need a new bookcase as well, I have far too many books in drawers, even under furniture, but I think it would be sacrilege to throw a book away, I could never do such a thing, they are such good friends.:-))Steph
Thanks for the lovely read, Chris.
As I´ve mentioned before, I just love to read a book in bed. But there´s more to books than reading them. They make for excellent insulation on the inside of exterior walls too. And should one be plagued by noisy neighbors, having your bookcases on THAT wall helps to create a quiet and peaceful atmosphere to read in.
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You sure have quite the collection Chris. Hope you find some good ones. Happy National Bookday my friend.
Jerome
Thank you, Jerome