A Gentleman's Obsession with Collecting Books.

  Nick, my husband, collects books.  Not special books either, just books.  Unless he is busy working on his own novel----as who is not?---he almost always has his nose stuck in someone else's.  Our not very large apartment is brimming over with books because I've accumulated quite a few of my own. 

It's interesting, though, how our approaches to book-buying differ. I buy books ONLY when I intend to read them; and when the purchase is complete, I read them right away.  Furthermore, I buy NEW books only if they're written authors I know I already like.  Before I spend the limited discretionary income I have available for books---or, more important, allocate the limited available space to a book----I need to know that I'm committed to the book and the author. Otherwise, I buy used. 

I'm sorry, authors, but you know what book prices are like these days. Demonstrate to me that you're a reader's writer, and I'll invest in everything you've ever written or will write.  There's not enough time and money in the universe to spend on books that I'd otherwise read and forget.  I'm looking for books that stick with me.  I don't read for entertainment; I read because I want someone to expand my vision of the world. 

Nick's different.  He buys books based on the title, the cover, the jacket blurb, or the fact they deal with a subject that interests him. Then he takes them home, writes the date and place of purchase on the inside cover, and sticks them up on the shelf.   They're there so he can read them someday, when he gets around to it.  Meanwhile, he goes on buying books.  When he selects one to read, he puts a homemade cover on it so he won't mark up the lovely fresh cover.  He treats it carefully, as if it had feelings. 

His "Thursday 13" celebrates his collector's fixation.  It makes a rather lovely display, since he scanned in the covers, and his comments on some of them sort of interested ME.   But if I want to read them, I will have to get my own copies.  I am rough on books.  If I like them, I read them over and over.  I leave them lying around.   I save my place by turning them face down.  I don't care if I spill things on them.  They don't matter to me as objects.  When one starts to fall apart, I toss it, and start looking on the internet for another copy. 

You can see his book fixation discussed in this week's Thursday 13 at "A Gentleman's Domain" here...  I just think it's weird.  13 random books you haven't even read?  I don't think I could find 13 books on my shelves I haven't read.  I don't even understand the CONCEPT of buying books except because you're ready to read them. 

Comments

[Nicholas]

Now, I say, look here, dash it! I hardly ever contradict my wife, for to do so would be wrong, but there are one or two things that need clearing up here. You make it sound as though I have a million books and you have a couple of shelves full. We probably own roughly the same number. And there’s nothing wrong with acquiring a book and waiting till the right moment comes to read it. You don’t have to read a book the moment you get it home. It won’t self destruct if it is unopened, you know! Books keep, and every book is brand new if you haven’t read it before. Also, you should not boast of your cruelty to books. Bending and tearing books and using them as coasters and doorstops is exactly how Nazi Germany got started. Hitler burned books. Am I right? Well, I see I have convinced you by force of argument. I accept your apology and we’ll say no more about it! Muah!