Ode to Books......or can you hoard books?

Sometimes things connected together happen in such a way that it causes me to think about that subject more deeply than normal.  I have had several of those moments lately in regards to books and I decided that it was worth a blog post. 

Disclaimer:  I love books as you will see if you read this whole post.  However I understand that not everyone is a book lover.  I don't get that but I acknowledge it--I have several people in my own family who are not and I still love them to pieces.  However, if you don't like books you probably will think this whole post is over the top so you can stop reading NOW.

In March, I made a trip to Texas and while there added a number of books on my ongoing reading list.  One nice thing about memo pads on phones is that it is a great way to actually write down book recommendations.  So while touring my friend Andrea's new house, I checked out her book shelves along the way and added several new books to that list. 

Then in April on Facebook, there was a post in one of the mental health groups that I am in that related to hoarding but some of the comments specified hoarding books---um, is that even possible?  For me, books are valuable and meaningful.  Is keeping books hoarding them!  Does it count if they all have a "place" to sit in my house?  Should I give them away to somewhere that needs them "worse"?  I have been thinking about that ever since reading those comments on that post.

Then later in the month, I overheard someone talking about spring cleaning and taking a lot of books to the prison for the inmates to read.  Maybe I should do that too?? More thoughts and musing about books.

Then a friend of mine posted some quotes about books by authors on Facebook which I then reposted to my book loving friends.  I loved them all and if you want to view them you can check them out on my Facebook page.

"Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably."  C.S. Lewis

"Reading makes immigrants of us all.  It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere."  Jean Rhys

"Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book."  Jane Smiley

"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life."  W. Somerset Maugham

"In books I have traveled not only to other worlds but into my own."  Anne Quindlen

"She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live."  Annie Dillard

"In the end, we all become stories."  Margaret Atwood


Wednesday while Scarlett was here, I cleaned up our toy closet so that I could pull out some new toys for her and make the closet itself more accessible to her as she and the other grandkids grow.  Along one wall are most of our children's books--shelves of them!

 

Before I started I was determined that I would send some of them off to a place which could "really" use them.  However as I organized the shelves, I couldn't believe the memories which are connected to so many of these books.

 

The editions of American Girl and Babysitter Club which Jessica loved as a young girl.  I saved a few of them so that if she ever wanted them or one of my granddaughter that they would be here for them.  I also saved a few Goosebumps books which Scott and Ben read, although not in the same way that Jessica read.

 

Then there is almost a whole row of non-fiction books.  Scott rarely read fiction and even when he was little, he would ask if the book was real or not if I was going to read to him.  That led to us buying lots of science books, especially related to lizards, snakes, and the ocean.

 

 

Then there are the favorites.  Tosha loved Corduroy.  I must have read The Fly Went By to Jessica over a hundred times before she was 2.  She loved that book.  Ben loved Go Dog Go--Jena The Cat in the Hat.  (As I mentioned this was not Scott's genre of choice.) Each book seemed to have a connection to one or more of our children...so many memories to feel and think about as I ordered the shelves.  Not one book yet has made it somewhere else.  Some day, but now they sit waiting for new memories to be made with the next generation.  I can hardly wait!

 

Then came Thursday.....I mentioned that my sister, Valerie, came in for a writer's conference in Provo and had a book signing.  This is where she had it.

 

 

 

 

What book lover would not LOVE a book store like this!  This is located on Center Street in Provo, Utah.  It is different levels, has new and used books of all kinds and has several rare additions of famous books.  I actually stood at the door by my sister during almost my whole stay because I knew that I could get very caught in a store like this and I would be there all night and no telling how many books I might end up with.

 

It is hard to see in this picture but the checkout counter is in the left and
framed in stacks of books.  Very cool!

 

My sister and I talked about our love for books and saving books.  Both of us have Babysitter Club books for our daughters. I talked about regretting that I hadn't made sure to keep some Trixie Belden books from my childhood.  Valerie commented that she also remembered those books at our house when she was growing up.  I said that I should look it up on the internet some time and get a couple for old time's sake.

 

Other people came to her table so I started wandering and I took a few pictures.  Seriously, book lover's heaven.

 

In my wanderings, I happened upon a row of Nancy Drew books.  There were 20-30 copies of different stories.  It occurred to me that this would be the section where there might be a Trixie Belden book.  Sure enough on the bottom row there were four copies.  It was fate or karma or whatever--I bought the Book 4 as the other ones were actually written later than my elementary school days.  It was amazing to read the titles of the series and to still have recollections of some of the stories.  Our minds are amazing--too bad I can't remember everything I should do in a day now.

 

$3 is not much to pay for memories.  My elementary school library, eating an apple and reading on my bed--sometimes with a flashlight past my bedtime, sharing books with my friends--that's a lot for $3.  I actually reread it and like old friends the characters were still the same and it was so familiar. Not great literature, but sweet memories of becoming a "reader" of mysteries.

 

So I have counted--I have 9 bookshelves, three book niches, a book shelf in the kitchen, books on my mantle, and two nightstands filled (and stacked) with books.  That doesn't count the books on my kindle on their virtual shelves. 

 

 



And like the books in the toy closet, just glancing at the titles as I walk by or as I dust them makes me happy. I have said that every room needs books and a good blanket to cuddle in while you read.

 

So there you have it--books--probably in the top five of my most favorites things!  Have a great day and go read a book!

 

PS  In this discussion of books, I don't want future readers to not understand that in all of my reading, the most important books in my life are the Standard Works of the Church especially the Book of Mormon.  Reading those words and those stories have taught me so much about the type of person I hope to be and can be with the love of our Heavenly Father and the great gift of the Atonement of our Elder Brother Jesus Christ.  If you read nothing else, be sure that those books are read and reread your entire life.  So study the scriptures and THEN go read a book!  :)