book shelf

[threeplusfire]

Yesterday I finished reading a collection of short fiction by Elizabeth Hand. It was my second reading. Today I finished reading a book I've never read before, Martin Dressler. I find myself empty handed, standing in the door way of the bath. I would like another book to read while I lay in the tub. But should it be something new? Something I cherish? What do I lose every time I read a book again, or read a new book that I don't care for? I bought the strange "sequel" of sort written by Stoker's descendant, but I haven't actually read Dracula in twenty years. I have hundreds of books, should I really be shopping for more? Can I bear to let them slip away? The clearance rack both fills me with excitement and melancholy.

I have begun at long last to prune things off my shelves that I did not enjoy, would not ever want to read again. I feel bad making the choice, as if I hurt this inanimate object's feelings. But I tell myself that the book will go to a better home and someone else will enjoy it. Except for that terribly written book on pineapples, that I wanted to be good and was an entirely new level of poor writing.

None of this brings me any closer to finding something to read for the afternoon

Comments

[solstice-singer.livejournal.com]

Isn't it horrid to have so many books, but not be able to pick one to read? That drives me absolutely insane.

I did the clearance sale at Barns and Noble. Do I need more books? Certainly not, but books are one of my passions, and I can never have enough. So, when they're super cheap, they just need to come live in my apartment.

[sykii.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Hand does strange things to my head. Even the stories and novels of hers that aren't my favorite stay with me in odd ways. Which collection?

[alainn-sorcha.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've read anything recently that you'd enjoy, aside from the Lisbeth Salandar books, which you've already read.

I'm sorry that I'm no help.

[cymry.livejournal.com]

Working in a bookstore = agony... and love. So much love.

There is never, EVER enough shelf space in my apartment, even with frequent trimming of the collection, and always hundreds (no joke) of books that I desperately want and cannot afford/restrain myself from/have absolutely no time to read.

That being said, when I go in to work tomorrow after a week of vacation, I am going to be confronted with our semi-annual "Buy 3, get the 4th free" sale, and all those previously stated reservations will disappear, at least temporarily. If I'm lucky, I'll manage to make it out with only 2 full bags.

[coyotegoth.livejournal.com]

It's interesting: I've been buying new books by the ton, and only rarely actually, you know, reading them; almost all of my reading is rereads these days.

[miep.livejournal.com]

I tried to read Winterlong. I tried. And then I realized that even though I read Glimmering twice, and found much of it beautiful, and even though its characters and world keep coming up in my thoughts, I didn't like it. and I had to put winterlong away, because just reading the first chapter made me feel crawly and awful in my own skin.