Comments on: Paradigm Shift

By: hellomelissa

hellomelissa — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:33:56 +0000

keep singing sting… “free free… set them free” as you purge.

i’m a fine one to talk. i get rid of MY books, but the other 3 people in my family keep them all. my home is still littered with books.

By: Angie

Angie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:48:34 +0000

Ugh. This post made me take a look around my house and inspect our bookshelves. Hmmmmm. We also have books in every nook and cranny of our house and I’ve probably scarred my kis for life b/c my favorite saying is: NEVER throw away a book.

After reading your post, I may have to come up with a new saying…..

If I feel brave later, I’ll have to post pictures of our mess.

Have a great Christmas!

By: A. Beaverhausen

A. Beaverhausen — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:57:24 +0000

Mmmm…well…my take on it is if you love a book you must:

A)LOAN it to a friend
B)Tell that friend where to buy it
C)Direct that friend to a library where she/he can check it out.
D) Buy it for that friend for a birthday gift.

But…I cannot set it free forever unless I didn’t really like it in the first place. And I still hold with the idea that non-readers are…um…not a lot like me. People without books in their houses make me feel restless. Maybe that’s wrong…but that’s how I feel.

By: Cherry

Cherry — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:07:45 +0000

I’m back.
I told your book experience to Eric last night and he said he too had that book=smart prejudiced! In fact he says he still fights it and some of the books he keeps is so people see that he has them (of course he has also read them and would love to discuss them, so its not all a put on). Who knew!

By: MsMamma

MsMamma — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:59:54 +0000

I know how painful this can be. In 2000 I had a mega rummage sale and sold all of my books(way too fricken cheap to a book dealer). I’ve had heartaches over it ever since. But it does get better. And I know someone, somewhere is loving one of my old loves.

FYI…Unrelaxed Dad is very bookish and does the same thing Hello Melissa does. Excellent post.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:43:56 +0000

I have trouble parting with a lot of books when necessary…..very nice bookshelf you have, indeed.

By: Glinda

Glinda — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:58:08 +0000

Kudos to you both!

I am someone who does not have a lot of space, thus, not a lot of books. I am very familiar with my local library, and find that if I like a book that much that I want to reread it, then perhaps that is one I will buy.

By: jeri

jeri — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:24:57 +0000

Is that “The Mists of Avalon” I spy. Now there is a book that stays on the shelf. I’ve got mine, too. It is a heartbreaking thing to have to pare down. It can be done but it is always very traumatic for me. I am of the entire wall of bookshelves type. It is my goal in life to have an entire wall…so the paring down becomes less necessary.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:57:23 +0000

I’ve had to make that my policy, too, even though I hoarded my favorite books in old boxes under beds and in garages for years. Finally, at our last yard sale, I sold them all. People were THRILLED at my collection. Now, we have a bigger space and I have room for some books, but you know what? I don’t really miss them! I love giving them away as soon as I’m done with them. They don’t weigh me down that way.
Congrats on your paradigm shift!

By: Py Korry

Py Korry — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:44:20 +0000

This was very tough, but I think we’ll survive — as soon as we get some rest.

By: Cherry

Cherry — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:38:15 +0000

BTW – Love the new shelf unit!

By: Cherry

Cherry — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:08:10 +0000

Wow J!
Quite honestly, I didn’t think you and Ted would be able to do it. Your love of your books was so great that I didn’t know if your desire for the uncluttering was enough to make this change.
Color me VERY impressed! Especially with the expensive books! That is HARD!

So… how’s that bathroom closet?

By: Andie D.

Andie D. — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:00:48 +0000

Have you heard of BookCrossing? http://www.bookcrossing.com/

It’s a site that goes completely with the “If you love a book, you should set it free” theory, but it’s FUN to do so! You put a special label in your book, put it somewhere it can be found in public, then log onto the site and make an entry about where you left it. Whoever finds it can then make an entry about where they left it when they were done.

There have been books that have traveled all over the world. I would love to find one.

By: debra

debra — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:55:42 +0000

Congratulations on making a plan and sticking to it! That said, I honestly don’t know how you did it. You’re much stronger than I.

By: Maya's Granny

Maya's Granny — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:24:16 +0000

I have nightmares where I have to do what you did.