December 05, 2006

Books, Books and More Books

We have a lot of books. A lot of books. Since we're moving, I've been packing books. I can't pack them all right now, but I have to pack enough of them to make our house look less cluttered. I haven't finished packing books yet and have already filled over ten boxes. One begins to wonder whether the family love affair with books is a good idea when one packs and carries these boxes.

Along with the high brow reading material contained within some of these boxes, I also filled one entire box with our Tintin, Asterix, Calvin and Hobbes, and Bloom County collection. I can't believe we own that many comic books or as many books of any kind as we do, and yet as I pack them and look through all of them, there are very few I sort out to send to Goodwill and even fewer once my husband puts back in all of his books.

Comments

Are you using store-bought boxes, or collecting them?

I've found in my moves that a liquor carton keeps the weight of books to a less than back-breaking level.

Posted by: Janis Gore at December 5, 2006 07:38 PM

We're collecting them as we find them and liquor boxes are some of our favorites for books and, when they come with the bottle inserts, they work very well for glassware and dishes.

Posted by: Jordana at December 5, 2006 07:49 PM

"To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser." Robertson Davies, "The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks"

We briefly considered moving last fall, but perhaps it was the idea of moving the books that changed our minds. When the five kids divided Mom's estate, we all came home with boxes of books which we cherish. So think of it as your children's legacy, in more ways than one. (Cardinal Newman-love that picture!)

Posted by: Earth Girl at December 6, 2006 06:44 AM

Say, if you decide to purge and are looking for a home for that comics box...

[I assume that the Asterix is the British translation, not the US. I'm a snob about it.]

Posted by: skinnydan at December 6, 2006 08:12 AM

My eight year old recently discovered my Calvin & Hobbes collection. I've been hearing bellows of mirth coming from her room ever since.

I certainly hope she's not taking notes.....

Posted by: Robert the Llama Butcher at December 6, 2006 08:41 AM

When we bought our house four years ago, we moved 22 boxes of books. I swore then that I would weed them out, but here we sit more than we've ever had before.

Posted by: Amy at December 6, 2006 09:09 AM

Books have long been my friends. After the Great Book Purge of the spring of '06, my shelves are no longer stacked two and three deep - I feel deprived.

The love of reading you are passing to your children is one of the best things you could ever teach them. So don't feel guilty about keeping *all* the books.

Just hire the local high school football team to move them for you.

Posted by: Diane at December 6, 2006 09:22 AM

Some of the best memories that I have are of curling up with a book on a rainy afternoon or hiding a flashlight and a book to read after I was sent to bed. Every time my parents moved and attempted to weed out some of their books, I would always root through the "give away" stack and walk away with an armful to keep. I moved 24 boxes (small ones, of course) the last time. I just wish that there was room for another shelf in our house--maybe in the kitchen so I can more easily pick out a book to read while I'm stirring something on the stove...

Posted by: Mrs.Oak at December 10, 2006 11:55 AM