Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Book Stash

Immediate Disclosure - no pictures today, so if you're a picture junkie, you're out of luck. I just got back from a business trip.

Books. I will now freely admit to the entire world, or at least to myself and the subset of the world that reads the blog, that I have as little will power about books as I do about yarn and fiber. I buy books, lots of books. I buy fiction, non-fiction, hardcovers, paperbacks, used and new books. And, I am really bad about ever letting go of books, even the ones I don't like. There is one exception to this - the cheap, used paperbacks that I carry when I travel. I buy them at library booksales and rummage shops, usually paying only 25 or 50 cents, and I leave them freely in hotel rooms, on airplanes, and wherever I am when I finish reading them. They are mysteries, sci fi, romances, chick lit, or anything else that looks as if it will keep me entertained for at least a couple of hours (I am a very fast reader, especially when it's light fiction). But the rest of the books take up space - a lot of space.

My husband is a big advocate of using the library. I do use the library, I have been a library user since childhood. I looked forward to the Saturday trips to the county library, and my mother was persuaded to authorize an "adult section" card for me when I was 10, the earliest that they would allow. I volunteered in the school library, both in elementary and junior high. Nothing is better, though than going into Borders and bringing home a stack of books. Or getting a nice big box from Amazon or Overstock. I have lots of bookcases in the house, because I buy another one or two a year. Lately, because I've discovered Audible.com and my ipod, I have slowed the accumulation slightly, so this year it should be only one new bookcase. At some point in the future, we'll have to move, and boy will the movers hate me - books are heavy. I don't think I'll get rid of many, though, because then I won't be able to re-read them all without finding them again, and some would be difficult to find.

Knitting books - these are irresistible, even the ones that if I am honest about, I know I'll never make anything from. I love reading them, and getting excited about the neck of a sweater, or a beautiful color combination, or a clever edging on an aran that effectively disguises "cable spread". I am happy right now because I have recently received two books that I really wanted, Knitting Lace by Susanna Lewis, and The Art of Shetland Lace by Sarah Don. I am so excited, I want to cast on immediately. I have controlled myself, though, by the fact that there are 2 more WIPs that I remembered which need to be added to the list (from my last posting).
  • Coat in Rowan Felted Tweed, seed stitch, about 1/3 finished
  • Pullover in Tagliatelli, 1/2 finished
So, since the only thing removed is the Morehouse laceweight that has been frogged, and the work that I have put in on others hasn't quite resulted in completions yet, I am holding back due to the (revised) total of 13 WIPs. No new beginnings, not until I am down into single-digit WIPs.

None.

Not even the gray Border Leicester Laceweight that I am spinning, that would be a beautiful shawl.

Not yet.

3 Comments:

Blogger Marfa's Mewsings said...

Ah, books - they are a fav of mine too. Always have been.
Miss Olson, the children's Librarian, saw me a lot. She had a bun, wore a little finger cot that allowed her greater traction on the "date due" cards & was a lovely woman.
Like your DH, I am a user of the Library - especially since I volunteer at ours.
One other reason that leads me to buy fewer books: we live in a very small house.
Please tell us sometime about some of your fave books.
XOXO
Martha

9:46 PM, August 17, 2005  
Blogger purlewe said...

ooks.. my other obsession.

can I tell you how very sad I was to have lost so many books this past spring in our flood. I'm still so sad I refuse to open the boxes and catalouge what is missing/dead. yup. pretty sad. :(

BUT.. I wanted to sympathise. I am ALSO not casting on.. even though I've had 2 very pretty sweaters waggled in front of my face and I really truly wish to see how the merino tencel I spun knits up. I am CLOSE on the coset adn the shadow sheep.. so I'm trying deperately not to start until thsoe are done.

4:45 PM, August 19, 2005  
Blogger Amie said...

Oh, yes indeedy.

I grew up in libraries, and whole-heartedly support them (in theory)...

But for me, it is buying books. Owning them. I love them! I have boxes and boxes of books that haven't been unpacked yet, and won't be until we move into a new house (and will have to get many more bookshelves for...) but I buy them still - and yes, I've slowed down a LOT with Audible, but still... ahhhh... books...

I'm a stasher by nature, be it yarn or books...

4:16 PM, August 22, 2005  

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