How important are books to you?

[Aelia Jusa]

And I don't mean how important is reading to you. But books, the actual pieces of paper bound up with a cover and all.

Yesterday I was chatting with my mum and she commented that she was planning to clean out the bookcase in the study, and give some of the books away to a charity. And I was immediately, and irrationally, horrified! The idea of giving away our books seemed like a terrible thing to do, and not even as if she was planning to just throw them away either! Some of them aren't even books I've read, and yet I seem to have the notion that books are almost sacred (cause I'm not usually a hoarder - just recently I cleaned out my tops drawer and got rid of half I don't wear anymore ).

So how do you feel about books? Perhaps you borrow all your books from the library and don't have any connection to the actual entities at all.

[Gnarf]

Not very important to me. Books that I think I might end up reading again, I'll make sure I keep, others I don't really care about.

[True_Moose]

I have a special attachment to my books...similarly to my computer games, but more intense. It's almost a respect I have for them. Even if I hate a book (which doesn't happen too frequently), I keep it (if I bought it, obviously ) I guess it stems from the fact that it is somebody's opinion, and a lot of work was put into it. Even if I don't appreciate it, the fact that someone has worked so hard to give me so much information/entertainment/opinion means I can't really bring myself to throw it out.

But then I'm a very nostalgic, emotional person. Oh well.

[Xen]

I developed certain "bondage" to books. I like tehm..

[DameonRules]

<font color=green>She planned on giving away your books. How dare her. how to put it books are more sacred to me then my well being. i read books all the time. if i have a book at work and sometimes when we are checking out things in the morning and its a hot day we sometimes check out the handlines out on each other. one time one of my books was on my person and got wet. lets just say that everyone now konws to make sure that i don't have a book on me before they get me wet. books are sacred. they are worth more then thier weight in gold to me.</font>

[Stratos]

Books I intend to read again or books that I think are very good and are books that every man, woman and child should have in their bookshelf I keep. Every other book I borrow from a library. I neither hoard books nor anything else.

[Gabrielles blades]

cook books are sacred and never to be gotten rid of!

most other books id probably only ever read once so may as well not let them take up space; hence why i fit under that library goer catagory.

[Aelia Jusa]

Originally posted by DameonRules: <font color=green>She planned on giving away your books. How dare her. </font>

No no, they're not all my books, in fact I haven't even read some of them! They're 'family books' really.

Interesting theory True_Moose! Perhaps subconsiously that's how I feel about them. They just seem more than material possessions somehow - not like ornaments or tools or clothes or furniture or something.

[john]

If I read a really good book I ususally pass it on to a friend or family member,who interns passes it on....Some writers I collect and wouldn't part with.

[antryg]

For me, books are an expression of who I am. The ideas I've garnered, the facts I've learned, have shaped me into who I am. They are not a relic or icon but rather things which are treated with respect. I can share or give away a book, but am horrified if someone mistreats or destroys a book.

Books are stories, joys, knowledge to be shared. Don't even think about bending down a page or breaking the spine!