QOTW: Can you ever have too many books?

[lemondrop]

Wow! The board has really slowed down. So let's pick it back up with a little discussion.



Can you ever have too many books, whether on your to read list or you shelves?

[Kore]

We have boxes and boxes of unpacked books, despite living here for over 3 years. My H is a bit of a book hoarder. Like, we have 3 copies of Whitman's Leaves of Grass between the two of us. Ha.

I've got plans to turn one of our bedrooms into a library. It makes me happy to have so many books.

[lemondrop]

Right now, my books are in boxes and will pretty much stay there until we move to a bigger place. Yet, I've still bought about six books in the last week, so I think my answer is "hell no."

[duckduck]

I'm trying so hard to limit the number of physical books I own. I got in the habit of borrowing or buying ebooks over the last few years; living in an apartment, by definition a temporary dwelling, helped me remember that I was going to have to move them all out in boxes someday. Now that we have a house, I'm used to it and still trying to keep the purchases under control.

As far as my GR TBR list, I used to get stressed out if my list got too long-- like much over 100. I still feel that way sometimes. I want to feel like I have a real shot at getting to everything on it.

[mrshandy]

I stopped buying physical books. I prefer my Nook. My only regret is that my library is not growing anymore. But our bookshelf is kind of full.

Sometimes I have too many books reserved at the library and they all come up at once. I have to decide which one to read and then I forget to reserve the ones I didn't have time to read again.

I need one of those ongoing To be read list that I can check off as I do.

[lemondrop]

I use my GR list as a way to just keep books I *might* be interested in reading. I've never been married to the idea of having to read all of the books. I feel the same way about pinterest.

I know I'm going to have to carry boxes and boxes of books out of this place in 6 months to a year, but it's just not stopping me from buying them.

[whitepicketfence]

In my opinion, no. DH, however, feels differently. I swear the only reason he bought my Nook Color was to cut down on the number of books we have to store. We have a built in bookcase in our family room and it's completely full. I've been trying to only buy Nook books and/or using the library this year since we're out of room to store any more books.

My GR "to read" shelf is massive. I tend to add any book that seems like it would be interesting. I like having options!

[rootbeerfloat]

I'm very anti-clutter, so I don't really like having a lot of books around. The number of books my kids have accumulated in their short lives stresses me out! I prefer e-books or borrowing from the library for myself, and when I buy an actual book, I give it away or sell it. I do have a couple of boxes of books stored away, though.

I also keep my to-read list around 10... enough that I can mostly remember what's on there, but also have a few options when I need something new.

[briedrew]

I love having bookshelves full of books. In my apartment before DH and I moved in together I had books everywhere, on the shelves and in stacks on the floor. I think that was a bit much for him, but it was a really small place. Now I have them all over the house, but at least they're all on shelves. I think that's what makes it work for him. He also got me a kindle a few years ago so that's helped a lot. I'll get something as an ebook first or from the library and then if I really loved it, I'll buy it for the houose. Someday I'd love to have a library in our house, but I think that's a ways off. So basically, my answer is no, you can never have too many :-)

[aurora]

No. What kind of question is that???

Signed,
Needs to buy a new bookshelf

[mdgirl]

We've moved around a lot, and I mean big moves back and forth across the country, so we've just gotten in the habit of not buying stuff in general, including books. I prefer to to get library books, although I'm leaning towards buying an e-reader since that would be easier to take on my commute and trips.

I can never have too many books on my "to read" list, though, since I never know what will be available at the library or what I'll be in the mood for.

[charlatti]

I love owning books, but I would never have space or money to own all the books I read. I go to the library at least weekly and I really only buy books I know I'm going to re-read. We had to sell/donate a ton of books when we moved to this house because there is so much less space here, and really, I think I'm happier with just having books that are more important to me.

My to-read list is unlimited. As others said, I like having a lot of ideas to choose from. I use it just for ideas, and I'm not necessarily going to read every book on the list.

[chicacocodrilo]

No way to both! Luckily the H feels the same, though we did make an effort to buy less books this summer. The to-read book pile that we own is kind of ridiculous, so we thought we'd put the brakes on it for a while. Our shelves are in a jumble, but even though we're both kind of anti-clutter, that's the one place we don't mind it.

I use GR to keep track of what I might read, but don't let it drive what I buy next. I keep a separate "to read that I own" list so I don't forget what I already have ... though that doesn't always guarantee that I'll stop myself from buying something new that's not on any list yet.

[PinkSquirrel]

There is no such thing as too many books. I feel like I need to take that stance or I would be forced to reign myself in, which doesn't sound all that much fun.

[apelila]

Sept 6, 2012 14:40:07 GMT -5 aurora said:

No. What kind of question is that???

Signed,
Needs to buy a new bookshelf

Haha, this is totally me!
I have six 6ft tall shelves that are filled and I have been stacking books on top of books lately.

[duckduck]

Sept 6, 2012 18:39:46 GMT -5 chicacocodrilo said:

I use GR to keep track of what I might read, but don't let it drive what I buy next. I keep a separate "to read that I own" list so I don't forget what I already have ... though that doesn't always guarantee that I'll stop myself from buying something new that's not on any list yet.

Ooh, I like that idea.

[writingwithheld]

I don't buy very many books. Small living quarters and a small budget help that. Generally, I would rather get it from the library. Once I am an a larger/more permanent house I will probably buy books, but I hope to only buy ones I have already read from the library that I want to be able to keep because they really affected me. If I let myself buy anything I wanted to read I would spend way too much money on them!

[charminglife]

NO! Both my SO and I grew up in houses with lots of books. I really regret that I've shed so many books over the last few years with 3 moves. When we settle somewhere long term I want to have a library in my home.

[5kcandlesinthewind]

If you move frequently, then yes, you can have too many books. Otherwise, absolutely not. My dream is to have one of those houses with a room full of built-in bookshelves that are full of books. But I am definitely in the "there's no such think as too many books on your To Read list" camp. I have a picture up on FB that says, "I was born with a reading list I'll never finish." That about sums it up.

And a friend just posted this a few minutes ago, which is totally how it starts, heh.

oldblueeyes.tumblr.com/post/29905081420/stray-books

[Pippin]

I don't think one can ever have too many books. My husband is constantly complaining about the piles of books I have laying around. I only have one book shelve that I treat like a real like Tetris puzzle trying to get everything to fit lol. I have cut back on buying books and now that I have a kindle I actually prefer ebooks since I am usually holding a kid in one arm and I can read with the other.

As for a reading list that will never be complete. I'm constantly adding books that look interesting so I always have an idea of what to read next. I usually go through fases on what I want to read so like with October coming up I've been trying to find good horror/ghost stories to read until I get sick of it and move onto something else.

[BlackCanary]

I don't think you can have enough books. ;D We're staying with some ILs and so the majority of our books are in storage.

I really hope we have room for a library when we buy a house.

[GilliC]

I have nearly 1000 free Kindle books. I'm willing to say that's too many, since there is no way I will ever read a fraction of them! Especially since I tend to read around 3 books per month, and I own 142 paid books that I haven't read yet! I kind of feel like a hoarder.

In terms of owning physical books? Nah, have as many as you want as long as you have the space. It's just sometimes impractical, especially when you move every few years and even more so when you're moving overseas. I would never buy a bigger place just for books, because I don't like the cost or environmental impact of living in a home that's bigger than I need, but if you don't have qualms about it, go for the big library! My parents' house had a library, and I always dreamed of having my own that was even bigger, but alas the reality is that it's just not feasible.

[Deleted]

How is this even a question? Of course not!

[BravoBravo]

I have plenty of ebooks on my nook. I have two small bookshelves with paper books but I plan to donate more of then. I cleared out a bunch by sending care packages to friends deployed.


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[Nonny]

[lys]

Never too many books to read.
Yes, you can own too many books.
I keep the number of books to space available. I re-read only a few favorites, so see no need to keep them, gathering dust on a shelf.

[pthermal]

NEVER. I love a packed bookshelf and a packed 'to read' list. I love a nightstand stacked high with books. My husband, however, might disagree.