Booking Through Thursday...Why Buy?

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?

Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What made you buy the books that you actually own, even though your usual preference is to borrow and return them?

If you usually buy your books, tell me why. Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?
IMO (of course it's my opinion, it's my blog, who else's opinion would it be?), there is nothing more satisfying than walking into a book store. There is nothing quite like walking up and down the aisles searching for that next perfect adventure, that next perfect novel to lose yourself in. For me it's complete bliss. I love the smell of a bookstore too - when I walk in I stand there for a sec and just breathe it all in. Yeah, I may get weird looks, but since when has that stopped me? I'm sure the employees are thinking "Oh lord that strange girl is back again".

I must own the books I read. I think that I have a sickness, but it's one that I am finding running rampant among us book lovers. Reading historical fiction is full of perks, with one being the pretty, pretty covers. I'm a very aesthetic person, so I love to display my collection. Seeing as I've only had one other person in my house so far this year (besides the kid and husband) I guess I just do it for myself!

Since I was little I've liked to sorta collect things and this obsession plays into that. I used to read Nancy Drew and the Babysitters Club...really any series with numbers on the spine. They were always lined up and in order on my shelf. A little anal-retentive huh?! But, that is what makes me happy! Every weekend I dust the 3 small bookshelves I have in our room...my husband likes to make fun of me, but then I remind him of his Pearl Jam shrine and that usually shuts him up.

On another note, I feel good about buying books because it helps support my favorite authors, especially during this huge pile of crap we are wading through, called the economy.

There's my 2 cents...what about you?

7 comments:

  1. I'm always buying books. I buy them because I want to have them, period. I like to maintain a history of my reading over the years. There are so many good literature out there that have been overlooked by readers that after the first, or second printing they will go out-of-print. I'm always buying and preserving what I enjoy reading.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Matt!! Always nice to see a fresh face to my blog! I've bookmarked yours so I can peek around tonight...darn people at work get their panties in a wad when I'm slacking. Go figure!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a feeling that those 3 small bookshelves are going to grow! Here's my answer.
    http://bookcritiques.blogspot.com/2008/11/booking-through-thursday.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. You know how I feel about this subject. I *must* own the books. It's sick and we may need to form a support group in the near future.

    ReplyDelete
  5. isn't it nice to blog and find out how many others share your
    'sickness'? I was, and still am, anal about my books. I would get so upset when my little sister would mess up the order of my babysitters club or sweet valley twins books. BTW I love your blog. I haven't read much historical fiction, but browsing through your posts makes me want to.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I imagine folks who say they never buy books have other things they collect so that's the way I look at it. I like to own the books I read -- and I end up keeping most of them (even though I'm not a re-reader). I only tend to give away the ones I'm not crazy about -- but I keep all the historical fiction and non-fiction.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love to buy them too... but have cut back a bit to save money!

    If I know I will want to read it again, I buy it. If not, I borrow it :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails
 

Passages to the Past
All rights reserved © 2013

Custom Blog Design by Blogger Boutique

Blogger Boutique