I’ve been going through my books, compiling a list.  It’s a checklist of sorts as I’m going to attempt to actually get through my TBR pile before death.  I figured it was either that or just move the books over and over until I die and my relatives show up to cart the lot off to the local library.

At any rate, my book collection is a decent size.  Not every book I’ve ever owned (and yes, I miss some of the ones I’ve given up!) because that would be too many to move over and over.  Some got donated in an effort to lighten boxes or save space. 

But as I have been creating my list, I’ve been reminded of some very cool titles that I have.  So many books that I picked up and planned to read and then just didn’t.  It’s not always my fault, though – Borders had a going out of business sale! And the library purges books!  I was morally obligated to rescue as many as I could!

Books are also reminders of life.  Different occasions for getting books – different times.  Who was I when I picked up this fantasy or that romance?  When did I first experience that author?  Was the book a gift from someone, recommended by someone?  Is there an inscription?

I know some people don’t like to read books over because there’s a finite amount of time in life and so many books.  I can respect that sentiment – since my jokes about downloading my brain into a cyborg body in order to live longer enough to read ALL THE BOOKS are just jokes.  (When Skynet takes over, we’re all toast – they won’t be handing out cyborg bodies.)

I do like to reread.  Contrasting the new experience with the old is useful, I think.  And a reread is relaxing because I already know how the book is going to go.  Although from looking at my catalog, I can tell that there will be some books which I barely recall.  My memory is good, but not eidetic, sadly. 

I’m going to try to limit how many new books I bring in to the collection.  Of course, when a book-aholic says she’ll “limit” her book buying, that really just means to specific books.  Like filling in missing books in a series or replacing a book that is falling apart or getting the new release from a favorite author . . .

Look, that IS restraint for someone like me!

I’m a practitioner of tsundoku. 

That’s an art form, right?

Well, I will try to weed out a few books as I go through the collection.  I want to get rid of anything that I don’t really need or wouldn’t read again. 

After all, I do still have my office to get through – thought it was only one cart full of books taken from the library.

Don’t give me that look – they were going to be thrown out – they needed a new home!