4,044 books that I own...and no, I'm not joking. I am not the owner of a bookstore, and I am not starting a collection to open my own library (though I must admit both of those options had crossed my mind). I am simply a crazy person who loves books.
I know that most of you who read this are going to think I'm absolutely nuts and should be sent for psychiatric care. But let's face it, we all have something we collect or obsess about don't we? Just because mine is something that takes up a LOT of space which could easily be fixed by the simple purchase of an e-book reading device of one form or another does not make me crazy......
OK...well maybe it does...but only just a little.
See, here's the thing. For me, collecting books isn't just about the contents of the book, it is about the book itself. Don't get me wrong. I have a passion for reading, and I hope to read as many books from my collection as I can. And just to make sure you understand that I'm not completely insane, I fully realize that even if I can somehow manage to read a book a day I am going to have an extremely tough time reading all 4,044 during my lifetime. However, saving space and putting those thousands of books on a Kindle would not be the same. I know what you are thinking, and yes, technically I would still have 4,044 'books'. But as I said before, it wouldn't be the same.
The thrill of collecting, for me, lies in the physical book. Though many interior designers would have me dragged into the square and shot at what I'm about to say, I love seeing bookshelves completely filled with books. In my eyes it's not clutter to see that many books lined up from end to end. It's rather homey and welcoming actually. I almost feel as though the room is inviting my guests in for me. 'Come on in and sit down. I'll get you a drink or a nice cup of tea while you make yourself at home. Did you read this book? I just finished it and thought it was great! Here, give it a try and see what you think.'
.....so maybe that's a bit extreme, but you can catch my drift.
I also love seeing the different sizes of the books on the shelves and the variety of designs and colors on the spines. Some are plain and some are fancy, but put together you get a wonderful myriad of colors and textures which always remind me of a beautiful collage. Instead of having plain walls with one or two pieces of 2D art, my walls are richly decorated with functional 3D art. Don't get me wrong. I also have a good number of 2D artwork as well. Not EVERY square inch of my walls is covered with books!
I know that there are not many others in this world who will agree with my choice of decorating. There aren't many people who would see books as being a form of artwork instead of clutter, but I ask you to give it a try. I don't expect you to go out and collect four thousand books, or four hundred, or even forty. I do ask that the next time you think about purchasing a book, you don't purchase one for your Kindle or Nook. Go to your favorite bookstore or go online and purchase the actual book. When you're finished reading, I ask for you to not get rid of the book. Instead, place it on a shelf with maybe two or three others. Try living with it for a couple of days. Maybe you'll like it and maybe you won't, but next time you have a guest you'll be able say, 'Did you read this book? I just finished it and thought it was great! Here, give it a try and see what you think.'
My book doesn't need a battery
.....Does yours?
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