Book Shopping
You can just make out the bookshop in the background Photo © Katherine Cox |
It's just like a bookstore ought to be: small but well-selected stock, nice people, and that general aura that makes you feel comfortable and free to meander the shelves. The Classics are grouped together in a corner with a humble ottoman nearby and I found myself going in again.
This week I've added three more books to my collection: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Sherlock Holmes, and The Great Gatsby. I've made a promise to collect slowly and, going forward, only buy one after I've finished reading one. It's so nice to own a book you know you're going to read again, to have it in perfect condition, without the wrinkles or stains library books sometimes have, and in a small way help support a bookstore.
My collection |
Does that mean I'll stop going to the library or buying eBooks? No, the library will be my 'second shelf'-- the one I go to when something new is out and maybe I just want to read it once.
And eBooks, sometimes there's a rare book that you can only find on GoogleBooks and even though the formatting isn't the best its better than not being able to read it at all! The internet has given us the largest library possible!
What are your book habits? Do you have a large collection? What kind of books? Do you buy them online or go into a store? Do you have a favorite book store?
Comments
@Lisa May: I prefer paper-books too! I love technology but eReaders still have a lot of things to work out (author royalties, pricing, standardized formatting/quality etc.)
@Heater: The eBook industry has really changed B&N. I have a friend that works there, so I feel a tiny bit guilty not buying my books there, but I just don't get the same warm feeling in the store.
There are certain books that I keep, like my short story collection, and since doing your classics challenge I'll be collecting classics now. My grandmother reads a lot now, so she'll get most of my 'to give away' books.
Although I much prefer buying my books in real shops, unfortunately 99% of them come from Amazon, since most of them are English classics which it is almost impossible to lay hands on in Austria.
Our town only has used bookstores these days, so I either buy from Amazon or go into Boulder if I need a copy of something right away. Boulder Bookstore is a wonderful place--great for browsing, and lots of author signings/readings. Denver has the Tattered Cover, which is incredible and worth visiting Denver to visit.
>I've made a promise to collect slowly and, going forward, only buy one after I've finished reading one.
Good luck with that!
Enjoy your books.
I've been an avid reader all my life and have an eclectic taste that ranges far and wide. It doesn't help that I have a lot of books for research, too.
Love your blog. These days I mostly buy from Amazon because I'm pretty much house bound. I still buy more physical books than digital ones but I have both.
Found you through The Classics Club.