There’s something about old books....... (2 Viewers)

Feb 21, 2016
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that makes it hard for me to throw them away.
Maybe it’s the fact they were handed down from parents,maybe because of who wrote them,maybe because it just seems”wrong”.

Been clearing out a couple of bookshelves today and decided to keep:

A Short History of the World. by H G Wells. Printed in 1930’s
AA Roadmap of England and Wales (Fourth Impression). Hardback. 1953.
Manual of Seamanship. Admiralty. 1957.

Plus a few others which I read as a child. Wind in the Willows, Tarka the Otter, Black Beauty. Maybe keep those for the grandchildren.

It’s only taken me about ten years to get round to the job,so not rushing it!

Do you have the same problem,or is it just me?
 

Jim

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I just got rid of a load of hardback books. It was hard, I do like them but just had too many.
 
May 16, 2014
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Can't do it!

Stacks of books around the house, many are still in boxes in the loft from previous house moves! Same with records, 45's, EPs, LPs, Cds of course but also many cassette tapes and even a few old 8 tracks - remember them?

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movan

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that makes it hard for me to throw them away.
Maybe it’s the fact they were handed down from parents,maybe because of who wrote them,maybe because it just seems”wrong”.

Been clearing out a couple of bookshelves today and decided to keep:

A Short History of the World. by H G Wells. Printed in 1930’s
AA Roadmap of England and Wales (Fourth Impression). Hardback. 1953.
Manual of Seamanship. Admiralty. 1957.

Plus a few others which I read as a child. Wind in the Willows, Tarka the Otter, Black Beauty. Maybe keep those for the grandchildren.

It’s only taken me about ten years to get round to the job,so not rushing it!

Do you have the same problem,or is it just me?

Just got rid of about 400 books ... some from many, many years ago .. I need to get rid of everything in case I have to live in van for a while ... I should feel enlightened apparently ... but I don't I feel sad. :( I miss my Shadow the Sheepdog.
 

CWH

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Jan 29, 2014
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I love my books.
Also 'passed on' about 4 or 5 hundred when moving recently but still got hundreds that 'need' to go.....
Some are still here because they're old and hold respect, history, memory...
Some because I read them over and over
 
Last edited:
Oct 24, 2015
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I have never really been a collector of books!

But when I was young, my mates dad had a small library in his house,, he used to take us into it, and I remember the colours of the spines, the gold lettering on some, and the smell,,, the smell was lovely ! Lol. What a memory that bought back! I wonder what he’s doing now? Lol

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Jan 27, 2009
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that makes it hard for me to throw them away.
Maybe it’s the fact they were handed down from parents,maybe because of who wrote them,maybe because it just seems”wrong”.

Been clearing out a couple of bookshelves today and decided to keep:

A Short History of the World. by H G Wells. Printed in 1930’s
AA Roadmap of England and Wales (Fourth Impression). Hardback. 1953.
Manual of Seamanship. Admiralty. 1957.

Plus a few others which I read as a child. Wind in the Willows, Tarka the Otter, Black Beauty. Maybe keep those for the grandchildren.

It’s only taken me about ten years to get round to the job,so not rushing it!

Do you have the same problem,or is it just me?

Manual of Seamanship. Admiralty. 1957. VoL 1 and VoL 2 ?
 
OP
OP
Podney
Feb 21, 2016
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Manual of Seamanship. Admiralty. 1957. VoL 1 and VoL 2 ?
Just vol 1.
Our eldest son was joining the Navy,and my brother gave it to him.
Sadly,he didn’t join,but returned to marry his,now,wife,and lived happily ever after.
 
Feb 4, 2010
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A couple of months ago I bought "Walking In The Welsh Borders" by Norman G. Brett-James in Hay-on-Wye. Published in 1942....only £3. He travels from Chepstow to Chester and I thought it would be good to try and follow in his footsteps, chapter-by-chapter, whenever I get the chance. Particularly as I know some of the areas quite well and enjoy visiting castles.

Not a great start mind you...it's going to be difficult catching the ferry from Aust to Chepstow!

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Jun 30, 2010
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It amazes me, maybe even brasses me off , that the younger generation in this country have no thought at all about their families past.

Grandma, Granddad, Great Aunt/Uncle turns up their toes, and a Skip is in the drive tout suis!
All the family history is consigned to the tip, Photo's, Albums , letters, Granddads Medals up on Ebay, house sold and off on a world cruise. Let's crack another bottle of bubbles on great Aunt Cath! har har har har!
Yes I realise that they are your books, and being so, yours to dispose of, and I admire you for doing so,
BUT! Yes! there is always a BUT!
The residue? Precious to you? Of course! but when you have "passed over" will they be precious to those who inherit?
Hey! anything worthy a bob or two, flog it now, enjoy the dosh while you are still able too!
 
OP
OP
Podney
Feb 21, 2016
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It amazes me, maybe even brasses me off , that the younger generation in this country have no thought at all about their families past.

Grandma, Granddad, Great Aunt/Uncle turns up their toes, and a Skip is in the drive tout suis!
All the family history is consigned to the tip, Photo's, Albums , letters, Granddads Medals up on Ebay, house sold and off on a world cruise. Let's crack another bottle of bubbles on great Aunt Cath! har har har har!
Yes I realise that they are your books, and being so, yours to dispose of, and I admire you for doing so,
BUT! Yes! there is always a BUT!
The residue? Precious to you? Of course! but when you have "passed over" will they be precious to those who inherit?
Hey! anything worthy a bob or two, flog it now, enjoy the dosh while you are still able too!
@rangitira. Just checking......when you say “your books” are you referring to me specifically,or the world in general? I see from another thread that I do qualify as younger generation,hahahaha,as Im not 65 until May! lol
I’m keeping many books,some to pass on,others to read,others that simply have good memories.
 

cliffanger

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I don’t mind passing books on - never been sentimental about hanging on to them .... apart from the first one I picked up when we moved to Liberia - Belles On Their Toes by Ernestine and Frank Gilbreth - very ‘American’ true story written by the son and daughter of the Lilian Gilbreth, the widow of the Time and Motion pioneer Frank Gilbreth. Far superior book to Cheaper By The Dozen. Tells the story of how she brought her family up after his premature death. VERY Easy read!
 

TheBig1

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many many years! since I was a kid
we had some major building work done 10 years ago and my study/office was converted back to a bedroom. To enable this I got rid of hundreds of books that I had kept mostly from my university days. A friend of mine helped and was quite visibly upset that most of the books ended up going for recycling. He argued that although out of date would be of use to somebody. charity shops just didnt want to know

i miss having them on the shelves but all the data is now online,the paperback fiction i dont miss at all. still got about a hundred books, mostly on dogs and nature

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Sep 10, 2013
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There is a hierarchy of printed material in my mind
1 newspapers
2 magazines
3 paper back books
4 hard back books

1-3 throw away after reading
4 move on once read to charity shops or similar.

Mind you I now read Kindle to prevent the book build up problem.
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

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I use my local libraries ebooks, dont have to go there and dont have physical books with other peoples germs all over them!

Read them at leisure on my laptop

Peter
 

magicsurfbus

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My other half is the hoarder so we're awash with her books. I'm more selective, but will build up sets and keep books I've particularly enjoyed reading. I've got virtually everything Alan Moore's ever written, and have a lot of Biggles books still waiting to be read. I won't touch e-books or Kindles - I just can't be doing with small screens.

I've also got a growing pile of paper ephemera and magazines waiting for resale, but I don't get sentimental about that.

I'm trying to collect the first ever appearance in print of popular boy's literature heroes, but most of the time that's in magazines. I've got Biggles, Bunter, Sherlock Holmes, and Nigel Molesworth. Still on the lookout for Jennings and Just William.

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May 16, 2014
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I forgot Kindle - I have quite a few books on that too! Not as good as a real book but certainly useful in the van from a space and weight point of view. I generally load up a few books before going on a trip.
 

Bailey58

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Just got rid of about 400 books ... some from many, many years ago .. I need to get rid of everything in case I have to live in van for a while ... I should feel enlightened apparently ... but I don't I feel sad. :( I miss my Shadow the Sheepdog.

Kept all my Enid Blytons and W E Johns and have hundreds of others around the house including many in pristine condition from my mother (May the Lord Bless Her Soul). She was an avid collector almost to the point of obsession and I tried to sell many classics on ebay to no avail. I've offered my Famous Fives to my youngest grandkids as they do read but they get them all from the school library as they want them. I wonder if they're the sanitised version with PC corrections?

The Kindle is gathering dust in a drawer and I haven't bought anything for more than three years in that format, just not the same as a book.

You can borrow my Shadow The Sheepdog if it fills a need Joy. :)
 

golly

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My other half is the hoarder so we're awash with her books. I'm more selective, but will build up sets and keep books I've particularly enjoyed reading. I've got virtually everything Alan Moore's ever written, and have a lot of Biggles books still waiting to be read. I won't touch e-books or Kindles - I just can't be doing with small screens.

I've also got a growing pile of paper ephemera and magazines waiting for resale, but I don't get sentimental about that.

I'm trying to collect the first ever appearance in print of popular boy's literature heroes, but most of the time that's in magazines. I've got Biggles, Bunter, Sherlock Holmes, and Nigel Molesworth. Still on the lookout for Jennings and Just William.
Used to love the Jennings books as a child, don't know why as they were so far removed from my own childhood. Unfortunately all of my childhood books, school and Sunday school prizes etc were stored at my parents house and succumbed to the attention of mice.:(

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Jun 30, 2010
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@rangitira. Just checking......when you say “your books” are you referring to me specifically,or the world in general? I see from another thread that I do qualify as younger generation,hahahaha,as Im not 65 until May! lol
I’m keeping many books,some to pass on,others to read,others that simply have good memories.
 

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