Book Love

[pen_grunt]

The following will probably only be interesting to the bookgeeks on my friend's list...

If ever you want to find a new book or author...or, you know, kill a few dozen hours, you should visit this site:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

I go to an author's page, then look at their complete works, books they recommend (if listed), and the "Other people looking at this author also looked at..." list. It's a wonderful world of books. I've used it primarily to find Sci-Fi and Fantasy books that aren't crap--so I can't testify to the usefulness for more conventional literature tastes. It usually posts upcoming books more quickly than Amazon lists them (and in a more logical way). This may be because it's a UK site, but pretty much everything has US links if one so desires.

This site is also helpful when you're cataloging 884 books, and you want to know whether the duplicate copy of a book you have is the first in a series, or what. Because I'm pretty sure normal people don't accidentally have two copies of the second book in a trilogy that they haven't read...and no copies of the first or third book. Not that anyone would be doing that. *cough*

Speaking of, I now have my 884 books (plus some duplicates) sorted by series (if applicable), # in sequence, author, title, genre, sub-genre, hardcover vs paperback, read or not yet read, and special notes (if it was a gift, school assigned, once belonged to a relative, etc.). It's all in an Excel spreadsheet. I may have gone a little overboard on the geek here--even for me. I now, however, feel like I can buy books again. Before I was never sure whether I actually OWNED a copy of book X, or if I had merely checked it out from the library at one point. Not that I feel the need to buy a ton of books--I much prefer "test-driving" a book from the library first, and if I get the sense that I would like to re-read it (uncanny that, but I always know whether a book will be re-readable for me) I'll maybe buy it if I see it at a thrift store or the library book sale.

Anyway, I'm going to have some duplicate paperbacks (and, ehem, a few hardcovers) to give away if anyone wants them. I'll list them later, but I know I have some Tolkien, Hemingway, Dahl, Hobb, Dart-Thornton, and Williams books that are duplicates.

Here's a question for fellow book geeks: When you have a hardcover AND a paperback copy of a book, do you keep them both, or get rid of the paperback? Does it depend on any factors? I have a few paperback duplicates that I somehow feel I should hold on to...despite there being no reason to do so. For example, I have the complete Chronicles of Prydain in one hardcover volume. I then have all 5 books (individually) in paperback. No reason to keep both, right? Same with the Chronicles of Narnia (though they're all separate books instead of collected works). Yet I feel weird giving away the paperbacks. Yet they're taking up space on a very-cramped bookshelf. Oh the worries and troubles.

I'm a bit surprised by the number: 884. But I'm surprised in BOTH ways; that I would have so many books, and--considering my very-full bookshelves--that there are ONLY 884. 59% of which I have not yet read. Happy day.

Additionally: Am I the only one who catalogs their books?

Comments

[tabby-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Do you LibraryThing? Because I do!

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

I had never even heard of LibraryThing...but it looks like a veritable smorgasbord of book fun! How could I have been so ignorant? I'm trying to figure out if I can import my Excel Spreadsheet of Glory. I really should have included ISBN numbers....though that may have been going too far.

Hmm...$25 for a lifetime membership...hmmm....

[tabby-of-doom.livejournal.com]

I've been a member of LibraryThing for over a year now, and I love it. It's so much fun entering books, seeing how many people have the same books I do, reading the reviews and so on. If you grab a membership, please let me know! I'd love to friend you on there!

(In case you want to check out my Librarything, my account name is "quillmenow")

:)

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

I'm seriously considering it. $25 for a lifetime? What else can I buy for $25 that will last a lifetime?

[tabby-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Oh, and regarding the paperback/hardcover copy thing, I still have the paperback copy of Jane Eyre that I first read when I was 14. It's been read dozens of times, it's shabby, dog-eared, and full of scotch tape. I recently bought a sweet little hardcover copy of JE, but I refuse to get rid of the paperback. If you hold sentimental value towards the paperback, keep it. But if you see it as nothing but a space-waster, trade it in at a used bookstore, or give it to someone you know will appreciate it.

I bought a bookshelf last month with a capacity for 125+ books, and I'm on my last shelf already. I understand about the cramped bookshelves.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I suspected that you, in particular, would understand the bookshelf issue. My boss called this weekend and couldn't understand why I sounded so sad on the phone. I told him about the bookshelves (they're full...nice ones are expensive...we'll run out of room for the bookshelves themselves soon...) and he just laughed at me.

[tabby-of-doom.livejournal.com]

No one understands my exasperation at having to continually buy new bookshelves. They think I'm silly.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Well, where ELSE do they expect you to put the books? Yeah, I know, they probably don't understand the need to have books in the first place, but SERIOUSLY.

I have a self-imposed rule: Once I have to stack books on the floor, I have to stop getting books. I come from a long line of book addicts, and I vow that my house will not be like my Dad's or my Aunt's (who have labyrinthine stacks of books in odd places that makes it impossible to a) Navigate the house and b) Figure out which books they do and do not have).

Obviously this is just motivation and justification for getting more bookshelves.

There may need to be an intervention later in life.