When my oldest son moved out, we joked that the beams of the house groaned with relief as the weight of his personal library was moved to his new apartment. Not for long, however, as my library collections continued to grow. There is a rather substantial maritime collection on the porch ( about 300 titles). And another collection in my back office. Not having worked for years in anthropology, though, a few years ago, I disposed of most of the anthropological collections that no longer engaged my attention or interests. Even so, it’s a lot of books.
Every collection needs a certain amount of weeding once in a while. But I’m careful in what I send to the used book dealers. The reason why the maritime collection is so large is that the titles can be hard to find, and there is nothing worse than needing the lines of the Ida G Wanderlust of 1903 for a portrait and finding that you disposed of the book it was in. Of course, good luck finding a replacement when you need it. So on the porch, that and others sit. And the house groans with the weight.
But somewhere in every collection, there is a little shelf or worn books you’ve found reason to use most often. The small collection pictured above is in that class. Some are very general reference books on carving that I recommend to others, and then there are some specific books on techniques and carvers that I’ve found most helpful to have close at hand. Books on eagle carving, lettering, and chip carving. Then there are favorite authors: Chris Pie, Dick Onians, Wayne Barton, and Graham Bull. All of these have been poured over repeatedly.
These are among the titles and authors I advise students to read. I’d even go so far as to fling down the gauntlet and challenge the serious beginner to master a tenth of what is contained in them. Without apprenticeships, books remain your best resource for learning. No, YouTube videos are great, but your library is still your best friend if you really need to dive deep.
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This is great. I love (my) books too. And never being enough shelves. My Love always makes a new shelves or places for me. Your collections seem so precious. Do you know it is not easy for me to leave from my books.. Even I don’t lend my books, in stead of I buy a new one and give as a gift. Because on my book’s pages there are many notes and I don’t want to lose them. Dear Lou, there is a book, have you read? It was so beautiful for book lovers as us, “Packing My Library: An Elegy and Ten”by Alberto Manguel. Thank you for this beautiful post, as one of my Turkish writer/philosopher, Bilge Karasu, he says ” Neither Without Books nor Without Cats’ ( which ruminates on cats, writing and books.) Love, nia
I keep the books that I really love near my bed. The ones I read and enjoy are on shelves. I’m not sure why I do that.
My favorites have followed me with every move.
I want to get rid of my books. I wish there were a used book store in the San Luis Valley, but no. I should put some up on eBay because there are people (rare) who might want them but I’m too lazy.
There is a used bookstore superstore near us, but mostly, they give store credit. Like you, I wouldn’t mind selling eventually, but it does require a lot of work -where you are or where I am.
Pedro is a belliever in books for technical problems at work. He’s got decades of experience, and for data challenges, server glitches, packet errors… YouTube is worthless (too many videos by too many novices). Sometimes, nothing but old school works. When he really needs to dive deep, out come the books.
It true lots of the tube trash is by novices, and sometimes it’s dangerous. Pedro is absolutely correct when you need accurate data and answers out come the books!