Our Strange Relationship With Books

Introduction

I am not sure what inspired me to write this, whether it’s memes about buying books whether you have space for them or not, or looking at my bookcases and “to read” piles by my bedside which contain several that I have yet to fall into and explore.

The other thing is that my purchase of an Amazon Kindle Fire has exacerbated the situation dot dot dot.

The Books And I

I am easy with paper books and electronic books. I have published three anthologies and they are all available as ebooks and if you are quick (before close of play 18th November 2022) you can download my second volume for free.

I tend to get long books on the Kindle and books less than five hundred pages as physical paperbacks.

I sort of think that reference books are good as ebooks but in a physical book annotation is simpler, but you do slightly damage the book by doing that. I think there are annotation options on ebooks that you buy.

Every day I look at my books, especially those that I haven’t read and then sometimes choose a favourite to read again, meaning books are still in my collection unread. Some remain unread and go to charity shops. It’s similar with CDs although I usually listen to them before they go and often I decided to keep them

The thing is it takes forty minutes to listen to a record, two hours to watch a film on a digital disc , and a lot longer to read a book. The first two don’t really need effort from you , but a book does demand your time although there is the option of audio books and software to let your ereader read to you, though I don’t use either of those options.

I do have my own personal library full of books that I will probably never read, but there are so many I have read and will read again.

I sometimes feel a bit stagnant because I read books again and again, because I am familiar with the journey, but am also quite forgetful and miss things on first reads so I know that second, third and fourth reads will probably reveal new treasures.

I was shocked on my third reading of “Imajica”by Clive Barker that I had missed a huge event (that happened due to someone oversleeping) and now when I read it again I look at people knowing a little more about them.

“Imajica” is one that I moved to Kindle and gave my paper copy to a friend. That brings me to ebooks. I have downloaded so many cheap and free books that I don’t know if I will ever get time to read them. I remember the first ebook I read was Sun Tzu’s “Art Of War” which I found so interesting I read it twice, but I have never had a paper copy.

Your Books And You

I am sorry if I am making you feel as guilty as I am over all your unread books. The thing is it doesn’t stop us from buying new books does it? I am currently coming to the end of “The Prince With The Silver Hand” and thoroughly been enthralled with it even though I first read it as a teenager and am almost tempted to just restart it. Do you ever feel like that?

It is a book that I don't want to end, in the same way I never want “Imajica” to end.

Conclusion

I do love books, mainly the words, but I have some beautiful hardback copies of “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” and would never part with them.

My relationship with books may be strange but I am totally happy with the situation.