Why I can’t get rid of my books ...

"Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks."-Dr. Seuss

Like many people, I start new years with resolutions. My resolution this year was to get rid of things I don't need, such as clothes I can't wear, paperwork I no longer need, dust-catching knick-knacks and books I no longer read.

But I ran into a little problem. I love books too much to get rid of most of them.

I've had a love affair with books since before I could read. It's all my parents' fault. They read to me all the time. Forget letting them skip the occasional page; I knew when they skipped sentences!

I was the nerd who got in trouble for reading Agatha Christie behind her schoolbooks in class. I still bring a book everywhere because you never know when a dull moment will occur and you need some brain candy! What's the point of reading out-of-date magazines in waiting rooms? Run out of cousins to talk to at that family gathering? Find a corner and read a book. OK, I grew out of that one-sort of. I sheepishly confess to trying to read while driving one time. The book was THAT good. Thank God I discovered audiobooks.

I've built up quite a collection over the years, so I am running out of room. However, it's hard to get rid of old friends. Some people may read books only once and then they're through with them, but there are some I cling to over the years. Some books are so enjoyable that they must be read over and over. Sometimes you have to re-read a whole book or series, and sometimes you just want to go back to that special chapter or just a few paragraphs and relive those moments. They're so beloved that I won't be parting with them until they disintegrate.

There are whole worlds and experiences inside books. "So much scope for the imagination," as Anne of Green Gables would say. Who wouldn't want to have those experiences? One of my favorite things to do is to pick one of my books and open to a random page and start reading. I usually come back to the "real" world a couple of hours later, after I've read the whole book.

I admit there are some books I have that I probably won't read again, but since they're a bit obscure and I can't be sure they'll find a good home, I continue to hang onto them. Pathetic, I know. But books deserve a good home.

I love everything about books-and I'm not just talking about the content. I love the feel and smell of books. I've never understood how a person could prefer e-books over that tactile experience of touching books and turning pages. It's all part of the package. I own a Nook, but that's only for travel. It saves me packing at least three books every time I go on trips, and it's easier to bring a Nook to a doctor's office or while waiting on an oil change because books don't always fit in my purse. I admit to feeling like a traitor when I bought the Nook, but I know I could never give up actual books.

I could take some tips on saving space from some of those shows on HGTV, but I've concluded those designers don't know squat about how to deal with books. They get fussy about what to do with them and always end up covering them with colorful paper and organizing them by color, size or some equally stupid idea. They never organize by author or genre. I say be proud of those spines, no matter how battered or allegedly boring. Let the titles breathe in free air. Besides, how else are you supposed to know if you're grabbing "Ender's Game" or "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"?

And the designer always seems to find a way to get rid of at least half of the homeowner's books, so that idea's out. I want to get rid of some of my books, but definitely not half.

So I guess I'll sit down and go shelf by shelf, deciding whether or not this or that book is worth keeping. Of course, I may have to read a few chapters to figure that out. I may not get finished until next year.

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