Thursday 13 November 2008

Booking Through Thursday

This week's BTT:

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY? Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?

I don't know why actually owning a book is so important to me but it is - I like to think of myself as Smaug (the dragon from The Hobbit) curled up on top on my lair filled with books instead of gold...

I do use my local library, as it's fabulous, but if I borrow a book that I really enjoy then it ends up on my wishlist pretty sharpish! This is even though I know that my house contains so many books that I could genuinely open up a shop...


When buying books I do try to get good value for money so I will look around for the best price if it's hardback or expensive and I am always a fan of stumbling across a great second-hand haul. I say this to make my mountain of books sound somehow better! I do occasionally "prune" my collection of books and send some to live in a charity shop but it never seems to make a difference - there are still hundreds (erm - thousands) left.

So. Why do I buy rather than borrow? Not sure but there's definitely a pleasure to be had in book ownership and I do like gazing at my meters of books with Smaugish satisfaction!


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Owning books for me is much more important than owning Gold!

As it is or you!

Must buy!

jlshall said...

I absolutely agree about the pleasure to be had in book ownership. Now if I could just make myself do a little pruning - that's something I always find almost impossible to contemplate!

SmilingSally said...

After a recent BTT question which made me feel guilty, I pruned some. Now, I have shelf space! Here's my answer:
http://bookcritiques.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I like the picture of the dragon. I should get that book!

Anonymous said...

Ay yes the dragon from the Hobbit, good analogy.

Anonymous said...

Owning books are fun! I like to look at my bookshelf and "count" how many books I have read so far this year!

Anonymous said...

Smaug! LOL! I reviewed the Hobbit this week.

Mary Beth said...

Ahh! A kindred spirit! I also mentioned feeling like a dragon looking out over my loot:)

Book Lover Lisa said...

Love that "Smaugish satisfaction. There is definately something satisfying in possesing books.

Anonymous said...

You have found the imagery so many of us have been struggling to express. Awesome!