Book Stores

Discussion in 'Reading & Writing' started by Ken Anderson, Nov 23, 2015.

  1. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    You are behind the times, @Sifu Phil Bonifonte ! I USED to use my computer chair and read from on the computer monitor (which was seriously uncomfortable for much reading); but once I got my first iPad, all of that changed , as in the "twinkling of an eye".
    I now relax comfortably in my recliner chair, Chipper nestled on the rug at my feet, and read with either the iPad or the Kindle. Most of the things, I read with the iPad, and since I have the external keyboard, I use it for posting on forums, as well.

    When I am just reading , then I prefer the Kindle, which is smaller and easy to hold, and has different settings to adjust the light input for reading, as well as the font size.
    You can't do that with regular books. Whatever size print they are, or whatever size the book is, that is what you have to deal with. And if you happen to be traveling, and in the middle of a flight, you finish your book---- then what ?
    With e-books, you can store as many as you want when you go somewhere, and not worry about it taking up space in your carry-on luggage, or having to take extra books along on the trip.

    All that being said, I DO worry about the fact that we are losing print books. If we had an EMP, or some other calamity that left us (as a nation) without access to our electronic devices, what will happen to all of the knowledge that is stored in those books ?
    And will there even be people in the future that can read the books, even if some are saved ? As was mentioned, the children of today seem to communicate with text messages, and the "no child left behind" schooling is producing college kids who still can't read or spell correctly.
     
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  2. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I have hundreds of books, which I bought new and used. When we bought our house, we tore down the walls between two bedrooms to form a library, which is full. Plus, I have five bookcases in my office, a small one in the living room, and another small one in the bedroom. On top of that, between us, my wife and I have four Kindles. Since our library is open for only a few hours a week now, libraries being another thing that are closing all over the country, I don't use the library often, but I have frequently bought books that I read in the library because, if it was a good book, I wanted it in my own library.
     
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  3. Sifu Phil Bonifonte

    Sifu Phil Bonifonte Veteran Member
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    I'm reminded at this point of the great Edward G. Robinson as the last librarian in Soylent Green ...



    Thank you.

    No, but what you CAN do is wear some magnifying glasses and get a decent, directional reading lamp.

    Then you put the book away, order a drink and look out the window at the glory of Nature.

    Sheesh, do I have to teach you people everything?!?! khekhe.gif

    And as soon as someone swipes your iPad because it's so glittery and latest-generation, there goes your book collection.

    I've never had anyone try to grab my suitcase full of books or, if they did, they never got very far.

    Don't worry - it will still be safe in Ken and my libraries. hi.gif
     
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  4. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Truthfully (I guess it's time to admit this) I am at heart , also a book collector. My problem is that I am also somewhat of a vagabond wanderer; and the two just do not mix well together.
    Even though I spent my life growing up in one house, after I became an adult and got married, the moving started.

    My first husband was a construction worker, so we sometimes moved every few weeks as he went from job to job.
    After we had children, we didn't move quite as often; but there were all those boxes and boxes of books that had to be packed every time we moved.
    I would try to cull out some that I thought that I could live without; but there was still a lot of them left anyway.

    My idea of a Dream House was one that had a real Library, with the wood paneling, and bookshelves on all sides with a fireplace on one wall, and a comfortable couch or chair near the fireplace.
    However, even though I moved so many times over the years, it was never to a house that had such a room, or even close.
    Now, I have resigned myself that such a library is never going to happen in my life, and most of my cherished books have had to be left behind in one move or another; and I am afraid to collect any more. I am down to 1-2 boxes now.
    Truthfully, I have packed around even my church song book since 1990, and I have not even had my Omnichord for the last few years to play any music with; so I do not know why I hang on to even that, but I do.
     
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  5. Ruby Begonia

    Ruby Begonia Supreme Member
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    After my divorce, I left that home and room that Yvonne speaks of. I had the built in shelves, the fireplace, good reading lamps, all of it. I had to purge!


    I gave away, donated and threw away a small library and my collection of antique magazines with lovely illustrations and timely articles of the day that were historic, in retrospect. Sometimes I cried over the loss, but bottom line... I was free.

    I know all about the Collector's addiction, most of my friends would almost steal to add to it.
     
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  6. Ruby Begonia

    Ruby Begonia Supreme Member
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    As a former bookseller I appreciate your insight Sifu Phil, about "how much did we actually purchase?".
     
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  7. Linda Binning

    Linda Binning Veteran Member
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    I've thought of the exact same things Yvonne. Its a real concern.
     
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  8. Sifu Phil Bonifonte

    Sifu Phil Bonifonte Veteran Member
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    To be honest as well ... most of my real books are gone, scattered to the four winds over years of moving.

    Had I lived a more stable life I'd probably still have them all (including over 400 on martial arts alone).

    Now, sadly, I only have a hundred or so books on my laptop. :(
     
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  9. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I know just what you are saying, @Sifu Phil Bonifonte .
    My equivalent of all those 400 martial arts books was complete sets of the Arabian Horse World magazine, including the yearly January Stallion Issues (the horse version of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue) , and several years of the registry volumes for the Arabian Horse Registry.
    They were from back into the 1970's and would be collector's items now.

    Gone also are all of the horsetraining books and videos, several years worth of old (collectible?) Mother Earth News from the 60-70's, as well as old editions of Poe, and several old early 1900's era novels, like "Shepard of the Hills" and similar classic books.
    Also missing are the original releases of "The Hollow Earth", and several of Erik Von Dannikens "Chariots of the Gods" books, and others along that line of interest.
    There were the health books by people like Gaylord Hauser, Dr. Jarvis (Vermont Folk Medicine), and many of the other health and nutrition writers of that bygone era.
    And lets not forget the motivational books, Norman Vincent Peale, W. Clement Stone, Zig Ziglar, and Og Mandino, just to name a few.

    Even when I can find these books and read them on the Kindle, it is truly not the same feeling inside as I get when actually holding a piece of history in my hands and know that it is not just the book, but also the cover, that is a treasure.
     
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  10. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I also once had the first several years of Mother Earth News, from volume one, but I lost them when I forgot the bath water on one day and flooded the house. Unfortunately, Mother Earth News was on the bottom shelf of the bookcase.
     
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  11. Linda Binning

    Linda Binning Veteran Member
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    I'm sorry Phil, If I had never moved (If I said how many times I moved noone would believe me) and had lived in a place with enough room I would have kept almost every book I've ever gotten my hands on and it's been a lot. I don't think I've had 400 on any one subject though, unless you put all my metaphysical books under one heading. Books are like friends and I hate to let them go.

    That's sure sad! :( I bet you felt horrible.
     
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  12. Sifu Phil Bonifonte

    Sifu Phil Bonifonte Veteran Member
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    Ouch. My condolences.

    Oy, don't even go there - all my Chinese medicine books, textbooks, books that you can't find on Amazon ...

    Well, I was lucky there - my motivational books consisted of complete sets of both Playboy and Penthouse and they NEVER left my side. :D

    Very well said.

    Mother Earth News ... now there's an interesting story. I've heard a lot of people say that they "sold out" to the Establishment at one point. I only read the earlier years, haven't seen one for a while, so just wondered ...

    It was around the time I was also reading the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. ;)

    Metaphysics books *sigh* - another 200 or so, from my college days.

    I'm thinking that "how many times have you moved" would be a good thread - have to see if it's been done already.[/quote]
     
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  13. Sifu Phil Bonifonte

    Sifu Phil Bonifonte Veteran Member
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    Why is my reply being cut off?
     
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  14. Tom Locke

    Tom Locke Veteran Member
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    Well, I bought three books yesterday, so I'm doing my bit. I'll have to buy an extra bookcase soon, though space is getting a bit tight in the spare bedroom. Maybe the LPs need to go somewhere else...
     
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  15. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I don't know. I have never had that problem.
     
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