Book Acquisition Disorder

[Raissermesser]

I knew I had Book Acquisition Disorder, but didn't know I had BAD that bad until I was going through my Kindle to delete last year's almanacs. Almanacs on a Kindle didn't well for me, though I liked not having addition clutter, some pages are just hard to read. Anyway, I was looking for other books I could delete and found some I haven't read.

Unfortunately, this is par for the course. My BAD falls into two broad categories: Book on sale that grab my fancy, and books that I buy for reference. Books on sale tend to be the larger of the two. Books for reference I can justify if I periodically look up information I can't find elsewhere.

As much as I like books, this is a waste, even on a Kindle. I'm going to have to make an effort to read the books I already have before buying more. Will make no promises: who knows what will pop up on sale.

Anyone else here with Book Acquisition Disorder?

 

[Doc4]

I like reading books and I like buying books I'd like to read.

... one of those takes a lot longer than the other.

 

[ajkel64]

Yes, I suffer from Book Acquisition Disorder and also from Magazine Acquisition Disorder. I buy books to read especially if it is a series of books and quite often I never read them. I have all intentions to read the books and magazines but I start and hardly ever finish anything now. I used to read quite a lot but before I got glasses I stopped reading because I could not see the writing to read. Now that I can I have fallen into the habit of not reading. I must try to change this habit.

 

[Ad Astra]

Used to just be called a library ... but magazines pile up, and it causes me anguish to toss them. I do give them to neighbor, who then drops off at car repair place.


AA

 

[davent]

We have a nearby branch of our public library so i can get my fix coming home with stacks from there (zero in the way of fiction). Can keep renewing them for up to eighteen weeks if no one else has a hold on them and i believe the checkout limit is fifty items. Does help keep this under control somewhat although looking at the coffee table... Magazines subscription were out of control, now down to only National Geographic, continuous since 1977. My wife buys many books but has no problem moving them on then another box full will arrive from a neighbour.

Neighbourhood kid arrived at the door trick or treating one Halloween, peered in, "Look, it's a library!.
dave

 

[Kilroy6644]

I've got it. Lots of books, and not enough shelving (or room for more shelves). Many of those books haven't been read yet, but I fully intend to. I just hate getting rid of them. That's really the only reason I don't make use of the library: you have to give them back.

 

[Raissermesser]

I make use of the library, but, unfortunately, their selection is limited, and there are some books I like well enough that I wanted my own copy. One is Byrd's Alone, which I read several times growing up. Poe's works are another.

 

[maxman]

I use a Kindle and only a Kindle because of my eye issues.
I have way too many books and just seem to end up with more.
I blame Amazon for having sales!

 

[Vespasian]

I subscribe to the New Yorker, the London Review of Books, the New York Review of Books, and Bookforum. Plus I worked in bookstores for 30 years, loving that discount. I did manage to finally collect books only on the churches of Rome, so I thought, but my other shelves are still filled up. Now that I'm retired, I buy maybe one percent of the books I used to buy, but I always have at least three books going at once.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Oh, I get four or five magazines. Read fewer books than I used to, mostly because I spend too much time on my tablet. Still, fair number of cookbooks, fishing literature, novels. Mind you, real books, not kindle.

 

[ajkel64]

but magazines pile up, and it causes me anguish to toss them

This times infinity.

 

[Toothpick]

Only when I visit a bookstore which isn’t that often. I really enjoy visiting the second hand bookstores. Like new books for sometimes 50% or more off the cover price. I don’t mind one bit reading a “used” book. I got War and Peace For $8.00 and Moby Dick for $6.00 last time.

I don’t buy ebooks anymore. I prefer the physical copy. And when I visit a bookstore I’m typically in for 3+ books at a time. I’ve got enough to keep me busy for years.

 

[OtterLunacy]

Yeah, I'm there. The only reason I don't have a room (or two) completely full of books is money. I don't have the money to buy all of the books I'd like to and I definitely don't have the money for the dedicated book room(s).

I already have too many books for my storage space, so ~90% of my purchases these days are for my Kindle. I prefer physical copies but it's hard to argue with 100+ books for the space of one, and many of them are cheaper too.

My question for the BAD group: do you guys reread books frequently? I mean fiction, biographies, etc. and not references. I frequently do, but every reader I know does so rarely, if ever.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Yeah, I'm there. The only reason I don't have a room (or two) completely full of books is money. I don't have the money to buy all of the books I'd like to and I definitely don't have the money for the dedicated book room(s).

I already have too many books for my storage space, so ~90% of my purchases these days are for my Kindle. I prefer physical copies but it's hard to argue with 100+ books for the space of one, and many of them are cheaper too.

My question for the BAD group: do you guys reread books frequently? I mean fiction, biographies, etc. and not references. I frequently do, but every reader I know does so rarely, if ever.

Some books, yes. I have read 1984 at least seven times since 1984- it is scary how it keeps getting truer.

 

[njpaddy]

I guess my 10 different editions of The Count of Monte Cristo, 3 editions of Dracula and 3 complete Sherlock Holmes volumes, probably qualify. Oh, and there's those 3 boxes of Stephen King books and mags from the 70s & 80s, in storage, I keep forgetting about.

 

[emwolf]

I like reading books and I like buying books I'd like to read.

... one of those takes a lot longer than the other.

well said!

 

[H4nk]

I have access to a large university library so that keeps me solid in books.

 

[Raissermesser]

Oh, I get four or five magazines. Read fewer books than I used to, mostly because I spend too much time on my tablet. Still, fair number of cookbooks, fishing literature, novels. Mind you, real books, not kindle.

I am down to one magazine, as my old favorites no longer have content to make them worth the price. I only buy magazines when they have an article that grabs my interest.

Still have a small bookcase full of National Geographic. I hate to discard them. OTOH, when the magazine no longer reflected the NG philosophy, I let it go. There were little warnings, but when they did a special edition on the swimsuit, it was time to go. Yes, National Geographic once did a swimsuit edition.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

My favorite mag is Garden & Gun.

Not much content about gardening nor guns, really. Mostly BBQ, music, dogs, fishing, and such, with a southern focus AND well written.

 

[bberg100]

Fiction & non-fiction (bios and such) - Kindle. Great reading in bed, back porch, RV, etc
Reference - Physical book I can scribble in the margins, dog ear, shove various bookmarks in, frequently add printouts from web sites, code snips, and such.
Magazines - used to subscribe to several, mostly all became shills for the advertisers. Down to two, that come with membership in the parent organization.