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Author Topic: On the clearing out of old books  (Read 1605 times)

Offline Highmac

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On the clearing out of old books
« on: August 01, 2013, 02:05:43 AM »
A spin-off thread.... Over in Tech, Johanbgoot is asking about an e-reader but his mention of clearing out old books coincided with us doing the same.

My greatest problem is avoiding going through the routine of "ooh, I'd forgotten about this one" and ending up reading for an hour before deciding to keep it. Like the copy of Treasure Island, inscribed inside the front cover as having been given to me on my 11th birthday. May well read it all again, since I recall very little of it. But I can't imagine ever starting on the 12 volumes of Walter Scott novels inherited from my parents, so they'll be going off to the Red Cross. (Charity chosen on basis it has parking space right outside the door)

Which "treasured" book, that you'd given up as lost for ever, have you found during a clearout? And have you actually read it again?
I wish I still had my copy of Gemini, Virgil Grissom's account of why he wanted to go into space, which must have gone in a previous clearout.

Or that you've thought might be rare enough to be worth selling?
Was hopeful for my copy of The Observer's Book of Airplanes, 1942 edition, but it turned up all over eBay with a starting price of 99p and no bids. Ah well...  rolleyes.gif

Anyway, a couple of boxes will be off to the charity shops next week smile.gif
« Last Edit: August 01, 2013, 02:08:25 AM by Highmac »
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Neil
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Offline gunug

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On the clearing out of old books
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2013, 07:38:13 AM »
IwasclearingthingsoutandrealizedthatIdidn'tknowwheremyCompleteWorksofO'Henrywas.
Ifounditinalivingroombookcaseandimmediatelystartedreadingoneofthesh
rtsstories!

Ialsojustfoundoutmyspacebarkeyisnotworking!
« Last Edit: August 01, 2013, 12:54:09 PM by kimmer »
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Offline Highmac

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On the clearing out of old books
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2013, 08:25:26 AM »
Yup! We just found that out too biggrin.gif
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Neil
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Offline Frances144

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On the clearing out of old books
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2013, 10:43:40 AM »
I tend to go through the kids books when they are throwing them out, sit down on the carpet and start reading them.

I love Artemis Fowl and Little House on the Prairie.
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Offline gunug

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On the clearing out of old books
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2013, 11:07:02 AM »
QUOTE
I was clearing things out and realized that I didn't know where my Complete Works of O'Henry was.  I found it in a livingroom bookcase and immediately started reading one of the short stories!

I also just found out my spacebar key is not working!

I like the keyboard layout on the Microsoft Natural Keyboard and the one that I use on the office PC was "very" dirty so I grabbed another that someone had thrown in a box and everything was fine until I tried the spacebar!

I have to move some books, mostly science fiction that I've read or I'm not interested in reading, and I can take them to a local used bookstore but they're picky.  If I take them to the Half-Price Bookstore in Olathe, Kansas (20+ miles east of home) they'll make me an offer on all of them and I don't have to take back the one's they don't want and dump them in the Library sale!  What's bad about eBooks is the number of things that are out of print and not in ebook form.  The Gutenberg Project (http://www.gutenberg.org/) is catching up with some of that but what about the one's that are "out of print" but still under copyright?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2013, 11:15:31 AM by gunug »
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Offline kimmer

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On the clearing out of old books
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2013, 02:14:23 PM »
Can't say I've ever misplaced a "treasured book", I tend to keep re-reading them. laugh.gif During our move in 2005, I gave away boxes and bags of books. I forget how many, but it was close to 1,000 books!  jawdrop.gif Honestly had no idea that I'd kept that many books tucked away. Obviously none were treasures as I easily parted with them. haha

QUOTE
My greatest problem is avoiding going through the routine of "ooh, I'd forgotten about this one" and ending up reading for an hour before deciding to keep it.

We go through similar when I try to get Sneakers to help me catalog our dvd's. He picks up the case, and as he reads the title his reading becomes slower as he flips the case over and begins to read the back side and then he's off remembering ... and I'm waiting for a title. HAHAHA I've yet to decide if this is his way of getting our of helping me or if he really gets all that involved in the small print on the back of the case.  rolleyes.gif

gnung, there is a publishing company in the process of bringing many of the oldie sci-fi books to ebooks. Can't remember the name of the publisher as I don't read sci-fi, but I'll keep a watch for another announcement and let you know. They are an indie, so I don't think the books are available through Amazon or B&N, yet. Also, SMASHWORDS and ... one other small publisher are working to get the ebook reprint rights to loads of older books.
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