Comments on: On Portability, Ani DiFranco, Keeping Books, and Resolutions

By: Mike W

Mike W — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:33:46 +0000

You know, I don’t think it’s too bad to have books around just for show. Perhaps pretentious and deceptive, but at least it is a positive projection of who you think you are. For some people it’s the sports car or the latest gadget, and you can bet they aren’t saying ‘Oh, I don’t really use my Porsche, I ought to get rid of it.’

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:05:08 +0000

If I could I would have a house where every available space was lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves. There’s just something about books…

I do download some Kindle books to my iTouch though.

By: Jan Graham-McMillen

Jan Graham-McMillen — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:29:25 +0000

When you get old, or maybe before, you’ll want to do something about all those books. My husband and I have a lifetime’s worth and it won’t be long until we begin to collect Social Security. We decided not to be “portable” people long ago because of the preciousness of our books, but even with that dedication, there comes a point where space just runs out. We’ve weeded out a lot of the casual fiction, and kept the keepers and reference books. Still, it’s a problem.

Our solution has been to buy and stock Kindles. I know, I know, but it has given us a new lease on the book-loving life. All the stuff about how books smell aside, the technology defines portable. Now, if we could just figure out how to leave our electronic collections to whichever grandchild who turns out to be a reader.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:23:59 +0000

Oooh do I feel your pain. It’s impossible though. And as much as I say “I’ll never read that,” every time I think about weeding out my collection, I think I might someday… maybe… in another world… actually possibly pick those strange books up.

By: Meagan

Meagan — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:02:48 +0000

I run into this problem every time I move, which, as a college student, is about once a semester. I tend to accrue books at a much faster rate than I read them, and so many books on my shelves I haven’t read yet, though I always feel kind of bad about it. But books are pretty much the one thing I wouldn’t even consider getting rid of, no matter how heavy those boxes get.