Who else likes books?

[Mule Packer]

Do I like books? Do I like books??? You bet your biblioteca I do!!

My mom encouraged reading when we were young by ordering children's classics. We'd get a new book every month. My siblings and I read about great men and women throughout history....Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, Clara Barton, Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, ad infinitum.

Ms. Judy was an English major, so when we got married, I not only acquired a wonderful wife, but also acquired a wonderful library. Today, we have several bookshelves throughout the house. Because Ms. Judy taught first grade for 20 years, we have a wonderful collection of great children's books as well. When the grandkids come over, they invariably will gravitate towards that bookshelf at least once during their visit.

My favorite place to read here at the ol' homestead is in the room my grandkids have dubbed "The Lodge." In my opinion, there's nothing like sitting by the fire on a cold winter day with a good book while the snow piles up outside the window. Throw in my dog-eared sheepskin slippers and my heavy, frayed, old navy blue cardigan and life doesn't get much better than that.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

I certainly do but I’m not a fast reader nor have a lot of time. I’m good for about four a year.
I’ve not read more than ten novels in my life. Shepard of the hills being my favorite.
I read history and biographies mainly.

 

[JJEH]

My favorite place to read here at the ol' homestead is in the room my grandkids have dubbed "The Lodge." In my opinion, there's nothing like sitting by the fire on a cold winter day with a good book while the snow piles up outside the window. Throw in my dog-eared sheepskin slippers and my heavy, frayed, old navy blue cardigan and life doesn't get much better than that.

You sir have just transported me back to my childhood... happy feelings... sad too.

 

[Smoke]

I literally cringed when I read that line about throwing away books.

Whatever that book was somebody wants to read it. There are four book exchanges that I am aware of in Colorado Springs and I have taken books from and left books at all of them.

I found an 80 year old copy of Robin Hood in the employee break room of The Colorado Springs Municipal Courthouse. It was a children's classics edition and the author isn't listed but it's not the Howard Pyle copy.

I've told this story before but I found an unabridged, first paperback edition of Dune in my favorite used bookstore in Colorado Springs one afternoon. The counter guy saw me looking at it and went to snatch it because he was going to throw it away because it had some loose pages. I told him if he touched that book he'd draw back a stump. He gave me a discount because of those pages, I think I paid $1.42 with tax. I found the same book on eBay for $75.

 

[pasound]

Many years ago I read out the childrens library in the local library. They gave me an adult card at age nine. I kept reading. I still do. Kindle is a good friend. Books I don't want to save for forever I read on Kindle. Still have more real books than I have shelves. I think I've still spent more on those than on my gun collection...

 

[Golddollar]

I have a tremendous library of firearms books. When I was growing up, Pop was acquiring Gun Digests and had the predecessor to Small Arms of the World by W. H. B. Smith. I read them all. I studied them and that was how I learned to field strip and reassemble a 1911 .45 as a child. When I grew up and left home, I got my own collection of Gun Digest, Guns Illustrated and all kinds of specialty books on firearms. Thanks to my self-education and experience, I got to be qualified as an expert witness on firearms and helped to get our firm's client dismissed out of a civil suit.

Another big chunk of my books are the original hardbacks, Detective Book Club editions and paperbacks of the Perry Mason series. I watched the TV shows as a boy, and I went back and acquired the books.

But time marches on, and one day my firearms library, minus the manual for specific guns I have, will be on a truck and delivered to my honorary nephew (I'm a long time friend of the family and addressed as "Uncle"). He is one of the premier firearms law attorneys in PA and part of his legacy from Uncle Randy will be the bulk of my firearms library, giving him an instant firearms research library.

 

[shell627]

I have loved to read most of my life.I am sad that the two libraries I used to frequent as a child in Detroit have been torn down like much of the city. As I moved or went through divorce.I donated many books to local libraries for sales.When the kids were deployed my wife and I shipped almost monthly care packages to Iraq and Afghanistan.Always included in personal care items and snacks were books and maybe a multi tool or pocket knife. When the kids came home we continued to send books and other items to units we could get a address for. I know the remf probably got most of the good stuff.We always were hopeful something we sent made a soldiers day better.Now during Covid my wife went on a spree and cleaned out my books again.I guess I will have to start buying again.

 

[timjake]

When we moved from Nebraska to Colorado last December, I told my co-workers I had a ton of books. I underestimated according to the movers...

 

[tlawler]

I love to read, and like a lot of you, I re-read books quite often. I’m currently on a John Varley kick, nearing the end of his four book Red Lightning series for probably the third time. Before that, I re-read several Ralph Peters novels starting with The War in 2020, just because it seemed timely. I usually read at least a couple of books a month leisurely, but when I get hooked on an author, I’ll burn through their books at the rate of one every two or three days. Like when I discovered Dean Koontz several years ago; I read everything of his I could get my hands on over the course of less than two months. I like all genres, but tend to lean towards science fiction with espionage/adventure/intrigue (think Ian Fleming and Vince Flynn)a close second. The list of authors I like is too long to list! My aspiration is to become a novelist in my retirement. When I was a kid, when most kids adored and emulated movie stars and rock stars, I loved authors. I wanted to be the next Ernest Hemingway or Michael Crichton. How many of you have dreamed of becoming a writer also?

 

[Smoke]

The old Cincinnati Public Library. It was torn down in 1955.



Originally built in 1874 it was intended as an opera house but the builders went bankrupt and the city acquired the building. At one time it held THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND volumes

 

[bigolddave]

I am about three hundred books behind, and losing ground fast. Stopped at the library to drop off four books and checked out six. Already had six at home from the library waiting to be read.

In addition to about five hundred books on firearms and hunting, I have all the Gun Digests, all of Gun Report (now defunct) all of Double Gun Journal, all Rifleman since 1928, hundreds of others.

My wife is sympathetic, as she has several hundred books, plus about three thousand cookbooks, down from a high of over four thousand.

We are no longer able to travel, but on the three or four week trips east and west that we took for many years after we retired we would each bring back over a hundred books.

 

[Kinman]

We didn't have a television until I was six, I was told that I was reading before I turned five...I remember having a Websters dictionary nearby but often went years no truly knowing how to pronounce words like recipe...I remember that one being an aha moment, there were others. I read all the Stevenson books, Mark Twain, Zane Grey, well before they were required, I'd probably read them twice. I still like to read, mostly just for personal indulgence or historical interest...I do not retain the information to pass an English exam.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

A BELIEVER

I've always been a reader. In later years I came to the conclusion, if you wanted to learn about something, get a book. You can carry it around with you or whatever. When I first knew I was able to have a room for reloading down the road, I spent two years reading about it. House was built and I moved in my little room and went to work. For me, reading, and hands on gets it done. I remember the first time I met someone who couldnt read- his wife had to even sign his paycheck--- I could not then, or now comprehend someone who couldn't read. I really feel sorry for them. In todays world it is even more so. So yes, I will buy a book in a heartbeat.

 

[delcrossv]

The old Cincinnati Public Library. It was torn down in 1955.



Originally built in 1874 it was intended as an opera house but the builders went bankrupt and the city acquired the building. At one time it held THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND volumes

Those stacks are vertigo-inducing!

 

[Smoke]

Those stacks are vertigo-inducing!

I read an article about the history of that Library and apparently you didn't go get your book. You told the librarian what book you wanted and they had Library employees who would go and get it for you.

I could never work in the library or bookstore. I would never get anything done

 

[ameridaddy]

The old Cincinnati Public Library. It was torn down in 1955.

That is a mortal sin that has been repeated thousands of times across the country. Those magnificent old buildings most often were replaced by some sharp-edged modern glass and steel monstrosity with no details, no depth, texture or the visual evidence of human artisans' skill, and totally out of people scale, They are monuments to architects' egos, egos that just have to insult our senses to get noticed.

The modern architecture rape of historic structures even victimizes simple small scale buildings.
In 1778, the British drove the Virginia legislature out of Williamsburg, and they met in a tavern in Richmond for the rest of the war. That tavern stood until 1978, when it was torn down for a new building. The new building was never built, and until just a few years ago the site was a crumbling asphalt parking lot, with a life size mural depicting the tavern painted on the wall of the old brick building next door. Now even that is gone.
/rant
Back to the subject, I always thought it would be fascinating to work in the Library of Congress, with it's wonderful architecture and 33,000,000 books. I think it's the most beautiful building in DC, right across the street from the Capitol Building, and well worth at least a quick look if you're ever in DC.

 

[Peak53]

Yes, I like actual paper books and a fire in the wood stove and read incessantly. I enjoy good writers, fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, biography, you name it - if it makes a connection to place, wherever that may be. I am always amazed at what great writers can do with language.

As a small digression, I have an unbroken archive of National Geographic magazines dating back to 1968. There is quite an education in that pile and I've read every word. I always thought that one of my kids or a grand kid might appreciate them, but since they are all available online now, and searchable, that prospect is dimming. The Earth is tilted off it's axis in the direction of my hall closet and I am becoming concerned. I doubt that even a library or school would want these. What to do?

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I love to read, but don't read nearly as much as I used to. My eyes are bad and I don't enjoy it as I once did. I used to read a book a day when I was a kid. I traveled the world when we didn't have two nickels to rub together. My favorite writes from years past were Ted Trueblood, and Robert Ruark. I read all the history books on WWII and remember one fiction called "Red Sails In the Sunset". Can't remember the author.

I read the Bible more than anything these days. On the pad I have I can use many different versions when I study.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[31FordA]

I’ve been an avid reader since I was a kid. My parents enjoyed reading, and I picked up the habit from them. My preference then and now was military history and aviation. Fiction was mostly classic mystery stories. I read every Sherlock Holmes story, as well as lots of Agatha Christie. Every Christmas I got a pile of books, and usually read all of them by New Years. Some of my happiest childhood memories involve books.

My house is full of books, probably because I never get rid of any. I’ve actually gotten to the point that I have to be selective about adding more. Fortunately the local library is good at getting new history titles in, so I don’t have to buy as many. People who visit often remark on all the books. They can’t comprehend reading so many books. I can’t comprehend not reading so many books.

 

[JohnRippert]

My guestimate for mine is 700-800 books in my bedroom and a almost full set of Louis L'Amour faux leather hardbacks in the den.