Last Wednesday night, I spoke about my … well, I’d say ‘nerves’ about the digital age of books. I wondered aloud about what might happen to our bookshops and libraries; how they might be affected; on a business level, certainly, but my concern was on a cultural, even personal, level. For me, nothing compares to the squirmy, deep sense of pleasure I get when I enter such places. A member of the audience (and forgive me, I forget who it was) took my point further and wondered: would our children be inheriting these places that are stripped down because our books will be less of a physical presence, and stripped back of any atmosphere. Who would want to go to such places, and what would this do – exactly – to our sense of community?
And believe me when you hear me champion good ol’ books I am doing so while seeing the validity, the worth, of digital books. So I am in a bit of a tricky situation, and please be aware that I am aware this post has been written with a dash of irony; that while I love real books, most of ours remain in storage; that their physicality is at the moment is less than an ideal than a problem that needs to be fixed somehow. If we could bring them all inside, we would. But we can’t.
Here’s just an example of my treasures. Because Melbourne had another great downpour last week, our books again were in danger in their cardboard boxes. Adam went to Bunnings to buy these plastic ones. There’s Anno Dracula, and I want Kim Newman to know that book got me through some tough times in high-school. There’s Peter Carey and Helen Garner who by no means deserve to languish in a garage, but needs be, I’m afraid.
Here are some of the other boxes, up high on a chest of drawers. Safe. We hope.
I even pulled out some of my old university course papers. How simple was life then, even in my Masters year, that I could circle the texts I wanted to do my major assignments on, and there, that decision was made*.
*My Masters degree was 50% coursework and 50% thesis.
And here are the lucky books this cycle, resurrected to be brought inside to serve their purpose. As you can see, it was pretty much Adam’s choice this time. Only the poems and Eon are mine.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It is rather lovely the way a big bookcase just takes a room over once you have that space, though. It will come. Just keep ‘em dry!
I have the opposite problem from most bibliophiles, I think – having grown up with very little personal space and immediately filling it with more people once I had it, or lending out what I had and having it go walkies, bookish possessions have become a bit of a problem, though less of a Calvinistic one than it was.
I get really annoyed if I have lots of things and then can’t find them – I’d rather leave books in a library for that reason, at least SOMEONE knows where they are then!! and I like the ritual of visiting said people (though not the taking back and paying fines ritual, as we have already noted.)
Then again, I have enjoyed repurchasing some books I had at home that are long gone in the last few years, through the Internet. That is really nice, especially with music or children’s books. I think this digital thing can work, as long as we still have libraries…!! we need most of it, not all.
I’m reading another Sarah Waters novel right now…The Little Stranger.
I am a big book fan – can’t imagine not reading a book curled up in my bed, which makes online reading impossible! When we were looking at buying our flat, the thing that sealed the deal (for me) was the landing at the top of the second floor… perfect size for a massive bookshelp, and a comfy chair. I was sold!
I don’t think real books will get to be fully replaced with digital books. Sure, there will be changes but part of the joy for book lovers is the time spent in book shops, buying books, going through them, having them on the shelves; simply being around them.
Digital books can’t do that.
I have at least 7 bookcases full of books but only one would be full of novels, even though I mainly read novels. I share my novels with my mum and then we give them to the local library to keep the stories moving.
Mum likes reading library books but I prefer getting mine from second hand book shops and independent book sellers.
My bookcases are full of coffee table style books, reference books and business books. There’s no way they could ever be replaced with digital books.
Well done on getting the plastic boxes for storing the books, best though to keep them off the floor as well as water can get in them too. I use milkcrates as a base layer in the garage.
All the best,
Belinda