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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Lounge > Idle Chit-Chat > Biblio-Maniacs and PIles of Books |
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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Lounge > Idle Chit-Chat > Biblio-Maniacs and PIles of Books |
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| Biblio-Maniacs and PIles of Books | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 06:59 pm |
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1st Post |
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CleburneFan Member 
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This weekend, February 8, 2008, CBS Sunday Morning ran a segment about the many book stores, especially used book stores in Paris. It started with a man whose home and halls are lined with piles and piles of books, to the etxent that one can hardly pass among the piles. It goes on to discuss the many people in Paris who specialize in collecting any and all books imaginable, even ones once considered worthless such as old dime novels. It seems that even though money can be made collecting and selling specialty books for what seems like obscene amounts of money if the right buyer can be found, the pople who choose this line of work share a trait in ocmmon. They are "biblio-maniacs." In simpler terms they are crazy about books even to the extent that they own far more books than they can hope to read. Suddenly I found myself learning about folks with whom I can relate. These are folks just like I am, with piles of beloved books. I can't bring myself to sell my books, but I do undertsand the love these people have. I've given myself another name, however. I call myself a book pile-ist. (Not sure what the correct spelling of my new name might be.) While I do love my books, I usually hate my book piles and long for a large, cozy library lined with shelves where I can lovingly place my books in some semblence of organization. But for now, the ever growing book plies remain. It was fun to recognize versions of myself there in Paris plying their trade. I wonder how many rare Civil War books they have. I believe Susan Sweet here has used the term bookaholic, another fitting term. There are a lot of us here at CWI. CBS Sunday Morning has shown how many more of us there are out there in the world.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 07:09 pm |
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2nd Post |
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susansweet3 Member 
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Wish I had seen that program. I can remember as a young woman reading about the book stalls in Paris along the Seine and wanting to shop them. Funny when I went to Paris finally I didn't do that very thing I had wished to do. Not enough time. I have the same dream Fan. I dream of a library with a comfortable chair, an atlas stand, a dictionary stand for my unabridged Websters which now sits on the floor by where I read Yes I have accidently kicked it barefoot and it hurts. The walls would be lined with shelves so not only the Civil War books but the Western History medieval history and my mystery collection could be put in order . sigh When I bought this house 30 years ago I used one bedroom as the library. Sadly it was out grown years ago and since I never had built in shelves made it is a hodge poge of bookcases including my childhood set and one from my mother's friends yard sale so many many years ago,. My goal is to reclaim that library room and fix it up . Excuse me as I step over this pile to go find another book to read.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:30 pm |
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3rd Post |
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pamc153PA Member
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My husband, a language teacher, buys language books, and I buy Civil War books, and my six-year old son already has quite a "pile" of Berenstain Bears books, so I guess bookaholism runs in the family! As for a formal library, I'd love one. But right at the moment, my "library" follows me around, from the nightstand piled high with books, to my office, piled high with books, to my classroom library at school, piled high with mostly young adolescent books. I love to hear a student new to my classroom come in and say, "Wow! Look at ALL THOSE BOOKS!" Pam
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:32 pm |
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4th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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Susan, you give me dreams. I want one of those large globes on a mohogany stand in my library. I also want really good light for reading. Plus, one of those library ladders that can roll along the shelves so I can easily fetch the books on the highest shelves. I wonder how long it would be, though, before my books over run the shelves and I start another pile of books again. 
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:35 pm |
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5th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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pamc153PA wrote: My husband, a language teacher, buys language books, and I buy Civil War books, and my six-year old son already has quite a "pile" of Berenstain Bears books, so I guess bookaholism runs in the family! As for a formal library, I'd love one. But right at the moment, my "library" follows me around, from the nightstand piled high with books, to my office, piled high with books, to my classroom library at school, piled high with mostly young adolescent books. I love to hear a student new to my classroom come in and say, "Wow! Look at ALL THOSE BOOKS!" I wish I had some places to spread my books. OMG, I do! My poor mother has to tolerate piles of my books at her house too. She reads many of them herself.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:44 pm |
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6th Post |
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TimK Member
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Susan - I swear to God when I was watching this segment that CleburneFan was talking about on the CBS Sunday Morning, I imagined that your house/office must look somewhat similar. In fact, I was hoping that several posters saw the segment, because from what I can pick up from the posts, many houses must look like some of the houses featured.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:48 pm |
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7th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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I don't know about Susan's house, but my infamous book piles are hidden in a corner of my living room blocked from view by our big sofa. Still, I know they are there and they bug me. What if someone should actually see them?
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:54 pm |
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8th Post |
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ole Member 
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Know the feeling. Missed the Sunday news program; I was watching Book TV.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 9th, 2009 11:56 pm |
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9th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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ole wrote: Know the feeling. Missed the Sunday news program; I was watching Book TV. Aah, another bonafide biblio-maniac!!!
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 12:14 am |
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10th Post |
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javal1 Grumpy Geezer 
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Understand the whole wanting a real library thing. My "if I won the lottery" scenario includes 2 things - THIS and totally unrelated, THIS.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 01:13 am |
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11th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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I just love that elegant library with its very own fireplace! That bar is as big as my entire condo!!!! Wouldn't you have lots of new best friends if you had a bar like that? 
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 01:14 am |
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12th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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I don't know Joe, that library has lots of empty space in it. I am sure none of our libraries would have that much open space on the shelves. The other . Well of course fully stocked I would guess ? If I won the lottery I would have to buy a ticket first. Susan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 01:27 pm |
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13th Post |
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64thNYDrummer Member
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If you are a bookaholic, the facilities you have to store your treasures are never sufficient. I have a library much like Joe's dream, there are 5 other rooms in the house with all available wall space devoted to book cases AND I STILL HAVE PILES OF BOOKS!!!! Dennis
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 05:41 pm |
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14th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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I have the small room at the back of the house which I called the libary when I moved in 30 years ago. The library has moved into the second bedroom which is the guest room , into the living room and my own bedroom now and I still have piles. Most of these bookcases though are the two or three shelf bookcases you buy at Target etc. My dream is to have floor to ceiling bookcases . One small two shelf bookcase holds my collection of textbooks. I collect primary readers. Yes I have the whole Dick and Jane collection and never paid more than a couple of dollars. I have all the readers I read as a child in 5th and 6th grade. You can see where my interest in history comes from . I read about the TVA , Norway during the WW2, and Cyrus McCormick. (One of my great thrills on one of my cross country trips was to visit his farm outside Staunton Virginia) I have out grown the bookcases hence the piles . Going to have to do something I cannot afford a bigger house !!! Bookwoman aka Miss Susan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 06:07 pm |
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15th Post |
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pamc153PA Member
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While the content of a book is certainly the clincher for me, it's the smell of a new book (whether "brand new" or just new to me but old as the hills), and the feel of the book that are the first things that "hook" me. New book smell is like new car smell, to me! Pam
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 06:33 pm |
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16th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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I agree Pam. Then there is the thrill of the search. There is a certain book you have heard of . It is hard to find . Off you go either to bookstores or on line and search to find that book you have to own. There is a second hand bookstore near me that is a traditional one. It is filled with books, boxes everywhere and piles down the aisles. They have stools or chairs in various locations. I go in and drag a chair to the Civil War section every so often and read the shelf. I have found so many treasures there. Their California history section is good too. I also found two volumes of O Henry Short stories that were gifts a company gave each year to customers. They have the most beautiful woodcut prints in them. I love O Henry stories and was looking for one story in particular. I found more than that. One is a post Civil War story that is a hoot and a half. I forget the title right now but will look and post it. When I travel I try to hit used bookstores in different places. Sadly many of the old used bookstores that have piles are now duded up and too fancy for me (the other used bookstore in town) Prices go up when you fancy the store up. Which reminds me the best book on collecting books is Larry McMurtry book Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen. I have given it to many friends who love books. Yes this is the guy that wrote Lonesome Dove but this little essay book is wonderful about reading and collecting books. Susan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 11:32 pm |
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17th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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I'm like Pam. I love the new book smell. I've got one right here that arrived yesterday from Amazon---"Invisible Hero: Patrick R Cleburne" by Bruce H Stewart, Jr. It smells terrific...no pictures though!  The jacket does sport two nice renderings of Cleburne. One is a wonderful painting by David Wright titled "General's Farewell."
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 11:45 pm |
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18th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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Fan , Let me know how it is . I am a big Cleburne fan too and have been looking at the book on line. A friend of mine is getting a Kindle. He keeps telling me all the wonderful reasons to get one. I keep saying it isn't a book. I like my piles, I like my bookcases, I like the smell of a new or old book. I like the weight even of holding a book in my lap. He just doesn't get it. He was saying just think no more bookbags when you travel. I like my bookbag. I see advantages to the Kindle but don't take my books away from me!!!! Susan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 11:51 pm |
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19th Post |
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CleburneFan Member
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I can't warm up to the idea of a Kindle either. Books have special pleasures a high tech piece of plastic can never offer. Besides, you know I am an obsessive underliner, margin note writer, annotator, map colorer, and scribbler of big stars, asterisks, exclaimation points, etc. How can I do all that with a cold, hard Kindle? I simply CANNOT read without a pen.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10th, 2009 11:54 pm |
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20th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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I think we are Sisters of the Book!!!!
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