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I thought people stopped collecting books.
Are you kidding, Julie? eek Stop collecting books?!? I'd rather lose my entire wardrobe than lose my book collection! Even if most of it is packed in boxes in the garage ready for - I hope! - emigration within the next year, I would never be without my precious books. If I loved a book, I need to own it. If it's part of a series I love, even if I don't like the particular book, I need to own it to complete the series. If it's by one of my favourite authors, I need to own it.

I have a huge range of fiction, including classic novels and complete works of Shakespeare; political biographies and commentaries; plus hundreds of academic books in my office and which I will also be taking with me. I haven't counted, but must have well over a thousand books, each one of which is important to me. And, yes, I ran out of bookshelf space a long time ago! goofy


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If it's part of a series I love, even if I don't like the particular book, I need to own it to complete the series.
ROTFL! I thought I was the only one who did this. goofy I tell myself every time that it's dumb spending money on a book I don't much like, but somehow when it comes to books I can't help but be compulsive. laugh

As for collecting books - grief no! There are some of still around. The amount of times I've had to return a book to library and then go buy it. If I enjoy a book I want to have it on my shelves, where I can read it again when the mood takes me. But libraries are good for testing before you buy. wink

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I agree the first three books are the best, but how can you say that??? You didn't like Captain Jim, and Miss Cornelia, and Leslie, and Mashal Elliot, and all the rest? I don't like "Anne's House of Dreams" as much as I do the first ones but the characters are interesting, fun, and capturing. I mean, of course Cornelia was no Rachel Lynde, but still.
I didn't say I *hated* Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside (okay, I don't particularly *like* them, but I can't say I hate them). Anne and Gil were the characters I fell in love with along with their supporting cast of Marilla, Rachel, Diana, even Mr. Harrison from next door, etc. To me, I was disappointed that Anne and Gil didn't seem like the same people they were in earlier books. I missed that in the earlier books Gil was a liberal while Anne was a conservative -- I thought they would have had spats over that durring the many political chapters. I also hated that Anne's personality seemed to change completely. Shockingly, I actually enjoyed the fourth book, Anne of Windy Pouplars, because it showed how much Anne loved Gil through her letters. In the later books, they focused on Anne's children, and some people know how much I hate it when characters' children are the main characters. I like to know that they have kids, or that they will be having kids in the future, but when kids start to talk and take too much of a character's time, that is too much for me. Anne and Gil were barely in the books at all, and they were very minor characters. That made me sort of blanche as I read these (mind you, I read them for the first time when I was about 7 and I still felt the same way I do today after recently rereading them for what seems like the 20 millionth time). And Rilla of Ingleside . . . I didn't like Rilla at all. I thought she was an unsympathetic character, so it didn't endear me to her as she changed through the book.

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I have to say I am also one of those people who appreciate the books much more than the movies, and I am completely furious at the way they changed order of events in the movie and even changed and mutated the sequal. What would LM Montgomery have said if she were still alive?
I am the opposite. In most cases, I see the movie before I read the book and I have a preconcieved notion of what the book should be from the movie. I loved (and still love) and Anne of Green Gables movies (even the third one!). I have all of them on VHS and DVD just in case my VHS goes bad! I watch them once every two or three weeks. The scene at the end of the sequel with Anne and Gil on the bridge is my absolute favorite scene from any movie ever. I also like how they got rid of Roy Gardener and pretty much mutated the sequel. I kind of liked the movie better. I wish the third movie could have been different because it wasn't exactly what I expected, but I was glad they didn't go to Glen St. Mary for the whole movie and didn't really change the Anne and Gil characters like the books did. However, I might just think this because of my aversion to reading or because I saw the first two movies before even reading the books.

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I wish I could have a copy of every book I love, but what happened to libraries?
Well, if you are like me, libraries don't let you take out books because you have trouble remembering to return them. I had to pay a very hefty fine to my university's library before tehy would let me graduate with my BS degree and a slightly less hefty fine before thehy would let me graduate with my MS degree. Fines apparently accumulate more in 4 years than in a year and a half wink . I am still not allowed to take books out at the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries or the Cleveland Public Library because of some fines accumulated in high school. Anyway, I did have a point here. You're saying that since a library lets you read books for free (if you are not me) no one should waste money and buy them. Do you think this about stoes like Blockbuster -- since they let you rent movies for cheaper than you ever could buy them, that means no one buys and collects movies?

My dad has shelves and shelves of books -- probably over 1000. He hasn't even read half of them. He is very into ancient armies, ancient wars, and ancient civilizations, so he owns many many many books on those subjects. He also has a lot of classic literature (but that is all up in the atic) because he was an english major in college and has a MA in English literature. He also has a MST in Physics, so we have all kinds of physics books lying around, too. My dad keeps buying books, not because he knows he will read them immediately, but because they might be something he wants to read in the future. He doesn't read as much now that his eyesight is getting bad, but every christmas and birthday he gives us a list of 50 or so books he wants smile .

- Laura


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AnnieM and Tank, I wish I could have a copy of every book I love, but what happened to libraries? It is a slight disadvantage given the time limit, and the fact you have to give the book back, but I thought people stopped collecting books. I wish I could collect my favourite books and have them all on my shelves...
Nothing happened to the library. I love the library. I go to the library all the time. There are tons of books that I'm interested in checking out only for a week or two. But when I love a book, I buy it. I like the comfort of having it close at hand in case I want to read it again or lend it to a friend. My friends joke that I have my own personal library, but it's really not a joke. At any given time, at least 15-20 of my books are being borrowed by friends. Everytime I see my best friend (who lives about three hours away) we have a book exchange. Also, probably 2/3 of my books are nonfiction - either biographies, books about politics or journalism, or reference books. I like owning them so that I can go them when I'm writing an article or studying something or talking to someone about a certain topic.

Finally, when the library doesn't HAVE a book I want, I buy it. We have a nice library, but it's relatively small, and the waiting list for some popular books is ridiculously long. That's not a criticism of the library - that's just a fact. When I discover that I'm 37th on the list for a book I want and muliply that by three weeks (the length of time my library allows us to keep books) I realize that it could be TWO YEARS before I get that particular book. Now, granted, there are usually a couple of copies, so it's usually closer to six months. But still, I'd rather not wait six months for a book when I could walk into Barnes and Noble and walk out with the book in my hand. Especially since part of the appeal of reading a popular book is to be able to discuss it while it's still a hot topic. Also, many of the non-fiction books I own are older and/or cover very specific topics that aren't necessarily interesting to the general public, so many of them aren't carried by my library.

As for this part...
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I wish I could collect my favourite books and have them all on my shelves...
Why can't you? Your problem might be that you are a teenager and live with your parents so you have limited space. But once you have a place of your own, you certainly can own all the books you want. And I owned at least a hundred books before I graduated from high school and moved out. I'm sure you could have a bookcase of your own and fill it with books. Even money is not a real object. Though I admit to spending more money than I should at chain bookstores, I buy most of my books used either through amazon or ebay.

Annie


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Do you think this about stoes like Blockbuster -- since they let you rent movies for cheaper than you ever could buy them, that means no one buys and collects movies?
That is a completely different topic. I have a lot of good movies on video, because I record them off the TV when they're on. All of them are collecting dust. When I get attached to a book, I can read it over 20 times, and still want to reread it in the future, and sometimes when I feel like it I just open it to a certain fave segment and read that. No books I have sit untouched for more than a week. With movies, I can't see myself watching the same movie 40 times without cringing everytime I see an actor or some other reminder of it in the future. Of course, everyone has exceptions, mine is 'The Sound of Music' (and L&C eps, but that's all of us). Heh. I usually don't feel the need to see a movie so much that I go and rent it. I either see it in a movie theatre when it's running, or I wait for it to air on TV (or I download it, but that's a last resort).


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The Library : noun; (1) A place where you go to test drive a book before you buy it; (2) A place where you go to window shop for books and return them because you're too broke to buy all the ones you want. wink

Seriously, I prefer to own books instead of going to the library. I haven't had a library card since I moved to NC 5 years ago, but that's mostly because I have a stack of books that I own and haven't read yet! One of these days, I'll check out the local library, but until then, I don't miss it... too much. I'm busy building a library of my own.

I actually prefer books to the movies. While the Anne movies are good, I think the books are even better. However, as I learned with Jurassic Park: The Lost World, you must always watch the movie, THEN read the book. Otherwise, you're ranting and raving all the way home from the theatre about how this was changed, and that was left out, and this other thing was completely wrong.

Which reminds me, I still have to find a copy of Neverending Story. There is just something fascinating about a book that uses different color text to differentiate sections: green text for Fantasia, and red text for the real world. *mumbles to self to figure out when to hit Barnes & Noble*


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Huh. The copy of Neverending Story I read was all in ordinary black text. huh

I think. It's been a few years.



Y'all just need to move near better libraries. laugh I live near a GREAT one, and am exceedingly thankful that I do!


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I voted "Others" because I don't read novel. All my books are refrences or short refrences on Cats and Technology.

I would never be able to read through it. I have the attention span of a three-years-old. Even in conversations my mind wonders after only about five minutes that's why all the fanfic I write are so short. I just write it to the point no frills.

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I'm printing out this thread and pinning it to my husband's forehead the next time he complains about how many books I have on the dozen or so bookshelves around our house. Books are my passion. I collect them, hoard them, am loathe to get rid of them even if I hated everything about a particular book. Throwing a book away is akin to chopping down an ancient tree - it is just sacrilege!

My dream is to convert our currently un-used loft into a library, lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves which I will fill within months. Others lust after fancy cars and massive houses - I envy people with dedicated libraries in their own homes. I already feel sorry for my children because when I die, they will be stuck disposing of all of my hundreds and hundreds of books, and if they don't find good homes for each one, I will haunt them bitterly <g>.

My problem is that my collection has far outpaced my time - I have far more books to be read than I have time to read, so I've had to impose a moratorium on book-buying. And I got two book store gift certificates for gifts this Christmas that are really burning a hole in my pocket!

My town recently opened a brand new, $24 million library which is absolutely stunning. However, I do think that they owe me at least a little plaque with my name on it because my overdue library fines paid for one entire wing <g>. It is one reason that I tend to buy books, especially novels, rather than checking them out - I usually end up paying late fees which I could have spent on the book itself. I find that I use the library more for reference materials - things that I need or want to know or study but don't feel the need to keep.

As for books before movies, I generally find that to be the best way for me to experience the story, although I do have a tendency to whine when the director massacres a beloved book (i.e. Francis Ford Coppola's heinous treatment of SE Hinton's The Outsiders - I'm still weeping). But on occassion, seeing the movie will inspire me to read the book and I will discover something amazing - ala Lord of the Rings and Sense and Sensibilities and Pride and Prejudice. I've kind of vowed that with my kids, I would like to read classics together then see the movies so they can experience the story the way the author meant for it to be experienced. I also think that it is good for the imagination to create your own pictures from the words. A lot of times when I'm reading something I just love, I'm internally casting the characters for the movie. wink

Lynn

PS - Thanks, Lab, for the suggestions. I'm breaking my moratorium to pick up a copy of those Keltaid novels. Checking them out of the library simply won't do - I need time to savor them!


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My dream is to convert our currently un-used loft into a library, lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves
Ooh. I've long said that the only real requirement for my future home is a library with a floor to ceiling bookshelves and comfy chairs for reading. I don't care if it's meant to be an office, loft, or what. But I want a room solely dedicated to books and reading. Someday....

As a side note, I used to have a professor who had a whole guest house for his books. It was insane (in a great way <G>). The whole house was lined with floor ceiling shelves overflowing with books. The house was fully furnished, and we used to hang out there sometimes. We used to love wandering around. He had all kinds of obscure books, the vast majority of them old and out of print.

Annie


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My dream is to convert our currently un-used loft into a library, lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves which I will fill within months
<whimper>

LabRat (whose dream is to win the lottery, point one seconds after which, she would sit down at the pc, open up Amazon, crack her knuckles, go "Right then..." and click, click, click.... )



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My dream is to convert our currently un-used loft into a library, lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves which I will fill within months
I agree with Rat. *whine* I want that much room. *looks speculatively at the long wall in the living room, wondering if she can build her own shelves back there, and how best to do it*


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Do you know the most surprising thing about divorce? It doesn't actually kill you, like a bullet to the heart or a head-on car wreck. It should. When someone you've promised to cherish till death do you part says, "I never loved you," it should kill you instantly.

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LOL, Rivka, now every time I step into a library I'll be thinking about that article! laugh

Julie smile


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I went for the 'other' category, partly because I don't think I favour any genres particularly, but mostly because, like Lynn, I didn't read the instructions on the poll carefully enough!

The problem is, I don't like one type of book more than any other, although if I find an author / series that I like, I'll usually make an effort to binge my way through them.

I can think of examples from nearly all the categories on Yvonne's list that I have loved... but I've picked up books from them that I have hated. I guess it all comes down to the individual titles, and whether I'm lucky enough to come across something I want to read.

Romance: I loved a couple of Mary-Jo Putney's books, but got bored after a few. I'm hoping that, by resting the few I have yet to read, I'll come back to them with fresh eyes.

SF: I loved Asimov's Robot stories (Caves of Steel etc) and rather liked a few Heinlein's too. I've read some other 'classics', which were interesting enough for me to finish, but there are plenty more than have left me completely cold and which I abandoned.

Fantasy: I'm not a fan of fantasy as a genre, but there are a couple of things that leap out. I'm addicted to Harry Potter... and I love Matt Ruff's Fool on the Hill. What both of these have in common, though, is that they are twisted versions of our own world. The weirder fantasy gets, the less I like it.

Action: this is one category that I probably would avoid. I can't think of any book of this type that I have adored. Sorry, action lovers!

Murder mystery: I'm not as opposed to this as to action, but again there are no books in this that I would say I just had to have on my bookshelves.

Thriller: one name: Dick Francis. smile Loved them.

Comedy: I'm with Wendy, here. Most laugh-out-loud books leave me cold. I remember having hysterics over Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy when I was a teenager, but thought the books got progressively less funny as the series progressed. And, I'm sorry, but I really don't get along with Terry Pratchett! I tried to like him, I really did. I just failed miserably. Oh, and why do people like Jeeves and Wooster? Never seen the appeal, myself.

War: the few war books I've read have tended to be unbearably depressing. Mind you, I did like Journey's End, which I had to study for English Lit 'O' level. That was a good book. (Short, too, which is a bonus for examination study. smile )

Classics: curiously, this is the category that I was happiest with, which is odd because I've never considered myself as much of a classics buff. There are a couple of Dickens I like (Nicholas Nickleby being my ultimate favourite -- not that I've read them all yet). I like the Bronte books I've read. I love Pride and Prejudice, although other Jane Austen has failed to grab me. Some Jules Verne (not the SF) is pretty terrific, too. (Has anyone else read Michael Strogoff? Stupid ending, but fabulous adventure story.) And, most of all, The Count of Monte Cristo. (I don't like Alexandre Dumas' musketeer books, though.)

Then again, there are plenty of classics that I've tried and abandoned. What can I say; I'm a lazy reader. I read for fun, not duty. Now that I don't have to read anything for English class, I can abandon at will... and I regretfully confess that I do. smile

Oh, and one category that is not in the poll but which I would avoid like the plague is horror.

Phew! Enough said for now, I think. smile

Chris

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Well Lord of the Rings tops my list of favorites in the fantasy catagory. Loved Madaline Engles? Not sure of spelling, A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Moving Planet, And A Wind in the Door. Also read The Narnia Cronichles, I liked tThe Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe best. Harry Potter books are good as well. Dark fantasy, the Elric stories, the soul sucking sword guy is interesting. I like Sci Fi also. Ray Bradbury books, Michael Chricton, some Stephen King. I also like action stories, Dan Brown keeps your interst with, Deception Point, Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci codes. Angela's Ashes was depressing as hell but good. I can't think of the Irish writer who wrote it. I loved biographies as a teen, especiallly Helen Keller type stories.
Books I've hated
Moby Dick...more about Whale blubber then I care to ever know
The Scarlet Letter...depressing, frustrating, did I say Depressing!
Johnny got his gun...Horrible based on a true story about a soldier who has his face blown off, his legs and arms destroyed, he can't see or speak, I am not sure if he could hear either. It made me want to jump out of a window!
Lord Of The Flies...horrible children doing horrible things!
Well that is my two cents for now. Laura


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I don't have the time to read like I used to <sigh> but between us, my hubby and I could probably stock a small library. Both of us are science fiction fans but from there our tastes differ. We both loved the Lord of the Rings in the theater, but I only skimmed the books. Reading Tolkien is *work*!

I read SF, Fantasy, Romance, Regency romance, Mystery (big surprise there, right?) historical novels, action-adventure, Gothic, and humor -- if it's wrapped around a good plot. I've read the original "Peter Pan", "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass". I've also read almost all of the "Oz" books, both by L. Frank Baum and subsequent authors. I have problems with many of the classics because they're often depressing, and like Chris, I avoid Horror like the plague, either in movies or in books. My imagination must be a lot more active than even I realize because things like "The Twilight Zone" and Stephen King novels will give me nightmares for weeks afterwards.

Nan


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