Books

I was a young reader and loved reading books as a child.  I always needed more books to read.  The first document I ever owned was a library card.By the time I was 12, I had read the entire family encyclopedia of 25 volumes and several of my parents' saved textbooks.  I had gone through the entire local library's "young adult" section (defined as age 12-15 or something close to that).  I had to get permission from my parents and the librarian to check out more adult books.

My parents approved, but I vaguely recall the librarian asking questions about the difference between information and fiction.  I don't recall my answers the least bit, but apparently, when it was clear I understood the difference between William and Clark exploring Western North America and Isaac Asimov and Buck Rogers, I was allowed to read more adult books. 

In the years afterwards, I spent a LOT of money buying both science fiction AND information books.  So I love books and cherish the enjoyment of reading and the real information at my fingertips.

10 years ago, I packed half of my sci-books into boxes  to clear some shelf space.  It was the half I thought the least of.  A few years ago, I went through my shelves and removed those "information books"I thought had little value.  Those got tossed after I learned the local library didn't want my kind of books.

I've started a de-clutterring project.  Today, I went through the information books and tossed most of them into the recycling bin and put more in boxes in the garage because the recycling bin was filled. 

The era of information books is over.  The internet provides all the information I can use.  I skimmed through many of the books and I couldn't find anything in them that wasn't easier to find on the internet.  Basically, the internet (in this regard) is a bigger faster library a few keywords away. 

And books go obsolete so quickly sometimes.  Or even were decades ago.  I looked at one World History book and it was written in 1937!  So I got brutal about it.  Any information book that seemed overcome by new information (historical, scientific, or repair) went. 

I kept books like 'The Peter Principle' and 'Murphy's Laws' and 'Flatland' and Human and Cat evolution.  And those may go in the some future weeding.

Six 3' shelves became one.  Some I'll keep because their information doesn't age much (backyard landscaping projects or linguistic explanations).  And some books went because I'm not sure why I bought them in the first place. 

But I bet I tossed out books that cost me $5,000 originally.  And a shelf of National Geographic maps; Google does that better.    I got rid of 10 years of various magazines a few months ago.  I got rid of books of Poe stories and Kipling verses.  I even tossed al dozen Ayn Rand books I thought I would read and never did after 20 years.

I hesitated before doing this today, but I thought about the last time I did a few years ago and couldn't recall a single book of them.  Obviously, I did not miss them.  I bet I won't miss these either. 

It was hard to start tossing them, but easy to continue once I realized I wasn't losing information, just accepting that there was a better way to get at it that didn't fill up physical bookcases.

OK, so books had their time.  I guess I just went screaming and kicking into the 21st century today.  One day centuries ago, a storyteller started reciting a memorized tale of some hero, and the King said "I have that book, and others.  You're fired".

Things change.  And I'm not done tossing books.  The recycle bin is mostly filled and very heavy.  So tomorrow I'll pile more in boxes and stack them in the garage for the next recycle pickup.  I'm keeping every sci book I own.  Those don't actually become obsolete.