It so happened that I came into possession of two more book vouchers yesterday. Having ended my time at the museum, they indicated that as we have a 'Dinosaur' exhibition on at the my attendance might confuse children so I left, having left I was in receipt of these vouchers and a lovely card with words such as "I'm glad you have left," scribbled upon.
This sadly means I now have to slug my way into town to the proper bookshop and select more books for the 'To read' pile. This as you will imagine upsets me. So many books, so little time!
The problem is the charity shops around here. Most sell books, mostly women's trash it must be said, but occasionally they possess something worthwhile. The Sue Ryder shop in particular attracts a lot of good books, the hardbacks here were available at 2 for £1 and I am not one to resist such prices. A proper charity shop, though it must be said it makes its money from the quality of the furniture it sells rather than books.
I noticed in one of the papers a woman talking about the second hand books previous history. She of course, being a woman, was merely using story books, a waste of time in my view, and conjecturing on the people who bought the novel first time. This is interesting right enough, who originally bought the book that ends up in a charity shop? Was it bought or a gift? Did it delight or bring despair? Surely if it was worth reading it was worth keeping? Now I would throw out story books, though I would keep 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' as I liked that when I read it ( I bought it for my niece in a charity shop 30 years ago and had to read all the others) but I would dump the rest. However my books are interesting and worth something, they are always of use as reference in future times, unlike novels. So who throws them out? Was the missus clearing out again? Did someone die? Did the owner get bored with the subject? I wonder if the reader got satisfaction from the book?
What sort of house did the buyer live in? The middle classes keep their books to show off their knowledge and impress people, other like Siegfried Sassoon had thousands of books up the stairs, on landings, on shelves, in libraries and knew everyone of them. When asked he could indicate where each book was to be found. Few are like that. I wonder where his library ended up? I know where my small collection will go, my niece has divided them up already and she gets the lions share, I am surprised...
3 comments:
So have you now moved into full-time retirement? If so I can imagine you have mixed feelings about leaving the museum, but I'm sure you will find lots to occupy yourself with. So here's looking forward to your new adventures.
Left the museum! Who will now be cutting up card and ribbon and beating the kids off the goods for sale?
Lifting the cup that cheers and, with luck, inebriates, to the next turn in your life.
Dave, It was not easy but I was doing less and less, time to move on for both sides. I miss much of it however.
Things to do which have been left undone so far.
Fly, Funnily enough I no longer care! Thousands of bits of wool, cards aplenty, hundreds of kids (Opening day with special activities brought 800 into the museum apparently!) while I lay on my bed.
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