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Sandra
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 01:56 pm: |
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This might be a bit off topic (and I do apologize if it is) but I'd like to know how and where your books are organized. I am sure that most of you have a vast book collection and mine has steadily grown since i joined this group. I have just hired a carpenter to turn our small living room into a Library--something I have wanted for years. He will build floor to ceiling built-in bookshelves on 2 walls. Also, I just bought book collection database software for my PDA and PC. I am happily adding my wishlist into this database, then I will add books that I own. I dunno, maybe this is way off topic and I'm being too anal-- but hey, I'm a Virgo, whaddayou expect? |
Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 05:19 pm: |
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Sandra--- When I move, the first thing I think of after assembling my bed is 'where do I put the books?' I have my books in a loft space with my bed this time, but previously I had bookshelves built around the dining room table like a library. |
Carey
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 01:48 am: |
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Hi Sandra That's a good question. I don't know how big your living area is but what Ann has started doing is putting her books in nice looking baskets. She then adorns the baskets with ribbons neatly wrapped and tucked here and there. She uses baskets of all shapes and sizes to get a certain look and to keep genres together. She displays these throughout the house and in her reading room that doubles as a family room. You can arrange the baskets in a stairstep style by covering the "stairs" with a nice gathered fabric and then positioning the baskets in a manner that best displays all of them and gives easy access. Bookselvess are nice, we have some but I really enjoy the look of the baskets. Carey |
Rosary
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 05:27 am: |
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I wish my books were more organized but sadly they are everywhere. My living space is small and my book collection is vast. I not only have my books but an extensive collection of children's literature amass over the last 14 years as my youngest son has grown up and does read without much harassment. Bookshelves are always on my wishlist. |
Miqe
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 09:05 am: |
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I love the dinning area library idea. It's something that I've seen a lot of. How do you keep the library from overwhelming the dinning experience? |
sisgal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 08:00 pm: |
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Everywhere...several are stacked on my nightstand, lets say about 20 or so. These are my to be read books, and my reference books. A stack of 5 or six are on the coffee table. Another 15 are between bookstands. The rest, well are in storage bins. Then I keep a library at work where we share books..(by far the best place I have right now)..My plans for 03 is to get a bookstand or 2 and display all my treasures there. |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 09:24 am: |
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I would just love to build a library onto my house but sadly that's not in the plans right now. I guess I'm the weird one here, because I save books for about a year and then I make the annual trek to the second hand book store and sell them. I also have been known to give my books away as presents throughout the year. I can read a book, without breaking the spine, but I don't pawn off the books as unread, lovingly cared for. I just don't have the space and I look at the money I make as a way to buy more books throughout the coming year. I'm a great fan of the library so I will purchase only the books I can't check out which helps as well. I must admit that I like the baskets of books, lovely decorated baskets, scattered around the house. I might try that this year with my "new" collection.
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Thumper
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 09:42 am: |
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Hello All, Well, I made one of my bedrooms into a the library. I hate to give away my books. I am reminded of a quote I read some years ago, "a room without a book is a room without a soul". I don't know who wrote it, but it sounds good to me. Now, I'm going to put a couple of decorative shelves in my master bathroom -- that's the technical name for it, although there's nothing special about it since its the same size as my other bathroom. |
Sandra
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2002 - 12:47 pm: |
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"A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tulius Cicero "He was, among other things, an orator, lawyer, politician, and philosopher. " http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/c/cicero.htm
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Thumper
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2002 - 01:40 pm: |
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Hello Sandra, THANKS for finding the right quote and the author! *smile* |
Sandra
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 04:37 pm: |
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Thumper, No problem--it's the Librarian in me. Carey, Ann's book arrangements with the baskets sounds beautiful. You (and she) have given me a great idea! |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, January 01, 2003 - 09:12 pm: |
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Carey, I absolutely LOVE the baskets idea and I have a few baskets in our master bedroom, but for our next house, I'm hoping to have a staircase and will incorporate Ann's ideas. Tell her I said THANKS!!! Now, to answer the question...whew. My book collection is well over 3000 (my last count mid 2002) and I have them everywhere...in every room of the house, except the guest bathroom. I am currently sitting in my new office which is off the garage and it houses my desk, and five floor length bookshelves and a few stacks around the desk, and two boxes of books that I don't have any room for. :-) Out in the garage I have about 25 boxes stacked against a far wall that I'm ashamed to say haven't been unpacked since I first moved in back in June of 2000...LOL. In addition, I have two small bookshelves of books I need to sell (some are copies I bought in bulk from authors, some I got too excited and bought duplicates.) In my master bedroom, I have a bookshelf, the baskets, and a small display of Arabesque romances and I have a few more in my bathroom. (They are the only books I'll read while lounging in the tub.) I also keep books on my nightstand and dresser and my husband has a few on his nightstand as well. In the kitchen I have a large collection of cookbooks and recipe books and in the living room I have two large bookshelves and gift books scattered on the end tables. And a few more tucked away inside the bottom of my entertainment center. I recently converted my old office into the nursery for 9 month Joy, but you guessed it...I have books in there too! She has her own collection of about 200 books which unfortunately I don't have a bookshelf for yet, but they're in a cute little clear rolling cart and others are hid in the closet. In the guestroom, I have another large bookshelf and then a mini-hutch that doubles as a bookshelf and a few more hidden under the computer desk. I also have quite a few boxes up in the attic, some spread through-out the house in book bags, and a few on the bar (which I just received). I think that about sums it up. I can't explain how much I love books, but I just have got to have them and my passion are ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies)!! Though it pisses me off that people actually sell them, I'll buy them quicker than you can say "how much." I recently bought software to track my inventory and will get around to it hopefully within the next few months. My dream is for our next house to either have a room big enough to house all my books (a mini-library) or to have a reading room (sort of like a sunroom). Oh, akaivy, next time you're ready to give books away...feel free to contact me! I'll stop by and pick them up! <vbg> -Tee |
Sandra
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 12:13 am: |
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Tee, holymoly, can I come for a visit? Are you a book dealer of some sort? What a collection! I love the fact that you have them in every room of your house. I have found a couple of advanced copies of books for sale on half.com Does baby Joy already have 200 baby and children's books? I'm so jealous!! Sandra |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 10:42 am: |
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Ahahah Sandra, book dealer? I wish (though it is something I hope to one day do.) I've always loved to read and over the last 3 years I've bought books feverishly...African American titles especially. I can remember one shopping spree where I spent over $400 at a black bookstore that was going out of business and last June I spent about $300 at a remainder bookstore in Atlanta. Talking about in heaven? Whew! My girlfriend had to make me leave out of there after about 2 hours. It was WONDERFUL!! Oh, I also have a team of reviewers, so we get a lot of books in that way and it adds to my collection as both authors and publishers send them to us. And sis, half.com and places of the likes are daily visits for me...did I say I'm addicted? Now that I'm not working, it's hard though because I can no longer buy 15-20 books per month, so I've cut back a lot, but every now and then, I'll look pitiful enough that hubby will send me a gift certificate to Amazon.com or BN.com. <vbg> Or I'll convince him that since I don't do a lot of shopping (I hate it) like most women, that he's lucky to have me...end result? BOOK MONEY!! And yep, I kinda got a bit book crazy while pregnant. I bought about 500 books on eBay in the course of a few months. And once they started coming in, I was running around trying to figure out where to hide them. It got so bad, that I just had to admit to hubby what I was doing, and since a lot of them were in practically new condition which I got for a steal of a price, he was okay with it. I've since gone through and pulled out over half of them to donate or give away to other children. (Need some??) Her collection of AA Authors is kinda small though, so I'm often searching for those. But um, come over and visit anytime, but don't try to sneak over or you'll definitely get lost (I'm in the boonies)!! The ARCs are the only ones that I keep under lock and key...ahaha, just kidding! Thanks for the great topic! -Tee |
bookish
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 02:38 am: |
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Wow. What did you do for a living? I'd love to be able to buy books like that. I read hundreds a year, but I can't afford that. Nor do I live in a place large enough to keep them - studio apartment not a large house. I read heavily from the library and like someone else said, I sell them quite frequently to get some of the money back. I try to buy everything used or discounted as well. I have a book case in the dining area by the kitchen. I have one over my desk in the main room. I have a few boxes of books in the closet. Every so often, I take them out and rotate the ones on the shelves to the closet. Definitely need more shelves. I have piles of them to be read on every flat surface. And I always have some in my bag whenever I go out. My folks have a library room in their house and at least one bookcase in every other room. It's a great way to live. 'Course the books themselves belonged to all the different family members - 7 of us. Do you actually have time to read all these books or do you just love collecting? Work interferes with my reading time and I'm not even making the big bucks. LOL |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 06:13 pm: |
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Bookish, I hope my message didn't make it appear that I'm overly wealthy...LOL, I just have a book addiction. I was a Captain in the Air Force, but ummm, don't believe the hype, the pay of the Air Force ain't what must folks think it is. Basically, I don't shop. Whereas most women buy a lot of clothes, shoes or run to the beauty shop and other things, I buy books. They are my obsession...I just left Amazon and my main man (the mail man) left me 4 books today. One of the frequent things you'll hear me saying on a weekly basis is HO HO HO Baby...as I share what Santa (mail man/main main), FedEx (Easter Bunny), and UPS (forgot his name) left for me. :::shaking head as I admit I have issues::: -Tee
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bookish
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 04:35 am: |
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It's all good. If you were wealthy, I'd just be happy for you. LOL Livin' the dream, surrounded by books. You're a woman after my own heart. I don't shop or do any of that fru fru stuff either. I don't spend that much on music either, which sometimes I regret, but... books are my passion, too. They come first. You just have to look at my 'wardrobe' to tell. My mind is brighter than my you-know-what. LOL Of course, I don't have nearly as many books as I'd like. Sometimes I think I'd be happier living IN a book shop. |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 06:10 pm: |
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LOL Bookish...I hear ya about living in a book shop. But shoot, just imagine having a cot in a publishing house. Boy oh boy, oh boy! It's probably good I'm not in that industry, I'd probably NEVER come home. I'm working on my dream job though...we'll see how it goes. -Tee |
sisgal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 07:24 pm: |
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Tee you are truly amazing...and a true book lover and I share your love of books. Just the other day while looking for something in my basement I opened up box after box of books that I had packed 3 years ago moving from one house to another. I became so excited, it was like seeing old friends again. I just can't throw them away, but i load some of them up and place them on my shared bookshelf, especially the non-AA writers I used to read all the time, so long ago. My Stephen King, Clive Barker and Dean Koontz, just to name a few. It seems I get just as many visits to my shelf by my white friends as I do my black ones, and for the last year all I had to offer them was AA novels, but they read them anyway and loved them. As far as the rest of my books, I still planning to build a bookshelf in my spare bedroom to accomodate them, especially my hardcovers. Oh yeah, I owe you a book SISTAH, and I haven't forgotten. |
Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 12:06 am: |
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Ahahahha Sisgal, glad to know I'm not the only one that does this (getting excited going through packed up boxes of books.) And don't let me NOT get any books from the mail man...it's such a let down, but when I hear my doorbell, I KNOW IT'S ON CUZ THAT MEANS IT'S TOO BIG FOR THE MAILBOX, i.e. some books!!! And it's wonderful to hear that you share your books with your white friends as well as the black ones. I let my office secretary read Temptation by Victoria Christopher Murray and she loved it. Good luck building the bookshelf. We are looking for a house now and I'm dying for a basement...boy oh boy, oh boy!!!! Hubby is trying to stake claims on it now (the non-existent basement), but he's just being delusional cuz me and my chil'ren (books) will be down there setting up shop!!! And HOLD UP! You owe me a book? ROFL. I'll take it, no complaints, but now I'm trying to remember who all I've bought books from or who are giving me books. ::::mumbling about the names used ova here::: You got my email... tee@rawsistaz.com or sistaztee@aol.com, please email me and let me know what'cha talking about. I've never read Clive Barker, what'd he write? Ever read Brad Metzler or the Alphabet Series author? Dang, can't remember her name. And ummmm, what about the lady that writes the Death series? (I'm tired...mind is gone.) I'm going back to work! LOL. -Tee |
bookish
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 04:42 am: |
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Well, you'll laugh but I have imagined working in a publishing house! I picture myself sitting under the desk reading the over the transom submissions no one else wants to read after they go home. LOL Actually, there's a good novel by James Michener called The Novel wherein one book-loving character ends up having a career in publishing. The whole thing is great, but I so identify with the editor character. You might enjoy that book if you get around to it. (I keep a list of books I want to read and recommendations - it's so long. I confront my own mortality whenever I look at it, knowing I will never get to read all these things.) Best wishes on pursuing your dream job. |
sisgal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 04:42 pm: |
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Hey Tee, Hahaha, you will soon find out. Clive Barker is the author of Hellraiser, and other horrid tales. My favorite of his books though is one called Weaveworld, all about another universe of little people living in the carpet. It was excellent. Another excellent book by a little known author, and one of my all time favs is a book called Into the Out Of, ok strange name but excellent book, fantasy/horror, didn't make it big, at least I don't think but it was really good. It was about a break in the universe, allowing the dark side to slip in, i wish I still had it, but I loaned it out and it was never returned. I think I will look for it again, I think the authors last name was Foster. Anyway, I'll be sending you the book I owe you soon, its for your daughter. see ya
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Tee C. Royal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 09:54 am: |
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Hey bookish and sisgal, what a delight to read your messages. I've been burning the candle at both ends and am TIRED...I've missed chatting with you guys, but ummmm...I can definitely relate to wanting to work in a publishing house. Whew...don't get me to daydreaming or I'll never get anything done today. sisgal, I'm adding all these books to my list and will have to check them out. I like horror and sci-fi quite a bit. I'm not a big TV watcher, but when it's not on the Children's station, it's on the SCI-FI channel. Did you catch the series Taken they did a few weeks ago?? Ooo ooohh oooh...WONDERFUL! -Tee |
sisgal
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 03:26 pm: |
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Yep, I did. I was really into to Taken, but disappointed with the ending. But, it was well-written and I wouldn't miss a day of it. You know they are bringing The Children of Dune on I think some time in March. Can't wait. I loved the movie Dune, both versions, have you seen this? Have a great day!!! sisgal |
Tee
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 06:07 pm: |
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No, I haven't seen Due...but I'll be looking for it. And I didn't like the ending of Taken either... SPOILER SPOILER - - - - - - - - - - - I wanted the Mom/Dad to go with her. :-( -Tee |
bookish
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 06:59 am: |
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Mmm... I only watched the first week of Taken. It was good but for some reason I lost interest after that. |
Beautifulwaterstar
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 03:22 pm: |
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Honestly? Okay.. My books are ALLLL over the place. lol I hardly 'ever' read just one book at a time, so there are usually atleast 5 books that get taken with me from room to room. lol I do have a bookcase, but it doesn't really matter that much, because I am always buying more and more books and taking some other ones down to read them, putting some other ones up, and putting others in rooms with several other books, so yeah; they're all over the place.. Every now and then, I'll do a very deep cleaning and only then do my books get VERY organized (right down to the type of books/alphabetical order), but after a lil' time goes by, I do the same thing; SCATTER THEM EVERYWHERE! lol But what is infinite knowledge to only one person? This is likened to having all the books in one room. (Okay, so it's not exactly the same thing, but I'm Pisces. :- ) ) Anyway, what interesting books have you all read lately? (new or not so new, doesn't matter..) |
akaivyleaf
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 11:56 pm: |
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Since this thread has come back up... I need to revise an earlier post with this years "new" collection. My books have grown by leaps and bounds this year so I've converted part of my office into a library and while I've yet to buy shelving, they are neatly categorized and I'm able to find the book I'm looking for in a relatively short period of time. I've also taken to selling my books on line...when time permits but I'm finding myself more drawn to keeping a few special books for my exclusive collection. |
idrissa
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 09:28 pm: |
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For years; I kept every book that I bought but then the Lord spoke to my heart about hoarding my books that I was not going to read again so I began to give them away. I always buy more so it's no longer so painful when I give one away (folks always borrow but never return a good book). Now I have kids at my church who ask me if I have any books for them so I've become the book lady to my church family and all my friends. I now enjoy sharing my books and discussing them with the borrowers. And the fact that parents tell me that they're kids are reading more because I give them books that they like is such a feather in my cap. So if anyne has teen or children's books that they would like to share; I'll pay the postage. E-mail me at idrissa1@juno.com I buy boatloads of books online; like Tee; it's an obsession because I don't shop for clothes or shoes like most women. I buy books! LOL |
seraph1959
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 02:20 am: |
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Waving to Idrissa :-) Now that I am buying more hard cover books I keep them. I share books I have read mostly with one of my sisters and a coworker. They usually return them. Really rare that I ever read a book twice, so I am not sure why I hold on to my books. I'll have to think about giving away my books... |
idrissa
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 12:25 am: |
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Hi seraph.....I'm encouraging my cyberfriends to visit this spot! LOL It hurts at first to give my books away. But some people bring them back to get more...so my bookshelves are like a library. I too; seldom re-read a book so keeping all of them was really kinda selfish of me. Special thanks to Sis. E who is sending me a few books for my church children. Being here is already a blessing. |
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