Free books for your library
I am addicted to books and reading.
I cannot go a single day without reading something. I usually have several books – as many as half a dozen – on the go at the one time. Add to that several new magazines and newsletters arriving in the mail every week. This year I have cut down on the number of newspapers I read in an attempt to get some sort of control over this addiction. I’ve probably filled the time saved by not reading papers with reading articles on a variety of blogs.
A few days ago (see “Books, Bookshops and Bookshelves“) I complained about having to add several new bookshelves to our growing clutter of furniture. These are an attempt to get some kind of control and order to the numerous heaps of books further cluttering up the house.
Now I have discovered a new way to add to my collection of books. [sigh]
These books are FREE. [Bigger sigh]
Most of these books are CLASSICS. [An even bigger sigh].
Many books, poems and short stories are quickly becoming available on the internet for free. Read Print is one such site offering thousands of books featuring the works of hundreds of authors.
At this rate I will need several more lifetimes in order to read everything I would like to read.
Lurking with books
I love lurking with books.
Let me explain. I am foremost a writer. (Okay – if you’ve read my About page I was sidetracked in teaching for 35 years).
Because I am writer I am also a reader.
Because I am a reader, I love books.
Because I love books, I lurk in bookshops. A lot. Sometimes too much.
Because I spend so much time in bookshops I buy far too many books. I’m going to have to make a few extra bookshelves very soon. (I also love making things with wood.) I am also going to have to earn a great deal more from my writing in order to feed my book addiction. (I recently read on someone’s blog that they had a book “addition” problem. Yeah – I have that too. I’m not sure if it was a typo or deliberate, but I like it.)
Sad News:
I have two pieces of sad news about books:
- I have just found out that a major Australian bookshop chain is about to open a new store right here in my home town of Murray Bridge. Previously I had to drive an hour to go to any large bookshop. Now it will be only five minutes away. Poor me.
- This morning I checked Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger site. He relates how he spent several hours in a Melbourne bookshop reading about himself in a book. Now, that’s rather funny – and also a little sad. Not sad that he wants to read about himself but sad because I can’t yet do the same. I must keep at this writing game, become moderately famous and then be able to spend time in a bookshop reading about myself. The ultimate ego trip.
Of Books and Bookshops
We went to Adelaide on Wednesday to do some shopping. When in our capital city Adelaide I try to squeeze in at least some time in a couple of favourite bookshops. I’m a sucker for spending time in bookshops and I have a few specialist areas in each shop where I tend to spend more time in than others. One interesting area I often frequent is the travel section. So many places to go, so many interesting books about the journeys of others and so many maps. (I collect maps as a hobby.)
This time I deliberately avoided the travel section. I have enough books and magazines to read already without adding to the several rather considerable piles awaiting my attention. Besides that, when I look at travel books, atlasses and other maps I tend to get an uneasy feeling. Some people call it itchy feet. Others call it wanderlust. Catching the travel bug. Perhaps it is the call to adventure, of other places, of destinations not yet reached.
Perhaps it is time I went on a holiday somewhere.No – I haven’t got time – I’m too busy reading the three books I bought in another section.
The importance of books
I was listening to local radio last week.
A guest speaker boldly announced, “I’ve just finished my seventeenth book.” He paused for the oohs and ahhs and congratulations to fade away before adding: “I enjoyed the experience so much I think I read another book sometime.”
Writers write – that’s a given principle.
I would like add that writers also read – voraciously.
Last year I read very few books. In fact, it was the fewest books I have read for four decades. (Yes – it’s a problem I have – I’ve kept a list of all the books I have read for over 40 years!) I try to finish two books a week; I’ve averaged over 92 per year for those 40 years. Last year I read only 25 books. (I did do an enormous amount of reading on the internet, however.) This year I plan to correct that and I’m already off to a flying start, on target to read over 100 books this year.
From time to time I’ll write about what I am reading.
In the meantime, what are you, my readers, reading? Leave your comments and insights below.
UPDATE: For a follow up article on this topic go to this new article: The importance of books – more comments.