My book collection

[Mr Nobody]

Yeah, I thought he was too. After all, I was the only customer in his store (books and magazines everyhere, every which way, the kind of place I like, you find hidden treasures) - handing over my hard-earned dough to him)! He gave me a Mo Hayder novel to try, Ritual, so that was kind of nice. Next time I will quote E M Foster to him as I leave 'only connect'!!

I did purchase Koko by Peter Straub, for a princely two dollars, he did not seem to notice that. Now I am sorting over my treasure, which one to reread first...asked if the guy had any Ira Levin novels, but he had not heard of him. Oh, If I owned a bookstore....there are not many good secondhand ones left here, due to the old internet of course.

Seems he was just after getting you to spend a bit more and, via the freebie, encouraging you to go back again, though if his usual tactic is the question a customer's reading choice it's perhaps not a surprise that his shop was otherwise empty (if there was a place like that around here, I'd end up living there - though with that said, I wouldn't like having my tastes questioned. It has happened in the past, but that just flipped the switch and put me into 'Oh, so you want to talk about Literature, do you?' mode ).

As things stand, the only bookstores in my town are branches of Waterstones (used to be an Ottakar's, still a chain but a really good one with knowledgable staff who would talk books until your ears fell off, but then Waterstones bought them out and it became a bit soulless, even though most of the staff remained the same) and WH Smith. About fifteen years back, there were three second-hand/indie places, but one guy retired and couldn't find a buyer for shop and stock, another moved to a back-street location due to increased rental charges and died fairly quickly after that, while the third lingered on until 2007/08 then just seemed to close down overnight and become a Subway franchise, despite the town already having more food outlets than you could shake a (French) stick at.
No wonder minds are shrinking as waistlines expand...

 

[HollyGolightly]

I did a red shade accent wall. Didn't need any primer. It worked great. And I also used it on the sides of my pull out drawers in the kitchen.

Like this, only think dark brown with red pops on the sides.

That is a fantastic and gorgeous idea! I have standard contractor grade "golden oak" cabinets. Red wouldn't work on the sides, but maybe that blue I love would.

I wonder why my red bled? It was 1998-ish, so maybe paint quality has gotten better.

 

[TanyaS]

Impressive. I so prefer the American editions, the artwork is better, in my view!

Have you read any Thomas Tryon? His books The Other and Harvest Home are fantastic and are now considered classics in the genre.

No, but I will try them, thanks!

 

[TanyaS]

Seems he was just after getting you to spend a bit more and, via the freebie, encouraging you to go back again, though if his usual tactic is the question a customer's reading choice it's perhaps not a surprise that his shop was otherwise empty (if there was a place like that around here, I'd end up living there - though with that said, I wouldn't like having my tastes questioned. It has happened in the past, but that just flipped the switch and put me into 'Oh, so you want to talk about Literature, do you?' mode ).

As things stand, the only bookstores in my town are branches of Waterstones (used to be an Ottakar's, still a chain but a really good one with knowledgable staff who would talk books until your ears fell off, but then Waterstones bought them out and it became a bit soulless, even though most of the staff remained the same) and WH Smith. About fifteen years back, there were three second-hand/indie places, but one guy retired and couldn't find a buyer for shop and stock, another moved to a back-street location due to increased rental charges and died fairly quickly after that, while the third lingered on until 2007/08 then just seemed to close down overnight and become a Subway franchise, despite the town already having more food outlets than you could shake a (French) stick at.
No wonder minds are shrinking as waistlines expand...

I know, it's the same here. Fastfood outlets everywhere (I am not a fan of Subway, all those filled rolls)!, and no decent bookstores. I love secondhand the most, love the pre-loved condition, smell, inscriptions, the visible and invisible indentations of owners and readers past. The retro Dead Zone copy I picked up, MacDonald Future Publishers 1980, Great Britian, has this inscription on the flyleaf page: 'To my darling John, with all my love, as always'...isn't that just gorgeous!!
I love that!! Ever seen the film 84 Charing Cross Rd, about a bookseller in London and an avid book collector (famous writer?) who lived in New York? Reminds me of that, where she tells the bookdealer character off for apologising about inscriptions in used books. By the way, a great film, has all the essences required for people who treasure pre-loved books and literature! Sorry, ramble, ramble..!

 

[Mr Nobody]

I know, it's the same here. Fastfood outlets everywhere (I am not a fan of Subway, all those filled rolls)!, and no decent bookstores. I love secondhand the most, love the pre-loved condition, smell, inscriptions, the visible and invisible indentations of owners and readers past. The retro Dead Zone copy I picked up, MacDonald Future Publishers 1980, Great Britian, has this inscription on the flyleaf page: 'To my darling John, with all my love, as always'...isn't that just gorgeous!!
I love that!! Ever seen the film 84 Charing Cross Rd, about a bookseller in London and an avid book collector (famous writer?) who lived in New York? Reminds me of that, where she tells the bookdealer character off for apologising about inscriptions in used books. By the way, a great film, has all the essences required for people who treasure pre-loved books and literature! Sorry, ramble, ramble..!

I didn't mind Subway until the "your sub, your way" thing got quietly replaced by 'we'd rather you bought one of our pre-made things. Here they are, now cough up, **** off and eat up'. But then Burger King went the same way: "You want it your way at BK? You got it!" was quietly dropped and now you just get a standard burger or the 'Royale' option. Which always reminds me of Pulp Fiction, but there you go.

Second-hand books are fine but can be a mixed bag. There was a shop in Rugby, Warwickshire (where I lived for a time, and where my gf's parents still are) called Paperback Exchange. It was part of a chain, and you could get new books there but the emphasis was on second-hand. Most were in good condition, but there were a few that looked like they should have carried (and one or two that definitely needed) some kind of health warning. I picked up a few Koontz book from there as well as my copy of The Dead Zone (Warner Books, 1993 reprint of the 1992 UK version, inscription "This is for Owen I love you, old bear" all caps over two lines).
But, like a lot of others, that place is gone now. It briefly became a clothes shop, then a pizza place, then one of those places that just sells cheap plastic junk. Last I knew it was standing empty, another shop that no one really needs or wants to afford to rent on, yet when it was the Paperback Exchange you'd have people go out of their way to visit it and there always seemed to be a couple of people browsing the aisles. You could stand and have a good old natter with the staff, too, not just (but usually) about books, writers and everything around them.
There is a second-hand place up near the sea front in Morecambe that's kind of like how I imagine Heaven might be, if it turns out that such a place exists. There are books everywhere. There are doorways and passages that are formed by books. There are even little alcoves and nooks where you have to go in one at a time, but then you're surrounded by towers of books from floor to ceiling. The owner's a really knowledgeable, friendly-enough guy, too. I just don't get up that way often enough, but when I do you can guarantee I'll come out with a good couple of armfuls of books, from literary classics to more recent thrillers and SF.

But now I'm rambling. I can't recall ever having seen that film, but I'll be sure to look it up now so thanks for mentioning it.

 

[champ1966]

I didn't mind Subway until the "your sub, your way" thing got quietly replaced by 'we'd rather you bought one of our pre-made things. Here they are, now cough up, **** off and eat up'. But then Burger King went the same way: "You want it your way at BK? You got it!" was quietly dropped and now you just get a standard burger or the 'Royale' option. Which always reminds me of Pulp Fiction, but there you go.

Second-hand books are fine but can be a mixed bag. There was a shop in Rugby, Warwickshire (where I lived for a time, and where my gf's parents still are) called Paperback Exchange. It was part of a chain, and you could get new books there but the emphasis was on second-hand. Most were in good condition, but there were a few that looked like they should have carried (and one or two that definitely needed) some kind of health warning. I picked up a few Koontz book from there as well as my copy of The Dead Zone (Warner Books, 1993 reprint of the 1992 UK version, inscription "This is for Owen I love you, old bear" all caps over two lines).
But, like a lot of others, that place is gone now. It briefly became a clothes shop, then a pizza place, then one of those places that just sells cheap plastic junk. Last I knew it was standing empty, another shop that no one really needs or wants to afford to rent on, yet when it was the Paperback Exchange you'd have people go out of their way to visit it and there always seemed to be a couple of people browsing the aisles. You could stand and have a good old natter with the staff, too, not just (but usually) about books, writers and everything around them.
There is a second-hand place up near the sea front in Morecambe that's kind of like how I imagine Heaven might be, if it turns out that such a place exists. There are books everywhere. There are doorways and passages that are formed by books. There are even little alcoves and nooks where you have to go in one at a time, but then you're surrounded by towers of books from floor to ceiling. The owner's a really knowledgeable, friendly-enough guy, too. I just don't get up that way often enough, but when I do you can guarantee I'll come out with a good couple of armfuls of books, from literary classics to more recent thrillers and SF.

But now I'm rambling. I can't recall ever having seen that film, but I'll be sure to look it up now so thanks for mentioning it.

I've been in said bookshop in Morecambe, definitely my kind of place.

 

[TanyaS]

I didn't mind Subway until the "your sub, your way" thing got quietly replaced by 'we'd rather you bought one of our pre-made things. Here they are, now cough up, **** off and eat up'. But then Burger King went the same way: "You want it your way at BK? You got it!" was quietly dropped and now you just get a standard burger or the 'Royale' option. Which always reminds me of Pulp Fiction, but there you go.

Second-hand books are fine but can be a mixed bag. There was a shop in Rugby, Warwickshire (where I lived for a time, and where my gf's parents still are) called Paperback Exchange. It was part of a chain, and you could get new books there but the emphasis was on second-hand. Most were in good condition, but there were a few that looked like they should have carried (and one or two that definitely needed) some kind of health warning. I picked up a few Koontz book from there as well as my copy of The Dead Zone (Warner Books, 1993 reprint of the 1992 UK version, inscription "This is for Owen I love you, old bear" all caps over two lines).
But, like a lot of others, that place is gone now. It briefly became a clothes shop, then a pizza place, then one of those places that just sells cheap plastic junk. Last I knew it was standing empty, another shop that no one really needs or wants to afford to rent on, yet when it was the Paperback Exchange you'd have people go out of their way to visit it and there always seemed to be a couple of people browsing the aisles. You could stand and have a good old natter with the staff, too, not just (but usually) about books, writers and everything around them.
There is a second-hand place up near the sea front in Morecambe that's kind of like how I imagine Heaven might be, if it turns out that such a place exists. There are books everywhere. There are doorways and passages that are formed by books. There are even little alcoves and nooks where you have to go in one at a time, but then you're surrounded by towers of books from floor to ceiling. The owner's a really knowledgeable, friendly-enough guy, too. I just don't get up that way often enough, but when I do you can guarantee I'll come out with a good couple of armfuls of books, from literary classics to more recent thrillers and SF.

But now I'm rambling. I can't recall ever having seen that film, but I'll be sure to look it up now so thanks for mentioning it.

It's well worth a watch, an oldie but a goodie, starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft, in the lead roles. Wow, that shop you described sounds amazing. We have a cool store in Auckland called The Hard to Find Bookshop. which has a maze of rooms, a bit like an old villa, filled with secondhand tomes in every direction. One of the of the few good ones left. Yes, our Auckland suburbs are getting crowded with plastic junk shops, such a shame. You are from the UK, right? The old Country..., the home of the illustrious John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Monty Python and of course, Ruth Rendell, to name but a few!! British TV crime shows, just the best.

 

[champ1966]

There's also a good one at Lady Heyes near Frodsham /Wigan. Next door to Bob Carolgee's candle shop.

 

[Mr Nobody]

I've been in said bookshop in Morecambe, definitely my kind of place.
There's also a good one at Lady Heyes near Frodsham /Wigan. Next door to Bob Carolgee's candle shop.

It's great, isn't it? I don't quite now how he keeps going, given that Morecambe isn't exactly the busiest of places. I make a point of calling in if we're on holiday up in the Lakes or on our way there or back, though.
And...Bob Carolgees? As in 'Spit the Dog' Bob Carolgees?

It's well worth a watch, an oldie but a goodie, starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft, in the lead roles. Wow, that shop you described sounds amazing. We have a cool store in Auckland called The Hard to Find Bookshop. which has a maze of rooms, a bit like an old villa, filled with secondhand tomes in every direction. One of the of the few good ones left. Yes, our Auckland suburbs are getting crowded with plastic junk shops, such a shame. You are from the UK, right? The old Country..., the home of the illustrious John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Monty Python and of course, Ruth Rendell, to name but a few!! British TV crime shows, just the best.

Yep, I'm from the UK. It's a good job we have all those comedians, because we could do with a few laughs about now (but maybe that's why we have so many comedians in the first place; if you didn't laugh, you'd chuck yourself off the white cliffs of Dover or something).
It's weird, though, because when it comes to crime shows I prefer the Scandinavian ones.

 

[king family fan]

Red is hard. And you have to get pink tinted primer. For some reason it soaks into the wall like crazy. But it is gorgeous.

I used Red in my master bathroom. King theme and i love it.

 

[Brian's Twinner]

I thinned out my book collection a bit yesterday, donating select volumes to the local library. I've made additional room for the Sai King tomes that should be arriving shortly.

 

[TanyaS]

It's great, isn't it? I don't quite now how he keeps going, given that Morecambe isn't exactly the busiest of places. I make a point of calling in if we're on holiday up in the Lakes or on our way there or back, though.
And...Bob Carolgees? As in 'Spit the Dog' Bob Carolgees?



Yep, I'm from the UK. It's a good job we have all those comedians, because we could do with a few laughs about now (but maybe that's why we have so many comedians in the first place; if you didn't laugh, you'd chuck yourself off the white cliffs of Dover or something).
It's weird, though, because when it comes to crime shows I prefer the Scandinavian ones.

The Brits are best at comedy, especially in the heyday of TV.

 

[Mr Nobody]

The Brits are best at comedy, especially in the heyday of TV.

The thing is, I doubt a lot of that stuff would be commissioned now. TV companies have started to play it very safe, so it's hard to imagine anyone would take a punt on, say, Monty Python or Fawlty Towers if they were new ideas these days. As for Benny Hill...not a chance in Hell.

That's not to say some stuff didn't need culling, but what we get these days tends to be very bland fare...and it usually isn't funny in any case.

 

[kingricefan]

The thing is, I doubt a lot of that stuff would be commissioned now. TV companies have started to play it very safe, so it's hard to imagine anyone would take a punt on, say, Monty Python or Fawlty Towers if they were new ideas these days. As for Benny Hill...not a chance in Hell.

That's not to say some stuff didn't need culling, but what we get these days tends to be very bland fare...and it usually isn't funny in any case.

Have you watched any episodes of Absolutely Fabulous? Definitely not playing it safe with that show. Oh, it's my favorite one, too!

 

[Mr Nobody]

Have you watched any episodes of Absolutely Fabulous? Definitely not playing it safe with that show. Oh, it's my favorite one, too!

When it first went out, yeah. Not for a long time now, though. (It does get repeated, but usually by not-strictly-BBC channels: usually Watch or, more typically, Dave, which are (or were) both part of the UKTV range of channels that the BBC co-owns and rather craftily has commercial ads on (banned on the regular BBC; in fact they're not supposed to advertise anything at all, though of course they do - books, DVDs, pointing the way to the BBC Store "and other outlets", etc).)
But even that, first broadcast in the 90s, would be heavily toned down. There are reasons why the Beeb won't show repeats of many a 'classic' sitcom (not to mention sketch shows and stand-ups by people like Jasper Carrott and Dave Allen).
Of course, soaps can get away with showing all sorts, and in graphic detail, but...

 

[TanyaS]

Have you watched any episodes of Absolutely Fabulous? Definitely not playing it safe with that show. Oh, it's my favorite one, too!

everything has to be PC, and it's ruined so much. As for free speech on TV, that is extinct.

 

[recitador]

Awesome collection. I have about 1800-2000 books at home. They are starting to chase me out of the apartment. Some of these i have to disqualify so they arenow not in shelf but in a storagecloset. Have made a database so i can keep an eye on my books and know which one i have and have not.

let me tell you about the only smart phone app that has ever excited me. it was suggested that i use one at a half price books in oklahoma which i visited while on a trip. well, i looked some up, and settled on an app called Libib. it lets you scan the barcode of books with your phone, at which point it's entered into your personal "database" and you'll now know what it is you own when you hit the bookstore. you can create categories, which i usually do with the authors name, and then if you want to check a book, scan it, and it will tell you if you already have a copy. the barcodes on the back don't always work, so i use the ones on the inside covers. it doesn't work that great on older books, but they also have a manual input option for that. it took me a little while to input all my books, but once i did, it was an amazing time saver at the book store. and it kept me from purchasing books that i already owned, which became a concern once i got around 600 and it was hard to keep what i'd read versus what i owned straight. i now have 1022 books, and i was partly able to get up to that over the weekend by combining that phone app with a few used bookstore trips, to a half price books in louisville where i was visiting a friend, to the mckays in nashville and chattanooga on the way home. probably bought over 200 books, and was only able to do so because it was easy to figure out what i owned

 

[recitador]

and due to not having my collection totally shelved yet, because of how much i've bought lately, i'll settle for just listing it according to my libib app:

23 books by David Baldacci
4 books by Dan Brown
50 books by Tom Clancy (or series continued after his death)
25 books by Michael Connelly
31 books by Robin Cook
1 by Stephen? Coonts (it's a test book to see if i like him enough to get the rest)
24 books by Patricia Cornwell
5 books by Michael Crichton
21 books by Clive Cussler
18 books by Jeffrey Deaver
19 books by Nelson Demille
8 books by Robert Doherty (or thereabouts, i have to scan the rest in)
13 books by Vince Flynn
2 books by Ken Follett (testers to see if he's good)
13 books by Tess Gerritsen
10 books by Robert Golemon
2 books by WEB Griffin (i haven't decided if i like him yet, he's back burnered)
22 books by John Grisham
34 books by Jonathan Kellerman
3 books by Raymond Khoury
42 books by Stephen King
47 books by Dean Koontz
18 books by Lee Child
3 books by Lincoln Child
40 books by Robert Ludlum (or series carried postmortem)
42 books featuring various Marvel characters
9 books by Andy McDermott
1 book by Brad Meltzer (not bad, haven't committed to buying the rest yet)
55 books by various authors, which are under a misc category due to not having as many books as some other prolific authors
14 books by Kevin O'Brien
8 books by Michael Palmer
5 books by James Patterson
14 books by Richard Preston (i think it's richard, he's a recent addition)
17 books by Kathy Reichs
20 books by James Rollins
34 books by John Sandford
10 books by John Saul
21 books based on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
29 books based on Star Trek: Voyager
78 books based on Star Trek: The Next Generation
52 books based on various Star Trek incarnations, including some that are solely made up for books
89 books based on Star Wars
22 books by Robert K. Tannenbaum
17 books by F. Paul Wilson

there's a few authors i need to fill in collection gaps, some that i want to try out, based on seeing they've published a lot, so they might be worth a look. one of the ones i need to fill in is James Patterson, but i refuse to pay full price for his books, mainly because of his excessive use of sticking his name on things that are clearly just written by others. he's been given the distinction of being the most published author ever, but it bugs me that he got it by creating a few different series and then turning them over to other authors but still getting full credit for them. so it might be weird, but i'm not buying until the used book stores lower his stuff to an appropriate level (for example, prolific authors who have lots of copies of their books floating around can be obtained for anywhere from a dime to $2 at mckays, but they still have pattersons stuff at $3-5)

and to the OP, i can't imagine how you've found so much space for all those hardcovers. space is one reason i don't buy a lot of them. but it's a nice collection

 

[kingricefan]

and due to not having my collection totally shelved yet, because of how much i've bought lately, i'll settle for just listing it according to my libib app:

23 books by David Baldacci
4 books by Dan Brown
50 books by Tom Clancy (or series continued after his death)
25 books by Michael Connelly
31 books by Robin Cook
1 by Stephen? Coonts (it's a test book to see if i like him enough to get the rest)
24 books by Patricia Cornwell
5 books by Michael Crichton
21 books by Clive Cussler
18 books by Jeffrey Deaver
19 books by Nelson Demille
8 books by Robert Doherty (or thereabouts, i have to scan the rest in)
13 books by Vince Flynn
2 books by Ken Follett (testers to see if he's good)
13 books by Tess Gerritsen
10 books by Robert Golemon
2 books by WEB Griffin (i haven't decided if i like him yet, he's back burnered)
22 books by John Grisham
34 books by Jonathan Kellerman
3 books by Raymond Khoury
42 books by Stephen King
47 books by Dean Koontz
18 books by Lee Child
3 books by Lincoln Child
40 books by Robert Ludlum (or series carried postmortem)
42 books featuring various Marvel characters
9 books by Andy McDermott
1 book by Brad Meltzer (not bad, haven't committed to buying the rest yet)
55 books by various authors, which are under a misc category due to not having as many books as some other prolific authors
14 books by Kevin O'Brien
8 books by Michael Palmer
5 books by James Patterson
14 books by Richard Preston (i think it's richard, he's a recent addition)
17 books by Kathy Reichs
20 books by James Rollins
34 books by John Sandford
10 books by John Saul
21 books based on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
29 books based on Star Trek: Voyager
78 books based on Star Trek: The Next Generation
52 books based on various Star Trek incarnations, including some that are solely made up for books
89 books based on Star Wars
22 books by Robert K. Tannenbaum
17 books by F. Paul Wilson

there's a few authors i need to fill in collection gaps, some that i want to try out, based on seeing they've published a lot, so they might be worth a look. one of the ones i need to fill in is James Patterson, but i refuse to pay full price for his books, mainly because of his excessive use of sticking his name on things that are clearly just written by others. he's been given the distinction of being the most published author ever, but it bugs me that he got it by creating a few different series and then turning them over to other authors but still getting full credit for them. so it might be weird, but i'm not buying until the used book stores lower his stuff to an appropriate level (for example, prolific authors who have lots of copies of their books floating around can be obtained for anywhere from a dime to $2 at mckays, but they still have pattersons stuff at $3-5)

and to the OP, i can't imagine how you've found so much space for all those hardcovers. space is one reason i don't buy a lot of them. but it's a nice collection

Where there's a will, there's a way. Really, I am starting to feel a bit cramped in my house now. That's why I started the book shelves up high on the walls thingy.

 

[Kurben]

Books have a way of finding me. Neither of us cant help ourselves. Bought two today, The Rose of Tistelön (1842), the first swedish novel that could stand a comparison to Europes and the states output. Also Paula Hawkins The Girl on the Train. 1 US dollar for both.