The Book Purge

So I did something kinda huge, at least for me - I went through my books and ACTUALLY GOT RID OF SOME! Many! Probably 40 or so.

Some of these books I have had since I was a kid, e.g. The Far Side Galleries 1-5. I remember buying my first one, Far Side Gallery 2. It took about 3 years to get all 5, if I remember right.

I still have a copy of The Incredible Journey, which I bought in 4th grade!!! Whatttttttt.

I have moved hither and thither with so many of these books. I was an English major in college, so I had plenty of those novels and things around.

At the same time, I know there are plenty of books i returned to my college co-op for weed money shhhhhhhh and several that I gave away to friends b/c I thought they would like the book, though I’ve learned my lesson there that those ungrateful ass holes probably never read them, and, don’t plan on getting that book back if you give it away to someone!! LOL / 😑. You’re truly better off just buying the book for them instead. (From an independent book store of course 😉).

Plus, there were a few text books like from my Anthropology classes. I took those classes in the ‘00s and ummm I’m just gonna go ahead and assume some of them had perfectly problematic language, phrases, and ways of thinking in there.

There were books I know I’d never re-read or look at again. There were other books I never read in the first place, and I definitely kept them for an ego boost, thinking I’d get to ‘em one day. I never did.

As I have espoused before, I’m a sentimental and nostalgic person. It took me months of buildup to actually grab the books from my shelves and get them donated.

It feels really good to see my selves now and it’s a good collection because it’s my collection versus a show-off collection or something. There are a few books that I have not read, and HECK WHO KNOWS, maybe I’ll actually do it.

What I also kept, of course, are the art books / coffee table-type books I have collected over the years. I’m so glad to have started collecting them in college because umm I’m unlikely to return to the Uffizzi gallery in Florence, Italy - but I have a book!!

I’m going to try to thumb through those cool art books and truly appreciate them.

It feels good to let go of things that no longer serve me. I donated the books at my county’s “library foundation” and whomever comes across those books I donated will be excited they found a gem.

Here’s to more books, reading for pleasure, and cleaner bookshelves…for more books!!! 🤓📚📒📕📗📘📙