Comments on: Unpacking My Girlfriend’s Library http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/ A National Blog of Literature & Discussion Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:47:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jake http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/#comment-3477 Jake Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:47:57 +0000 http://www.vqronline.org/blog/?p=3238#comment-3477 "I can’t help but think of taking comfort in being surrounded by one’s possessions as the first step on a journey to crazy-town." That's true to some extent, but I'm reminded of this comment in Paul Graham's essay "<a href="http://paulgraham.com/stuff.html" rel="nofollow">Stuff</a>: " <blockquote>I've now stopped accumulating stuff. Except books—but books are different. Books are more like a fluid than individual objects. It's not especially inconvenient to own several thousand books, whereas if you owned several thousand random possessions you'd be a local celebrity. But except for books, I now actively avoid stuff. If I want to spend money on some kind of treat, I'll take services over goods any day.</blockquote> “I can’t help but think of taking comfort in being surrounded by one’s possessions as the first step on a journey to crazy-town.”

That’s true to some extent, but I’m reminded of this comment in Paul Graham’s essay “Stuff: ”

I’ve now stopped accumulating stuff. Except books—but books are different. Books are more like a fluid than individual objects. It’s not especially inconvenient to own several thousand books, whereas if you owned several thousand random possessions you’d be a local celebrity. But except for books, I now actively avoid stuff. If I want to spend money on some kind of treat, I’ll take services over goods any day.

]]> By: Laza http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/#comment-3475 Laza Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:04:39 +0000 http://www.vqronline.org/blog/?p=3238#comment-3475 I'll take both my Kindle and my books. Why do I have to sacrifice one for the other? I’ll take both my Kindle and my books. Why do I have to sacrifice one for the other?

]]> By: Waldo Jaquith http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/#comment-3434 Waldo Jaquith Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:29:55 +0000 http://www.vqronline.org/blog/?p=3238#comment-3434 After watching that new hoarding show on A&E the other night, now I can't help but think of taking comfort in being surrounded by one's possessions as the first step on a journey to crazy-town. That show made me want to throw away everything I own. After watching that new hoarding show on A&E the other night, now I can’t help but think of taking comfort in being surrounded by one’s possessions as the first step on a journey to crazy-town. That show made me want to throw away everything I own.

]]> By: KrisUnderwood http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/#comment-3433 KrisUnderwood Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:18:29 +0000 http://www.vqronline.org/blog/?p=3238#comment-3433 I very much agree with you. I love my books. I love the physicality of them, being surrounded by them-it IS comforting. I don't think I could ever give it up for a Kindle. Jake-I saw the picture of Gaiman's as well-very impressive. I would love to have the room for something like that. I very much agree with you. I love my books. I love the physicality of them, being surrounded by them-it IS comforting. I don’t think I could ever give it up for a Kindle.

Jake-I saw the picture of Gaiman’s as well-very impressive. I would love to have the room for something like that.

]]> By: Jake http://www.vqronline.org/blog/2009/09/10/my-girlfriends-library/#comment-3432 Jake Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:03:05 +0000 http://www.vqronline.org/blog/?p=3238#comment-3432 <i>But no matter how bad my eyes get, no matter how strained my back and the foundation of any house I may own in the future, I would have a difficult time giving up on my library.</i> Likewise. The recent pictures of Neil Gaiman's really impressive library inspired me to post a (partial) picture of my own <a href="http://jseliger.com/2009/09/07/bookshelves-offices-and-neil-gaiman/" rel="nofollow">(in contrast) here</a>. But no matter how bad my eyes get, no matter how strained my back and the foundation of any house I may own in the future, I would have a difficult time giving up on my library.

Likewise. The recent pictures of Neil Gaiman’s really impressive library inspired me to post a (partial) picture of my own (in contrast) here.

]]>