I think I buy books about three times faster then I could possibly read them. HELP
2007-03-21 09:08:40 · 5 answers · asked by Quantrill 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I can relate. I have some 5000 books on the shelves here (and in boxes). Why do I buy more? Because people keep bringing out new books!
My other reason is sale prices. http://Artscroll.com had a 30% off sale last summer for their 30th anniversary, so naturally I had to spend several hundred dollars completing my collection of the Artscroll Tanach Series, getting a boxed set of the Baal HaTurim's commentary, etc. Then over Chanukkah http://KehotOnline.com has a sale of up to 60% off, so I purchased the Lessons in Tanya boxed set, the 3 volume Mystical Dimensions set and a bunch of other books. Now I get a mailing from http://www.ktav.com/ saying that they are having a special Pesach sale. Where is my credit card?.....
Do I actually read all of these books cover to cover? Obviously not. Many of these would qualify a reference books. Others are commentaries that I read a little at a time as I go through each weeks Torah Parshah. It is said that a room without books is like a body without a soul. My house certainly has books in just about every room (and closet for that matter.)
One old philosopher said "when I have a little money, I buy books - and if there is any left, I purchase food and clothes." Until you reach that point you don't really have an addiction!
How to break the addiction? Well, I suppose you should learn to go to the library more and the bookstore less. That way the books don't stack up since you will have to return them. Make it a rule for yourself that when you are thinking of buying a book, you first go to the library and read that copy first. (If they don't have it, they can get it through Interlibrary Loan.) If, after you have read the library book you decide you want to have a copy on your shelf at home, then go ahead and buy a copy. By following this rule you will cut down on the number of books that you purchase.
2007-03-21 19:24:25 · answer #1 · answered by Daniel 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I do the same thing. And I also keep taking bunches of books out of the library, and I always read those first, because they have a due date, whereas the ones I buy are mine for good. So I never get to them! But I still buy them.
The only thing I know to suggest is to set yourself some limit and say "I won't buy another book until I've read x amount of the ones I own." Good luck!
2007-03-21 19:00:27 · answer #2 · answered by Heron By The Sea 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, I have the same addiction, I need to know what I'm going to read next, plus I often am reading two different books at a time. And I always have books I haven't read yet.
2007-03-21 16:19:58 · answer #3 · answered by smartypants909 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't break it, embrace it. But you may want to slow down the buying or read them faster. But from one book addict to another, you can never have too many books.
2007-03-21 16:13:04 · answer #4 · answered by Julia Sugarbaker 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My mother has that too.
She smokes.
I guess she has a thing for addictions.
Try reverse-conditioning. Buy a stun-gun and have your wife zap you in the leg every time you buy one.
That'll fix it.
2007-03-21 16:13:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋