May 28th, 2010 / 3:23 pm
Snippets & Web Hype

88 Comments

  1. demi-puppet

      I have no idea who Judd is, but is there a point to keeping that many books around? I try to keep with me only books that I re-read or refer to often. Otherwise, why not use an actual library??

  2. demi-puppet

      I have no idea who Judd is, but is there a point to keeping that many books around? I try to keep with me only books that I re-read or refer to often. Otherwise, why not use an actual library??

  3. demi-puppet

      I have no idea who Judd is, but is there a point to keeping that many books around? I try to keep with me only books that I re-read or refer to often. Otherwise, why not use an actual library??

  4. thomas

      so much fun

  5. thomas

      so much fun

  6. thomas

      so much fun

  7. Roxane Gay

      This is BAD ASS. To be able to browse the library visually and virtually is excellent. We live in the future future!

  8. Roxane Gay

      This is BAD ASS. To be able to browse the library visually and virtually is excellent. We live in the future future!

  9. Roxane Gay

      This is BAD ASS. To be able to browse the library visually and virtually is excellent. We live in the future future!

  10. Sean K

      Yeah, whenever I buy a big stack of books the weight of them all can paralyze my reading because it all seems so worthwhile to tear into at once. But still with 13,000 books there must be a book to satisfy every mood. I wonder how these books were collected, how Judd went about reading them. Devour them whole or nibble here and there?

  11. Sean K

      Yeah, whenever I buy a big stack of books the weight of them all can paralyze my reading because it all seems so worthwhile to tear into at once. But still with 13,000 books there must be a book to satisfy every mood. I wonder how these books were collected, how Judd went about reading them. Devour them whole or nibble here and there?

  12. Sean K

      Yeah, whenever I buy a big stack of books the weight of them all can paralyze my reading because it all seems so worthwhile to tear into at once. But still with 13,000 books there must be a book to satisfy every mood. I wonder how these books were collected, how Judd went about reading them. Devour them whole or nibble here and there?

  13. demi-puppet

      I have no idea who Judd is, but is there a point to keeping that many books around? I try to keep with me only books that I re-read or refer to often. Otherwise, why not use an actual library??

  14. d

      “The writer Umberto Eco belongs to that small class of scholars who are encyclopedic, insightful, and nondull. He is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with “Wow! Signore, professore dottore Eco, what a library you have ! How many of these books have you read?” and the others – a very small minority – who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you don’t know as your financial means, mortgage rates and the currently tight real-estate market allows you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menancingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.”
      — Nassim Nicholas Taleb

  15. d

      “The writer Umberto Eco belongs to that small class of scholars who are encyclopedic, insightful, and nondull. He is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with “Wow! Signore, professore dottore Eco, what a library you have ! How many of these books have you read?” and the others – a very small minority – who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you don’t know as your financial means, mortgage rates and the currently tight real-estate market allows you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menancingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.”
      — Nassim Nicholas Taleb

  16. d

      “The writer Umberto Eco belongs to that small class of scholars who are encyclopedic, insightful, and nondull. He is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with “Wow! Signore, professore dottore Eco, what a library you have ! How many of these books have you read?” and the others – a very small minority – who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you don’t know as your financial means, mortgage rates and the currently tight real-estate market allows you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menancingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.”
      — Nassim Nicholas Taleb

  17. thomas

      so much fun

  18. Roxane Gay

      This is BAD ASS. To be able to browse the library visually and virtually is excellent. We live in the future future!

  19. Sean K

      Yeah, whenever I buy a big stack of books the weight of them all can paralyze my reading because it all seems so worthwhile to tear into at once. But still with 13,000 books there must be a book to satisfy every mood. I wonder how these books were collected, how Judd went about reading them. Devour them whole or nibble here and there?

  20. Chris

      I think that would be a nice indication of a life well lived, if I had produced something interesting enough to people that they therefore had a further interest in browsing my bookshelf after I was gone to see what I had been into, what had influenced my mind. I would find that to be a great honor.

  21. Chris

      I think that would be a nice indication of a life well lived, if I had produced something interesting enough to people that they therefore had a further interest in browsing my bookshelf after I was gone to see what I had been into, what had influenced my mind. I would find that to be a great honor.

  22. Chris

      I think that would be a nice indication of a life well lived, if I had produced something interesting enough to people that they therefore had a further interest in browsing my bookshelf after I was gone to see what I had been into, what had influenced my mind. I would find that to be a great honor.

  23. Adam R

      Damn, he doesn’t have my book.

  24. Adam R

      Damn, he doesn’t have my book.

  25. Adam R

      Other than that, this is the perfectest website ever.

  26. Adam R

      Other than that, this is the perfectest website ever.

  27. Adam R

      Damn, he doesn’t have my book.

  28. Adam R

      Other than that, this is the perfectest website ever.

  29. demi-puppet

      Wouldn’t it be easier to simply live next to a really really good library? Building such a massive in-home library makes it pretty damned hard to move anywhere, and even the best private libraries pale in comparison to even a modest university library.

      I understand owning reference works, and work that are in your mind constantly enough that you need to keep them around. I’ve never seen the point in keeping all the other stuff around, though. It’s as if Eco and Judd never heard of a commonplace book.

  30. demi-puppet

      Wouldn’t it be easier to simply live next to a really really good library? Building such a massive in-home library makes it pretty damned hard to move anywhere, and even the best private libraries pale in comparison to even a modest university library.

      I understand owning reference works, and work that are in your mind constantly enough that you need to keep them around. I’ve never seen the point in keeping all the other stuff around, though. It’s as if Eco and Judd never heard of a commonplace book.

  31. demi-puppet

      Wouldn’t it be easier to simply live next to a really really good library? Building such a massive in-home library makes it pretty damned hard to move anywhere, and even the best private libraries pale in comparison to even a modest university library.

      I understand owning reference works, and work that are in your mind constantly enough that you need to keep them around. I’ve never seen the point in keeping all the other stuff around, though. It’s as if Eco and Judd never heard of a commonplace book.

  32. d

      “The writer Umberto Eco belongs to that small class of scholars who are encyclopedic, insightful, and nondull. He is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with “Wow! Signore, professore dottore Eco, what a library you have ! How many of these books have you read?” and the others – a very small minority – who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you don’t know as your financial means, mortgage rates and the currently tight real-estate market allows you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menancingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.”
      — Nassim Nicholas Taleb

  33. Chris

      I think that would be a nice indication of a life well lived, if I had produced something interesting enough to people that they therefore had a further interest in browsing my bookshelf after I was gone to see what I had been into, what had influenced my mind. I would find that to be a great honor.

  34. Adam Robinson

      Damn, he doesn’t have my book.

  35. Adam Robinson

      Other than that, this is the perfectest website ever.

  36. demi-puppet

      Wouldn’t it be easier to simply live next to a really really good library? Building such a massive in-home library makes it pretty damned hard to move anywhere, and even the best private libraries pale in comparison to even a modest university library.

      I understand owning reference works, and work that are in your mind constantly enough that you need to keep them around. I’ve never seen the point in keeping all the other stuff around, though. It’s as if Eco and Judd never heard of a commonplace book.

  37. isaac estep

      I agree. But I feel jealous of this library.

  38. isaac estep

      I agree. But I feel jealous of this library.

  39. isaac estep

      I agree. But I feel jealous of this library.

  40. isaac estep

      I’m reading a book by Eco that my uncle gave me about a guy who woke up and could only remember quotes. The character is an old antiquarian book dealer.

      Whenever I hear about people that collect hard to find books I always wonder if there is some huge like wealth of knowledge/art/crit/thought/beauty that is being lost or hoarded. I feel like I trust industry to keep whatever’s important or relevant in print or available. I wonder if that’s because i see so much writing in the world from so many times and places that i can’t imagine anything being missed.

  41. isaac estep

      I’m reading a book by Eco that my uncle gave me about a guy who woke up and could only remember quotes. The character is an old antiquarian book dealer.

      Whenever I hear about people that collect hard to find books I always wonder if there is some huge like wealth of knowledge/art/crit/thought/beauty that is being lost or hoarded. I feel like I trust industry to keep whatever’s important or relevant in print or available. I wonder if that’s because i see so much writing in the world from so many times and places that i can’t imagine anything being missed.

  42. isaac estep

      I’m reading a book by Eco that my uncle gave me about a guy who woke up and could only remember quotes. The character is an old antiquarian book dealer.

      Whenever I hear about people that collect hard to find books I always wonder if there is some huge like wealth of knowledge/art/crit/thought/beauty that is being lost or hoarded. I feel like I trust industry to keep whatever’s important or relevant in print or available. I wonder if that’s because i see so much writing in the world from so many times and places that i can’t imagine anything being missed.

  43. isaac estep

      I agree. But I feel jealous of this library.

  44. isaac estep

      I’m reading a book by Eco that my uncle gave me about a guy who woke up and could only remember quotes. The character is an old antiquarian book dealer.

      Whenever I hear about people that collect hard to find books I always wonder if there is some huge like wealth of knowledge/art/crit/thought/beauty that is being lost or hoarded. I feel like I trust industry to keep whatever’s important or relevant in print or available. I wonder if that’s because i see so much writing in the world from so many times and places that i can’t imagine anything being missed.

  45. mimi
  46. mimi
  47. mimi
  48. mimi

      *afford to hire

  49. mimi

      *afford to hire

  50. mimi

      *afford to hire

  51. magick mike

      some of us are obsessive collectors & the materiality of a book, the book as an object to be held and fetishized, is just as important as the content of the book. i have way, way too many books for being the age i am and having a smallish room and probably still moving a lot throughout life, AND I work in a decent university library, but: no library in the world will have, in their own collection, everything that you, personally, will ever want to read, unless you have no curiosity about expanding what you’re reading (and I would say htmlgiant readers undoubtedly have this curiosity– most libraries, even good ones, do not make a habit of stocking small press books unless, if it’s a university library, the small press is tangential to the university). maybe a quarter (if not less) of the books in my personal library can be found at the university library i work at, and the uni’s library is by no means a “bad” library. i mean, plus what everybody else has said.

  52. magick mike

      some of us are obsessive collectors & the materiality of a book, the book as an object to be held and fetishized, is just as important as the content of the book. i have way, way too many books for being the age i am and having a smallish room and probably still moving a lot throughout life, AND I work in a decent university library, but: no library in the world will have, in their own collection, everything that you, personally, will ever want to read, unless you have no curiosity about expanding what you’re reading (and I would say htmlgiant readers undoubtedly have this curiosity– most libraries, even good ones, do not make a habit of stocking small press books unless, if it’s a university library, the small press is tangential to the university). maybe a quarter (if not less) of the books in my personal library can be found at the university library i work at, and the uni’s library is by no means a “bad” library. i mean, plus what everybody else has said.

  53. magick mike

      some of us are obsessive collectors & the materiality of a book, the book as an object to be held and fetishized, is just as important as the content of the book. i have way, way too many books for being the age i am and having a smallish room and probably still moving a lot throughout life, AND I work in a decent university library, but: no library in the world will have, in their own collection, everything that you, personally, will ever want to read, unless you have no curiosity about expanding what you’re reading (and I would say htmlgiant readers undoubtedly have this curiosity– most libraries, even good ones, do not make a habit of stocking small press books unless, if it’s a university library, the small press is tangential to the university). maybe a quarter (if not less) of the books in my personal library can be found at the university library i work at, and the uni’s library is by no means a “bad” library. i mean, plus what everybody else has said.

  54. magick mike

      there is tons being missed. for instance, i am personally a gigantic francophile and have a preference for 20th century french literature above, basically, all else. a ton of stuff that i know exists has not been translated into english, and some stuff, for instance, Tony Duvert’s Strange Landscape and (until whatever Calder became One World recently and started reissuing older titles) Roussel’s Locus Solus have gotten English translations but they were printed by presses in smaller numbers initially (due to the American public’s almost complete lack of interest in foreign literature outside of small niche markets) and have not been reprinted. My favorite comic that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read tons) I ended up having to pay ~$120 for because it was printed in an edition of 1000 or so from Coach House Press in the 70s. I’d requested it from Inter-Library-Loan multiple times before I bought, because I knew I needed my own copy. And it’s my favorite comic not because it’s obscure & expensive, it’s my favorite comic because it’s the only successful example that I’ve ever encountered of basically the nouveau-roman in comic form. Similarly, one of my favorite books of all time (John Hejduk’s Victims) I don’t have a copy of because I’ve never seen it for less than $500. Sorry to ramble on here, but the point is that TONS of amazing shit has been/is being missed, for any number of reasons.

  55. magick mike

      there is tons being missed. for instance, i am personally a gigantic francophile and have a preference for 20th century french literature above, basically, all else. a ton of stuff that i know exists has not been translated into english, and some stuff, for instance, Tony Duvert’s Strange Landscape and (until whatever Calder became One World recently and started reissuing older titles) Roussel’s Locus Solus have gotten English translations but they were printed by presses in smaller numbers initially (due to the American public’s almost complete lack of interest in foreign literature outside of small niche markets) and have not been reprinted. My favorite comic that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read tons) I ended up having to pay ~$120 for because it was printed in an edition of 1000 or so from Coach House Press in the 70s. I’d requested it from Inter-Library-Loan multiple times before I bought, because I knew I needed my own copy. And it’s my favorite comic not because it’s obscure & expensive, it’s my favorite comic because it’s the only successful example that I’ve ever encountered of basically the nouveau-roman in comic form. Similarly, one of my favorite books of all time (John Hejduk’s Victims) I don’t have a copy of because I’ve never seen it for less than $500. Sorry to ramble on here, but the point is that TONS of amazing shit has been/is being missed, for any number of reasons.

  56. magick mike

      there is tons being missed. for instance, i am personally a gigantic francophile and have a preference for 20th century french literature above, basically, all else. a ton of stuff that i know exists has not been translated into english, and some stuff, for instance, Tony Duvert’s Strange Landscape and (until whatever Calder became One World recently and started reissuing older titles) Roussel’s Locus Solus have gotten English translations but they were printed by presses in smaller numbers initially (due to the American public’s almost complete lack of interest in foreign literature outside of small niche markets) and have not been reprinted. My favorite comic that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read tons) I ended up having to pay ~$120 for because it was printed in an edition of 1000 or so from Coach House Press in the 70s. I’d requested it from Inter-Library-Loan multiple times before I bought, because I knew I needed my own copy. And it’s my favorite comic not because it’s obscure & expensive, it’s my favorite comic because it’s the only successful example that I’ve ever encountered of basically the nouveau-roman in comic form. Similarly, one of my favorite books of all time (John Hejduk’s Victims) I don’t have a copy of because I’ve never seen it for less than $500. Sorry to ramble on here, but the point is that TONS of amazing shit has been/is being missed, for any number of reasons.

  57. mimi

      Point well taken, magick mike. I have any number of times looked for small press books – often learned of at HTML GIANT – at the main Berkeley public library and not found them (have almost given up looking, in fact).

      My mom is a children’s librarian and a very well-read person who owns almost no books at all. She reads voraciously, from the library. And this is how I was brought up, so I’ve got to admit I am not attached to the materiality of books. (She does, however, get The New Yorker, and owns issues from time immemorial. I grew up reading them, on the pottie. I know, “too much information”.)

      Someone with the means should establish lending libraries of small press works. (Perhaps something like this already exists?) Or something, I don’t know. The internet, to hold the words, but this does not answer the (admitted) appeal of the physical book. And I understand this is counter to the desire of emerging writers to sell copies. Some grey areas here. I’m rambling a bit. Hmmmm…

  58. mimi

      Point well taken, magick mike. I have any number of times looked for small press books – often learned of at HTML GIANT – at the main Berkeley public library and not found them (have almost given up looking, in fact).

      My mom is a children’s librarian and a very well-read person who owns almost no books at all. She reads voraciously, from the library. And this is how I was brought up, so I’ve got to admit I am not attached to the materiality of books. (She does, however, get The New Yorker, and owns issues from time immemorial. I grew up reading them, on the pottie. I know, “too much information”.)

      Someone with the means should establish lending libraries of small press works. (Perhaps something like this already exists?) Or something, I don’t know. The internet, to hold the words, but this does not answer the (admitted) appeal of the physical book. And I understand this is counter to the desire of emerging writers to sell copies. Some grey areas here. I’m rambling a bit. Hmmmm…

  59. mimi

      Point well taken, magick mike. I have any number of times looked for small press books – often learned of at HTML GIANT – at the main Berkeley public library and not found them (have almost given up looking, in fact).

      My mom is a children’s librarian and a very well-read person who owns almost no books at all. She reads voraciously, from the library. And this is how I was brought up, so I’ve got to admit I am not attached to the materiality of books. (She does, however, get The New Yorker, and owns issues from time immemorial. I grew up reading them, on the pottie. I know, “too much information”.)

      Someone with the means should establish lending libraries of small press works. (Perhaps something like this already exists?) Or something, I don’t know. The internet, to hold the words, but this does not answer the (admitted) appeal of the physical book. And I understand this is counter to the desire of emerging writers to sell copies. Some grey areas here. I’m rambling a bit. Hmmmm…

  60. Merzmensch

      >geek modus: “value=1”
      Great design, but after two-three readers all the golden order of the books will be disturbed. Better would be a webcam. With augmented reality application recognizing books on every shelf.

      >geek modus: “value=0”

  61. Merzmensch

      >geek modus: “value=1”
      Great design, but after two-three readers all the golden order of the books will be disturbed. Better would be a webcam. With augmented reality application recognizing books on every shelf.

      >geek modus: “value=0”

  62. Merzmensch

      >geek modus: “value=1”
      Great design, but after two-three readers all the golden order of the books will be disturbed. Better would be a webcam. With augmented reality application recognizing books on every shelf.

      >geek modus: “value=0”

  63. mykle

      For the amount of shelf space, he’s got hardly any books at all.

  64. mykle

      For the amount of shelf space, he’s got hardly any books at all.

  65. mykle

      For the amount of shelf space, he’s got hardly any books at all.

  66. mimi
  67. mimi

      *afford to hire

  68. magick mike

      some of us are obsessive collectors & the materiality of a book, the book as an object to be held and fetishized, is just as important as the content of the book. i have way, way too many books for being the age i am and having a smallish room and probably still moving a lot throughout life, AND I work in a decent university library, but: no library in the world will have, in their own collection, everything that you, personally, will ever want to read, unless you have no curiosity about expanding what you’re reading (and I would say htmlgiant readers undoubtedly have this curiosity– most libraries, even good ones, do not make a habit of stocking small press books unless, if it’s a university library, the small press is tangential to the university). maybe a quarter (if not less) of the books in my personal library can be found at the university library i work at, and the uni’s library is by no means a “bad” library. i mean, plus what everybody else has said.

  69. magick mike

      there is tons being missed. for instance, i am personally a gigantic francophile and have a preference for 20th century french literature above, basically, all else. a ton of stuff that i know exists has not been translated into english, and some stuff, for instance, Tony Duvert’s Strange Landscape and (until whatever Calder became One World recently and started reissuing older titles) Roussel’s Locus Solus have gotten English translations but they were printed by presses in smaller numbers initially (due to the American public’s almost complete lack of interest in foreign literature outside of small niche markets) and have not been reprinted. My favorite comic that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read tons) I ended up having to pay ~$120 for because it was printed in an edition of 1000 or so from Coach House Press in the 70s. I’d requested it from Inter-Library-Loan multiple times before I bought, because I knew I needed my own copy. And it’s my favorite comic not because it’s obscure & expensive, it’s my favorite comic because it’s the only successful example that I’ve ever encountered of basically the nouveau-roman in comic form. Similarly, one of my favorite books of all time (John Hejduk’s Victims) I don’t have a copy of because I’ve never seen it for less than $500. Sorry to ramble on here, but the point is that TONS of amazing shit has been/is being missed, for any number of reasons.

  70. mimi

      Point well taken, magick mike. I have any number of times looked for small press books – often learned of at HTML GIANT – at the main Berkeley public library and not found them (have almost given up looking, in fact).

      My mom is a children’s librarian and a very well-read person who owns almost no books at all. She reads voraciously, from the library. And this is how I was brought up, so I’ve got to admit I am not attached to the materiality of books. (She does, however, get The New Yorker, and owns issues from time immemorial. I grew up reading them, on the pottie. I know, “too much information”.)

      Someone with the means should establish lending libraries of small press works. (Perhaps something like this already exists?) Or something, I don’t know. The internet, to hold the words, but this does not answer the (admitted) appeal of the physical book. And I understand this is counter to the desire of emerging writers to sell copies. Some grey areas here. I’m rambling a bit. Hmmmm…

  71. Merzmensch

      >geek modus: “value=1”
      Great design, but after two-three readers all the golden order of the books will be disturbed. Better would be a webcam. With augmented reality application recognizing books on every shelf.

      >geek modus: “value=0”

  72. mykle

      For the amount of shelf space, he’s got hardly any books at all.

  73. d

      I work in a library, but it doesn’t have most of the books I want. Additionally, with a library book you cannot read it over a long period of time or make notes in it.

  74. d

      I work in a library, but it doesn’t have most of the books I want. Additionally, with a library book you cannot read it over a long period of time or make notes in it.

  75. d

      I work in a library, but it doesn’t have most of the books I want. Additionally, with a library book you cannot read it over a long period of time or make notes in it.

  76. mimi

      Yeah, so I think maybe this post makes people imagine “what, ideally, would I have in a personal 13,000 book library? ” or “what kind of 13,000 book lending library would I offer were it up to me? ” (“…and money were no object”) & cetera & cetera & cetera

      I buy a lot of books used. And I know all the “free boxes/tables/shelves” etc in my (extended) neighborhood. In fact, I will pick up a few books that I don’t particularly want to read from one place and use them to replace (more than) a few books that I may want from another source, as I don’t want to seem greedy/disturb the balance in the universe. Like the “free” library at my nana’s nursing home. I’ve actually found a good book or two there (Virginia Woolf and such).

      And the public libraries in Oakland sell donated books for 25 cents each (paperback)………

      I’m “conflicted” about writing in the margins of books (librarian’s daughter) even when they belong to me, but do so anyway, when they are mine.

      I have more to say but I should stop.

      I am drinking a really stiff margarita right now. Oh brother.

  77. mimi

      Yeah, so I think maybe this post makes people imagine “what, ideally, would I have in a personal 13,000 book library? ” or “what kind of 13,000 book lending library would I offer were it up to me? ” (“…and money were no object”) & cetera & cetera & cetera

      I buy a lot of books used. And I know all the “free boxes/tables/shelves” etc in my (extended) neighborhood. In fact, I will pick up a few books that I don’t particularly want to read from one place and use them to replace (more than) a few books that I may want from another source, as I don’t want to seem greedy/disturb the balance in the universe. Like the “free” library at my nana’s nursing home. I’ve actually found a good book or two there (Virginia Woolf and such).

      And the public libraries in Oakland sell donated books for 25 cents each (paperback)………

      I’m “conflicted” about writing in the margins of books (librarian’s daughter) even when they belong to me, but do so anyway, when they are mine.

      I have more to say but I should stop.

      I am drinking a really stiff margarita right now. Oh brother.

  78. mimi

      Yeah, so I think maybe this post makes people imagine “what, ideally, would I have in a personal 13,000 book library? ” or “what kind of 13,000 book lending library would I offer were it up to me? ” (“…and money were no object”) & cetera & cetera & cetera

      I buy a lot of books used. And I know all the “free boxes/tables/shelves” etc in my (extended) neighborhood. In fact, I will pick up a few books that I don’t particularly want to read from one place and use them to replace (more than) a few books that I may want from another source, as I don’t want to seem greedy/disturb the balance in the universe. Like the “free” library at my nana’s nursing home. I’ve actually found a good book or two there (Virginia Woolf and such).

      And the public libraries in Oakland sell donated books for 25 cents each (paperback)………

      I’m “conflicted” about writing in the margins of books (librarian’s daughter) even when they belong to me, but do so anyway, when they are mine.

      I have more to say but I should stop.

      I am drinking a really stiff margarita right now. Oh brother.

  79. demi-puppet

      Surprised to see how many people can’t find what they read in the libraries. I have the occasional instance where the book I wanted wasn’t available either in the library or in ILL, but it really doesn’t happen that often.

      I get the private library if there’s a collector-type element involved. I guess having that much stuff that I don’t regularly use would make me really nervous—I get nervous about that kind of stuff. I’m always searching through my apartment and giving away things I don’t need.

      I mean, I buy books too, but if I read and am not that impressed, or if I just know it’s not a book I’ll ever want to crack open again, I make sure to sell it or give it away, or whatever.

  80. demi-puppet

      Surprised to see how many people can’t find what they read in the libraries. I have the occasional instance where the book I wanted wasn’t available either in the library or in ILL, but it really doesn’t happen that often.

      I get the private library if there’s a collector-type element involved. I guess having that much stuff that I don’t regularly use would make me really nervous—I get nervous about that kind of stuff. I’m always searching through my apartment and giving away things I don’t need.

      I mean, I buy books too, but if I read and am not that impressed, or if I just know it’s not a book I’ll ever want to crack open again, I make sure to sell it or give it away, or whatever.

  81. demi-puppet

      Surprised to see how many people can’t find what they read in the libraries. I have the occasional instance where the book I wanted wasn’t available either in the library or in ILL, but it really doesn’t happen that often.

      I get the private library if there’s a collector-type element involved. I guess having that much stuff that I don’t regularly use would make me really nervous—I get nervous about that kind of stuff. I’m always searching through my apartment and giving away things I don’t need.

      I mean, I buy books too, but if I read and am not that impressed, or if I just know it’s not a book I’ll ever want to crack open again, I make sure to sell it or give it away, or whatever.

  82. d

      I work in a library, but it doesn’t have most of the books I want. Additionally, with a library book you cannot read it over a long period of time or make notes in it.

  83. mimi

      Yeah, so I think maybe this post makes people imagine “what, ideally, would I have in a personal 13,000 book library? ” or “what kind of 13,000 book lending library would I offer were it up to me? ” (“…and money were no object”) & cetera & cetera & cetera

      I buy a lot of books used. And I know all the “free boxes/tables/shelves” etc in my (extended) neighborhood. In fact, I will pick up a few books that I don’t particularly want to read from one place and use them to replace (more than) a few books that I may want from another source, as I don’t want to seem greedy/disturb the balance in the universe. Like the “free” library at my nana’s nursing home. I’ve actually found a good book or two there (Virginia Woolf and such).

      And the public libraries in Oakland sell donated books for 25 cents each (paperback)………

      I’m “conflicted” about writing in the margins of books (librarian’s daughter) even when they belong to me, but do so anyway, when they are mine.

      I have more to say but I should stop.

      I am drinking a really stiff margarita right now. Oh brother.

  84. demi-puppet

      Surprised to see how many people can’t find what they read in the libraries. I have the occasional instance where the book I wanted wasn’t available either in the library or in ILL, but it really doesn’t happen that often.

      I get the private library if there’s a collector-type element involved. I guess having that much stuff that I don’t regularly use would make me really nervous—I get nervous about that kind of stuff. I’m always searching through my apartment and giving away things I don’t need.

      I mean, I buy books too, but if I read and am not that impressed, or if I just know it’s not a book I’ll ever want to crack open again, I make sure to sell it or give it away, or whatever.

  85. reynard

      highly recommend making yr way to marfa, texas for the chinati foundation open house. i saw sonic youth there in 2007. they played for like two hours. i ate some mushrooms. i saw a massive sculpture of a tyrannosaurus rex with a penis but could not afford to buy it.

  86. reynard

      highly recommend making yr way to marfa, texas for the chinati foundation open house. i saw sonic youth there in 2007. they played for like two hours. i ate some mushrooms. i saw a massive sculpture of a tyrannosaurus rex with a penis but could not afford to buy it.

  87. reynard

      highly recommend making yr way to marfa, texas for the chinati foundation open house. i saw sonic youth there in 2007. they played for like two hours. i ate some mushrooms. i saw a massive sculpture of a tyrannosaurus rex with a penis but could not afford to buy it.

  88. reynard

      highly recommend making yr way to marfa, texas for the chinati foundation open house. i saw sonic youth there in 2007. they played for like two hours. i ate some mushrooms. i saw a massive sculpture of a tyrannosaurus rex with a penis but could not afford to buy it.