A Couple of Problems

I have a  couple of problems. First, the stack of books waiting for me to read is growing considerably larger day by day. An author sent me three of his books this week. I still have four of the six Catherine Cookson books I bought in England in early July, the book for my November book club meeting sits unopened in the living room, and there's another stack of books I purchased at a discount publishers clearninghouse several weeks ago. Add a few others that I ordered at Amazon a month ago and the stack is near to teetering over at any minute.

Second problem is this--which one shall I read next? The answer to that is easy. It has to be The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin because Book Club meets the second Tuesday in November and I would like to be able to understand and add to the discussion. But which one after that? Maybe I should put them in a scattered circle on the floor, close my eyes and pick the one my hand finds first. How's that for not being scientific? Maybe I'll look over the assorted titles and pick the one that appeals most on that particular day. 

Do you gather books like kids use to save baseball trading cards? Do you have stacks of books in the living room, bedroom, office and even the kitchen? I can't think of anything better to collect than books. Oh, they do need a bit of dusting now and then, especially the ones sitting on the shelf for a very long time. Do you feel guilty for having too many books? Especially a large number of ones you haven't read yet? Don't! I hereby forgive you for doing so. For me, and other avid readers, there can never be too many books. 

I have friends who cannot pass a bookstore without stopping just to look a bit. To a book lover, that look can be dangerous. To look is to want. To want is to purchase. To purchase is to add to your big pile of books at home. But believe me--you could do much worse with a collection habit than with books. There are people who collect old cars or antique tractors. Think of the storage problem they have. With books, you can always, always find a spot in your house to put them, even if they do rise like a stack of children's blocks. 

So go ahead and buy books. They inform, entertain, soothe the soul and are just plain wonderful. You'll always be able to find a spot to put them even if you have to build an addition onto your house.