The Book Barn--Used book Stores--and how many books is too many?

Recently, I have been updating my books on 'Goodreads' and I have apparently clicked something that will update my progress on Goodreads to my Facebook page. I keep trying to unclick, but so far no luck. So, if you are my Facebook friend, please don't get annoyed (or unfriend me)  that you are getting 25 or more updates on books I'm reading (or going to read).



I read about 3-5 books a month (I'm not nearly as fast as many of you readers) and I can/usually/sometimes/most of the time, purchase about 5-7 books a month. More if I see a good used book store.


Do the math.


My TBR pile is bigger than my 'read that. done with.' pile. This is a slight exaggeration, but it's getting close.
And if you remember from this post, I said I had bookshelves in every room and even a basket or two for the overflow. I've been regretting saying that every since I wrote it. I don't want you thinking that I have a messy house. Because those baskets are darn well organized!!   (I am laughing as I write this)


But if I don't start to read faster, or quit buying books, this obsession will overtake me soon I fear.


As I'm adding all my books to Goodreads, I am noticing that the books I haven't read are catching up to the books I have read. They still have a long way to go, but so far I have 30 books in my TBR pile....and I know I have many,many more in those overflowing baskets.


I need to be locked away in a tower with all my books for a few months, or years. (ahhhh....if only. Life is hectic sometimes and that seems like a good thing to me right now).

Last spring, when I was in Connecticut we took a trip to The Book Barn   which is located in Niantic, CT, about 40 miles from New Haven, and at this used book store I purchased about $50-$60 worth of books. But keep in mind, their books are all  $1 each. There was so much to be had!
It was very fun.
I can't pass up a good used book store! Even when I'm clear across the country. 

I think the Book Barn is world famous!!  Or it was famous enough that when I googled  points of interest around New Haven, CT, it came up.  The  Book Barn has one maid building (the barn) and many outer buildings ( old sheds, chicken coops, etc)  which house different genres of books.   It's just an eclectic mix of buildings, gardens and garden venues which house over 350,000 books.  I'm not quite there in my count of books that I own, but I bet when I am done logging them in, it will be close to 1000. I could start my own book barn.  I'm almost embarrased to say that.  The Handyman is whispering 'hoarder' under his breath as I am taking my books off the shelf to log them into Goodreads.  Hoarder!  It's only books---there is a difference, isn't there?

Do you have a great little (or big) used book store close by?
Can you pass up a used book store?  Which one is your favorite?  Is there one you always have to visit when you are near it?
And-- are you ever REALLY going to be done with your TBR pile?


I have a lot of pictures of the Book Barn.  I went there with my daughter-in-law, who is a book hoarder like me.  We had a great time!  Here are a few random photos.
Be sure and scroll to the bottom....

 

Booking Through Thursday--a weekly book meme.

In a related question to last week’s–


I was reading the other day a quote from JFK Jr who said on the death of his mother, that she died surrounded by family, friends, and her books. Apparently, Jackie’s books were very much a part of HER, her personality, her sense of self.

Up until recently, people could browse your bookshelves and learn a lot about you–what your interests are, your range of topics, favorite authors, how much you read (or at least buy books).

More and more, though, this is changing. People aren’t buying books so much as borrowing them from the library. Or reading them on their e-readers or computers. There’s nothing PHYSICAL on the shelves to tell strangers in your home, for better or worse, who you ARE.
Do you think this is a good thing? Bad? Discuss!


Well, my answer is:  everyone will know who I am from the over 1000 books I'm going to have on Goodreads.  And all of them are on my bookshelves. But...the trend is that in the future more and more people won't have books--the written word-- on their shelves.  While it does make me sad for what memories I had, It's not necessarily good or bad---it just is.  Times change. Things move forward. 
Okay, I'm fooling myself!  It makes me  really, really sad to think of a future without paper books. I love going into someone's house and seeing what's on their bookshelves. 
I'm not sure they will ever be completely gone from our shelves.  But maybe if we have to be discriminating in what paper books we do buy, the fewer paper books we put on our shelves will give us a better insight of who we are/were.  Only the really important ones will be visible on our bookshelves.