The very 1st thing I sorted were the books. It seemed the easiest place to start.
On a practical level, I know that [just about] everything I want to read must now be available for download to my Kindle, but it was still hard to say goodbye to books I'd had for decades.
Happily, a few have since been adopted by friends. A few hundred more are on their way to a charity and hopefully, a new good home.
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Here are some I'm keeping [for now].
TinTin, and Asterix and Obelix.
Footrot Flats reminds me of my brother because I first read it while staying at his place in the late 70s.
Does Major remind you of anyone?
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A Night In The Hard Life Of A PigDog.
"What do you mean, it's time to get down?"
"Why can't I sleep on the bed like a normal dog?"
*why? *grumble*
*WHY?!*
*it's not fair*grumble*
*grumble* are you sure you don't want me sleeping with you tonight?*grumble*ARE YOU SURE?*
"OK then. Could you cover my head at least? It's hard to sleep with the light on."
Obviously, not all pigdogs are as scary as Major.
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Gerald Durrell.
These were my favourite childhood books. Corfu was my first dream destination. I wanted to see Mr Durrell's strawberry-pink and daffodil-yellow houses so badly, and to wander the hills and grub around the dirt with him. Sadly, I have yet to set foot on the island.
The Lord of the Rings.
This set was a present from Sister 1, possibly from the late 60s or early 70s. I can't count the number of times I've huddled over them [and The Hobbit]. Mostly when I was unhappy with the real world which, as a teenager, was quite frequent. Of course I fell deeply in love with Aragorn, who I assure you, looks nothing like Viggo Mortensen.
Dr Suess, Maurice Sendak and miscellaneous books with biG lEtteRs and nice drawings.
I swear to you, the book below fell open at this page when I was looking for something to shoot.
I like messages from the cosmos.
Do you have a favourite Suess? This one's mine.
I might have mentioned before that I still have the Where The Wild Things Are that Sister 1 gave me when I was a teenager. Someone will have to pry that from my cold dead fingers one day.
Some Very Old Books.
Obviously my parents weren't too serious about this one.
Although these books don't hold any special memories for me, I'm still finding it hard to give them up because...
And finally, proof that I must have been chirpy once. Maybe even someone's ray of sunshine.
A very, very long time ago.
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Do YOU have any favourite books you could never give up?
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34 comments:
My Family and Other Animals. Best. book. ever. Not to mention anything else Gerald Durrell has written.
Dr Suess: And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street. My bestie.
Were we by chance separated at birth?
Regards from Bermtopia!
I'm pretty much of a minimalist, but I also have some books I won't part with - including some that were my parents and have the exact same spine insignia as the fourth one from the top in the pile that is horizontal! In fact I have three of those - all old poetry books. Is that what yours is?
I haven't kept a lot of my old children's books, but several of my daughter's ones which were also childhood favourites of mine - The World of Christopher Robin, the World of Pooh, some Enid Blyton books. From her generation, I added Shel Silverstein books (Where the Sidewalk Ends is my favourite). And as a teenager, I fell in love with the novel of Les Miserables (thanks to my grade seven teacher), which I read about once a year, and Archy and Mehitabel by Don Marquis (thanks to my grade eightlit teacher). Those are the books they will be wrestling away from me when they truck me off to the old age home.
Georgia, I think you should get to sleep on the bed. I love the photos of you - um - negotiating your bedtime sleeping spot.
Queen, I do believe you've mentioned that Seuss before. I don't have that. Hmmm.
Jean, you have some high falutin taste in books, oops pardon me, literature ;) I ran away a lot to Ms Blyton! And Pooh <3 Eeyore was my fave though, what a sweetie.
Here's what those old books are - from Left to Right - Shakespeare, Uncle Tom's cabin, 20,000 leagues under the sea, Lays of ancient Rome [HUH?]. From Top to Bottom - Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Austen's Emma, more Shakespeare, Pickwick papers, the manners book, Origin of the species, Canterbury tales, Edgar Allan Poe's tales of mystery and imagination, Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. And the pile to the Right - from L to R -Lao Tzu's Way of life, Tales of ancient India, The wizard of Oz, The inimitable Jeeves, Ray Bradbury's timeless stories and HG Well's first men in the moon.
I guess it's fair to say the old man had more serious taste in lit than me :)
Oh, you've started with my weakness! I have a terrible time getting rid of books. I even save magazines (this is whispered).
But if I did get almost all of them up tomorrow, the couple I would save would be the Alice in Wonderland and Robinson Crusoe hardbacks that my dad gave me when I was eight. Because he picked them for me and inscribed them himself. (It's well known in my family that my mother buys all the gifts AND signs my dad's name to cards.)
Footrot Flats looks amazing! Major ... "thinks he's a big wheel." Ha!
-c at ddy.
Chandra, we hauled our nat geo magazines about with us for YEARS! Of course, if you're talking about Cleo and Grazia, I have no sympathy for you.
Those 2 books sound extra special. I can imagine why you'd want to keep them!
I love this post Typist but I shan't speak of beloved books kept or discarded as its a sorry tale and a little raw BUT, I can comment on Footrot Flats without disquiet or mild distress! Ah yes of course the resemblance between Major and Georgia! I was so, so sad when Murray Ball ceased his comic strip. I think I had 14 of the large comics and 3 or 4 of the little books. My neighbour has a limited edition (very large sized) hard cover Footrot flats book. It is stunning. I clearly remember my grandmother having a fit one morning when she opened the morning paper to see F.F. strip contained images of a ewe lambing (with Ball's usual graphic gore) and she was mortified and hid the paper. During one move and the usual chuck, keep, give away I gave away my collection to a collector. Now here's where some terrific debates ensue..... dog's name came out in one comic book edition I'm sure!! What do you remember about that?
Oh sad, sad about your FF, Rose. My father did the same with all my DC and Marvel comics. He GAVE THEM AWAY to the son of the man who came aground selling vegetables. My god. The fit I had, and as you can see, I still bear the emotional scars.
Bally wocks if I remember The Dog's name though now that you mention it, it was something awful because he hated the idea of it coming out, right? I'll have to go through my 22 issues, 2 weekenders and 2 pocket books and get back to you on that ;) alternatively, we COULD just google.
No, no typist we can't google it, won't find a thing. My grey matter tells me its in one of the comic books, but is most likely in that humourous intro bit in the front, not in the comic strip story itself.
Looks like you have another job on top of everything else. :)))))
HELLLLP!!! I've been robbed! Rose, I just went through my pile of FF to put them in proper order and #12 is missing! Someone's nicked it! Dial 000 for me please, my hands are shaking. Now I'll have to go out and BUY a comic instead of whittling them down. Do they even still sell them in stores? ARRRRGHHH!!!
Although i'm not moving in a near future, I've been cleaning my books too. My favorite were the Heidi. There were over 10 of them. Then were the legends books from all kind of countries or culture.
I get rid of them because I know my future grand children won't read them from paper. And for the other books, we had read them and were not going to re-read them, and the shelves were nearing a break down.
I'm glad I cleaned those books away, but it made me uncomfortable, I felt like I was getting rid of my stuff... after my death. argh. It depressed me. I suppose this means books are part of me.
However, it is a good thing I woke up one morning convinced I'll live over 103 because I really did not like the feeling.
Asterix ind French is very funny.
Tell Georgia it is very unfair not to sleep on a bed, will you?
Wishing you a good day out of Berlin...
First, let me say the full frontal of dog bits on the header is rather alarming...
Next,maybe every teenager was in love with Aragorn. Viggo is my all time fantasy, especially after we all got to see HIS bits in Eastern Promises.
Hey Vero! You certainly move around a lot! I didn't know there were 10 Heidi books. I can't remember it much at all other than it was about a girl who went to live with her grandpa in the alps - where you were last week, I think? I'm glad you're happy you're going to live to 103. For me, that would be waaaaaay too long ;)
Grrl, you're the 2nd person to mention that picture, which alarms ME! It's just a doggy belly everyone! Very innocent and natural!
And THEN, you go on to talk about Mr M's bits? HAHAHA!
Oh my goodness typist - not a missing #12!!!!!! Um maybe a book exchange?! I haven't seen any in newsagencies etc for years!
I'd have a hard time getting rid of books - I'm in the same boat. I donate a lot of novels to charity, but I have my favorites. ...and I would have a hard time getting rid of Tin Tin!
Sam
Oh, wow, you really brought back some happy memories. So many of my beloved books that I still have and now i want to read them again.
My children (now quite grown) loved "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." When all is grim, Alexander decides he wants to move to Australia.
That became a motif in our house when things were bad, we would just move to Australia where things were always good.
Rose, I could be in trouble then. Sigh.
Sam, I'm so glad to meet another TinTin fan. And you know something? I just realised I HAVE to keep the comics because I can't download picture books on Kindle!
Jan, that is an inspired title! I've never heard of it but it sounds funny. The irony is not lost on me that I'm clearing my books so I can move more easily, hopefully out of Australia LOL.
Ah, Georgia.
I love your book posts. It actually made Mom cry. Her bookshelf looks almost the same! Tin Tin! Wild Things! She also loves the Moomintroll books. The best.
Love your note on our salmon post!
Love,
Tootsie
Hi Georgia,
Boy you really like the books, don't ya. I wish My Vickie could have some books, but she says that everyone eats them so she keeps everything on "Kindle"
Her brother was in Austrailia all last week doing some police thing with your police. He sent us lots of pictures of your land and we are very upset we couldn't have come with.
Be good.
Love
Bert
Well I actually have an Asterix and Obelix myself! I love the one I have (which isn't one that you have.) All my Little House books and all my Harry Potter books. And btw, I think Aragorn looks suspiciously like Viggo Mortensen. I cannot wait for the Hobbitt to come out!!
Tootsie, I've never heard of those Moomintroll books and will google them.
Jodi, I have many, many more than one A&B! I might actually have the lot. LOL. I see you're another Mr Mortensen fan. I better not say anything more then. MY Aragorn looked quite different ;)
Oh Bert! Pout! You should have snuck on the plane. They would NEVER have noticed. Guess what? The Typist just rescued your comment from the SPAM box. Is that duh or what?!
Oh fabulous, fabulous fabulous! I love lots of those books and I read Dr Seuss' 'Too Many Daves' at the beginning of every school year because I can never remember all the kids' names all the time. Then I can get away with calling them all Dave. It saves any problems. As for books I can't throw away... I can't get rid of my 'On The Origin of Species' which is terribly boring and grown up... just can't. Or my James Heriot books, or 'Le Petit Prince'. Actually, you've made me think that I REALLY need to go through my bookcases and turf some forward.
When I was studying at uni I did an ecology course about forestry management and our lecturer was talking about what is known as an 'Elfin' forest (I think I've got that right). He said under his breath as he was turning away 'that's where all the Hobbits live', to which my friend (the OTHER mature student) and I fell off our chairs laughing, and all the 18 year olds looked at us like we were weird. Which we were, but at least we got the joke BEFORE the movies all came out. And we got As in that course. :)
I love the picture of Georgia going to bed... isn't it lovely that we can spoil our dogs. I often think of all those poor animals who don't even have homes, let alone a safe, warm, comfy bed to lie on, at the foot of our own. Sigh.
Blimey, I've gone on a bit. Sorry.
You brain you, H. I don't think I even managed to sit through Darwin's biopic on telly LOL. Yeah, I feel very possessive of all the old classics that have now been reinvented for young uns, whether they're songs, books or movies. Doesn't feel right somehow. Rabbit on! I like it :) X
I could never give up the E.B. White Books that I have - Charlotte's Web and the Trumpet of the Swan. Those are my favorite books from my childhood. I have my father's lab notebook from a college chemistry class...would never part with that. The Bible my grandmother gave me. The Killer Angels - a book I had to read for History 1001 in college - I would rather not get rid of it. And Love you Forever and Let me Hold You Longer...children's story books that I read to my boys when they were little. I wouldn't part with the set of Harry Potter books we've collected either. And maybe the Twilight books too...they were better than I thought they would be! So many good books out there. :)
There are some wonderful books there Like you I know I need to have a good clear out and purchase the digital versions, but there are some books that I'll have keep because they represent memories or certain periods of my life.
That's a lot of books you're keeping, Sherri LOL. Your fathers lab notebook sounds the most special. Definitely irreplaceable.
Hi Petmeds! One day, comics and illustrated books will be downloadable. Until then.... I'm keeping mine!
I basically went through the library in my hometown and read a LOT. After going through fairy tales of all kinds (did I live in an imaginary world?), I remember reading Zane Grey novels...maybe because my Dad loved his books? Who knows.
Oh, how I love books. Oddly enough, I have very few from my childhood. I am only 8 years older than my nieces, so they got most of my books. I wish I still had my complete collection of Nancy Drew books. It's probably better that I don't. My most precious book is my copy of Charlotte's Web. I credit that book with making me a lifelong reader. My favorite Dr. Seuss? Green Eggs & Ham. I also love, from the Dr. Seuss Library, Are You My Mother, A Fish Out Of Water and Go Dog, Go.
Sage, I think I read a lot because of my father too. He had bookcases all over the house filled with all kinds of reading material from comics to classics. I'm very grateful for that.
Lori, I think it's great to have someone... family, a good frriend's children... to pass books onto. At least you know they're in good hands (until THEY pass it on!). Charlotte's Web is TERRIFIC :)
Oh yes! My list of books is long and vast! I remember reading Jane Eyre in seventh grade and falling in love with classic literature. I have a set of old books from childhood series that I love, too, like Anne of Green Gables and Jupiter Jones.
I have more modern favorites, too, like the Harry Potter series and The Thirteenth Tale. Honestly, I can't see myself being able to part with any of my books! They're treasures to me and always have been.
Dear Bunny's mama, better start saving for warehouse rental then ;)
I think books are a really easy thing to become attached to - I have boxes of them sitting in storage for "someday" when we're not living in an RV anymore. Getting rid of clothes, nicknacks and other "treasures" was simple compared to giving up my books.
OMG. I think you have hit on my kryptonite. Books were my friend as a kid. My favorites (some of which I still have or purchased as an adult) are The Secret Garden and the Little Princess by Frances Hodgeson Burnett, all the books by Madeline D'Engle (of A Wrinkle in Time fame) and the Boxcar Children.
One childhood book I wish I had kept and didn't (because my mother threw it away) was Ickle Bickle Robin. I loved that book as a child. It is now goin for over $300 on eBay. Go figure.
Amy, I wonder how long your books will be sitting in storage! ALL of them or just some special ones?
Melf, Ickle Bickle Robin! Another great name. I haven't heard of this book, but now you're making me wonder if any of the hundreds I gave away might have been worth 300 dollars. I hope not! Your mum reminds me of my dad who, as I mentioned earlier, gave away boxes of my Marvel and DC comics from the 60s.
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