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Old 08-19-2012, 09:02 AM   #11
wizwor
Wizard
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I think a lot of these feelings date back to a time befor ebooks were a commodity. When books were pressed or hand copied, the time and labor requried made each something of a treasure. As such they were well cared for and passed from generation to generation. Modern printing technologies eroded a lot of the value of books, but, even ten years ago, out of print books and early editions retained value. Today, it's possible to print out a single copy of a book at a reasonable cost. It's possible to download a lot of books for little or no money.

For all these reasons, the value of books is less today except to a dwindling number of collectors. Collectors, IMO, is different than hoarders in the same way a stamp collection is different from a roll of stamps.

I'm a Reduce-Reuse-Recycle person. Applied to books, I prefer e-books to printed books, donate or give away used books, and would be happy to repurpose unwanted books in this way.

I attribute the whole, "burning my words, is burning me," argument to the dimentia that makes authors interesting.

I have been known to start a campfire with the pages of an unwanted book. Some books are good for little more than starting a fire.
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