Building an "Epic Bookcase"... or not?

[Katsunami]

Since some time, I've been thinking about giving away or selling all of my paperbacks; most of them already have been replaced by ebooks. I'm thinking to use the space to start collecting hardcover books.

It doesn't mean that I'm going to try to collect every "classic" ever written: this bookcase would contain books that *I* consider to be worthy to have as a hardcover. Some books that are considered all-time classics may not end up being in this bookcase, while a book that's considered so-so by many could be one of the first to be on the shelves.

Nowadays, I greatly prefer to read on an e-reader for several reasons: custom fonts, custom font sizes, front-light, smaller, lighter, more transportable, more easily handled. However, I still like books, and hardcovers in particular. Some books I have in hardcover, in Dutch or English (or both, if the Dutch book is a translation) are out of print and not obtainable anymore: not in Dutch, English, or as an ebook. Some books I really wish to read some day are not (yet) available as an eBook, or I deem them to be unsuitable to read as such.

Most of the time, I would read a book on my e-reader (if available), and if I deem it worthy to be in my bookcase, I would buy it as a hardcover; new, or a very good looking second hand version. There's only one small teeny tiny problem.

After shelving the hardcover, I might never, ever read it.

Therefore, apart from the books that are not available as an eBook (or the ones I don't want to read as an eBook) the bookcase would just be for display and collection.

What would you say:
Yes, go ahead. It's nice to have a great collection of books.
No, don't do it. You'll only be wasting money.

[Rbneader]

I say yes, but I also do read my physical books still. I like the larger pages and better immersion a physical book gives. And I'm a visual person, so if I can't see something I forget I have it. Having a bookshelf with books on it reminds me that I have books I can read, and I'm likely to grab one that catches my eye and read it.

[CWatkinsNash]

If it makes you happy, go for it. I would.

[Latinandgreek]

I never consider buying books money wasted! If you think that it is something that you will enjoy, go ahead. The good part about owning physical books is that you can lend them out to friends and share with others, even if you read only the electronic copy.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

The good part about owning physical books is that you can lend them out to friends...

That's the bad part

After losing a few (paperback) books, DVD's, and getting some stuff back heavily damaged or scratched, I've long ago decided not to lend any books or DVD's to anyone. NO EXCEPTIONS.

[5thWiggle]

Even if you never read them, they a great to have (if you have the room). You can prop up furniture, protect your coffee table from hot pizza boxes, make a little "fort", and even use shelves of books as accoustic baffles in a live end/dead end audio listening room. Can't do that with your e-reader!

[speakingtohe]

I voted no because I would buy more ebooks or a good bottle of wine.

But of course if you are going to derive pleasure from looking at that shelf, of course you should do it whether you read the books themselves.

After all we do many things because it gives us a good feeling. If it improves your environment and you feel good when you look at them, it is money well spent.

Helen

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

That's the bad part

After losing a few (paperback) books, DVD's, and getting some stuff back heavily damaged or scratched, I've long ago decided not to lend any books or DVD's to anyone. NO EXCEPTIONS.

I have lost too many. Some were even hardcover

I did exchange paperbacks (I could always hold them hostage if needed ) for a while.

I discovered some authors I had not read which is an advantage (the author made some subsequent sales).

[Katsunami]

Thanks for the replies and voting so far The score for Yes-No is 8-8 at the moment.

*Hands out some battle axes and swords*

Let the violence continue

At this point, I feel like I "have to have" such a bookcase, at least somewhere in a corner, and a chair beside it. Reading books without having any books still feels a bit strange

I decided some time ago to do something similar with DVD's. For now, I split my DVD case in a top portion and a bottom portion. The top holds all the good stuff (IMHO, of course), the stuff that I really enjoyed an may want to rewatch again, while the bottom part holds all the "meh" stuff... some of which I might actually give away or sell at some point.

[Penforhire]

Whatever makes you happy. But I'd vote no for myself. I've given way more paper books than my home now would ever hold.

For better or worse, my e-book collection resides on just part of one hard drive, with back-up on a second drive. I can't see myself ever running out of space, given that ever few years I buy a larger drive and copy the contents upward. I might lose content due to fire or theft because I don't store any of my books "off site" but that was just as true for my paper books in the past.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Whatever makes you happy. But I'd vote no for myself. I've given way more paper books than my home now would ever hold.

True enough; if I would've continued to read and buy paperbacks in the last two years, I would have had a problem indeed. (I've been reading much more than in previous years, where I spent quite some time with other hobbies and/or obligations.)

While it'd be nice to have my own library, containing 10.000 books, there's no reason to. First, i don't have the room. Second, most of the books I read are not great literature. They're nice for entertainment, but not good enough to have around all the time.

[danskmacabre]

I voted yes.
Whilst I have very few physical books left (due to moving a few times and culling my collection), apart from Tabletop RPg books, It's nice to sit back and look at a book collection, especially if if a beautiful hardback collection.

You can really tell a lot about a person from their book collection. It seems this might be a dying art. Oh well, technology marches on.
I say go for it!

BTW, I love ebooks and the pros of them outweighs the cons, but still..

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

That's the bad part

After losing a few (paperback) books, DVD's, and getting some stuff back heavily damaged or scratched, I've long ago decided not to lend any books or DVD's to anyone. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Gets my vote. Anyone else who touches mine gets obliterated by the automated security system.

Do I want it? Can I do it? Will it make me the envy of all the peons? Will it help me score chicks? If yes, then is it likely to kill my neighbors? If no, then rope that pony and ride it like Buffalo Bill Cody.

[Antoinekamel]

Are you going to have children?

The answer of this question is the one of the poll.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Antoinekamel

Are you going to have children?

The answer of this question is the one of the poll.

What kind of an assumption is that? Who says my children, if I ever have them, will like or even *want* my books? The time that a book collection was a prized heirloom to be treasured and expanded is long gone IMHO.

If they want the books only to read them, then they'll be probably fine with the digital versions, and they'll have MUCH more to read. I'll be surprised if my collection of hardcovers reaches 200 before I die.