"Part of the reason to own books is that they create a record of our past: passions, missteps, aspirations and intentions. They are the physical manifestations of what we were thinking at the different times in our lives. People can look at our bookshelves and know something about us, who we are and who we hoped we would be. "
Ann Patchett - from this post.
This is just wonderful.
Posted by: Nan | 28 April 2017 at 04:45 AM
Which is one good reason why librarians will never divulge what you have read to anyone, quite apart from acts of law prohibiting disclosure of computer records.
Posted by: Janet | 29 April 2017 at 02:47 PM
That seems a rather narrow way to assess even a small part of the history of someone.
Many people have to give up large parts of their book collections to move house/country, or to make room for the belongings of other family members. Also modern built homes rarely have the luxury of space to exhibit a fraction of the books owned or wanted. Plus all those borrowed library books that may have been so influential will never even appear on the readers home shelves.
Posted by: Spade & Dagger | 29 April 2017 at 03:09 PM
That is absolutely wonderful and explains to me why I never declutter my books though I do declutter everything else...
Posted by: Liz Wood | 01 May 2017 at 08:58 AM