You Can Never Own Too Many Books

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

We all have our vices.  We all have things in this World we are weak towards.  Our Earthly kryptonite.  For me it's books!  I love books!  I love having books!!  I love being surrounded by books!!!

When I was at BYU I lived in the library and bookstore.  When something bad happened I went to the bookstore to buy a book.  When something good happened... I went to the bookstore to buy a book.  It's not like I had money or anything!  For lunch I brought cold lunches complete with peanut butter sandwiches.  My wardrobe consisted of clearance shirts from Walmart, $3 each.  My money went to books.  But I was so stressed and burned out with homework they weren't read.  But I kept buying them anyway.  They just make me happy.

After graduating I learned the BYU Creamery had a student/child size ice-cream cone, and they have REALLY good ice-cream.  I used to joke that it's good I didn't know about the dollar something ice-cream cones when I was going there.  I would have saved money on books!

A few years ago the Konmari tidying method was all the rage, and I liked to say that if I was ever going to organize and get rid of stuff, I'd never get rid of my books because they all give me joy.

The sad thing is that I'm still buying books.  The Amazon marketplace is such a good place to find used books.  I completed my American Girl book collection using the marketplace.  It's an extensive collection including all the short stories, mysteries, etc.  And after watching Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, I went to the Amazon Marketplace and bought all the Timothy Zhan Star Wars books in hardback.

I still need to read all these books.

So, yes, my name is Sarah and I have a book collecting addiction.

The first set of books I want to read this year is The Work and the Glory books by Gerald N. Lund.  Lund was my Grandma and Grandpa A's home teacher back in Southern California a long time ago.  But it's also the only book series both my Grandma's read.  My Grandma Stufflebeam wasn't a reader, but she read the series twice, and then she gave me her set.  I bought my Grandma A the first two books and she bought the rest in the nine book series.  The books take place during Latter-Day Saint church history time, and since we're studying the Doctrine and Covenants for Sunday School, it seems like it's time I should finally read them.  Honor my Grandma's, and step back in time to experience what it was like to be an early convert. 

After I'm finish reading those books I need to decide to read the Star Wars books or the American Girl books.  I'm leaning towards Star Wars next.  Also, before turning 39 I need to finish listening to the Harry Potter series on Audible.  I want to revisit the last book while being the same age Lupin and Snape were when they died.  It would just be a really interesting experience.

So happy book reading!!

I've got Worlds to visit.

Sarah

Treasures in Old Books

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love books, but one thing people may not know is how much I love collecting antique books.  I don't have a large collection, only a happy little shelf.  One of the things that I love to find in these books are notes, or writtings, names written on the first page, etc.  Anything that gives these old pages a history and character.  Proof that someone loved it before I did.

Cambria California has a book/art gallery called The Bookery.  I've bought a few volumes from them, and quite a few years ago I found this 1904 edition of The Masquerader.  When I was flipping through the pages I found this little note:

"Mary:

Take my advice and go back to Ken.  You are losing

the best thing in life.  You can't tarry too long and get away with it."

Ollie"

I want to know the story behind this letter!  Who are these people?  What happened?  Did Mary take his advice?  When was this written?  Questions I doubt I will ever find the answer to.

The paper seems kinda modern, but there is a bit of yellowing, and Ollie is an old-fashioned name.  How many people do you know use the word "tarry" in casual conversation?  But this is a fun little mystery I've found, and I can't help but imagine what may have come to pass.

Sarah