Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Love Affair

Books.

I love them.

I have many, many books.

But I had to get rid of some.

See, since we’re military, we only get a certain amount of weight to move with. If we go over that, we pay. Books tend to get heavy when they multiply. So I knew that some had to find a new home.

And this pained me.

“Just get rid of the ones you haven’t read in awhile,” Tom said over Skype. He doesn’t understand my love for books because the man doesn’t like to read. I know. I don’t understand how a person cannot love reading either.

“I can’t do that! Some of the books that I haven’t read in awhile, I love,” I exclaimed.

Tom rolled his eyes. “You can’t love them all.”

“I do!”

I made it my goal to get rid of at least ten books. Yes, it’s a small number. But still. It was a beginning. Plus, the base library was accepting donations since they were having a big book sale.

I stood in front of my bookshelf. It was like my books were all, “Don’t get rid of me!” I felt almost guilty as I started placing some in my box. I almost wanted to write to the author of the book and say, “You’re a fabulous writer; I’m just running out of weight.” And space. My bookshelf is bursting with books.

I managed to find TWELVE books to get rid of.

I proudly told Tom on Skype and showed him the bookshelf.

“Um,” he said. “It looks basically the same.”

“What do you mean? I got rid of TWELVE books!”

“You can hardly tell.”

“Sure you can! Remember how two books were on top of this row? Now there is only one book. Go me.”

“I’d be more impressed if you got rid of fifty books,” Tom said.

FIFTY!

“I got rid of TWELVE and I’m proud of myself,” I answered, lifting my chin high.

“Try fifty and get back to me.”

That never happened. I did find one more book I felt I could part with (THIRTEEN!) and then I headed for the library.

I gripped the box of books to my chest like they were my children and walked in. I found a worker and said that I had books for donation. Her face lit up. “Fabulous!” She started to paw through them. I guess I could have left, but I wanted to make sure she’d treat them well. It pains me when I see abused books. Like when people fold down the corner of a page to keep their spot? I actually wince and want to offer to buy them a bookmark.

“These are all wonderful,” she mumbled. “Some are even hardback. Actually,” she lifted one up. “I don’t think we have this book. We might put it in circulation for the library.”

That made my heart happy. Imagine, one of my books, from my bookshelf, making it into the library to make hundreds (maybe thousands) of people happy.

“So they’ll be…okay,” I said stupidly.

Since she was a librarian, I think she understood. “They will,” she assured me. “Don’t forget about our book sale coming up.”

And here’s the ironic thing: I may have gotten rid of thirteen books.

But watch me buy thirteen at the book sale.

Books.

They are my weakness. I can’t help it.

71 comments:

  1. I am the same way. I even re-read them. Hubby laughs at me and doesn't get it.

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  2. LOL! You could have so many worse things to be addicted to!
    Just tell yourself by letting go of a book you've read......you can have another NEW book to read. If you've read them let them go. There are millions of books out there waiting for you to read them next!

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  3. Same here. I try to give books away if I don't love them, but I have already managed to over-burden the two new bookshelves we bought two months ago.

    (Our town has several spots where people can leave books they don't need anymore, and other people can pick them up for free. Every time I take some of my books there, I end up taking even more home with me.)

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  4. I so know what you mean about books. Once you read them, they are apart of you. And if they are gone, it is just so sad.

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  5. I love reading too! It took me until colledge to really appreciate a great book but now I can't stop! My husband doesn't read either, like Tom. He doesn't understand when I tear up, giggle aloud, or rush to straighten the house so I can get in bed with a book! :)

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  6. My books are my friends, parting with them hurts. I once joined paperbackswap.com, they kicked me out because I would conveniently "forget" to mail the books out. I have no more room in my teeny apartment for any more books so I joined the library. Somehow it doesn't bother me to not own the book like I thought it would, instead going to the library is like going to see all my old friends.

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  7. I love books too!!! I had to get an eReader to help the bookshelf. Now I just have to clean out the computer every once in a while. Much easier

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  8. They are my weakness too. I have a Kindle now and it stores my books on there for me, but I still haven't gotten rid of my "real" books...baby steps

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  9. I try not to buy so many books because I read them in a matter of hours and then I put them on my bookshelf. The best part is that I read them so quickly, I never remember how they end so I can always re-read them. The other half, he reads them once and then clutches onto them like a stuffed animal for years.. or never reads them. I think he just likes to collect books.

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  10. I love my books too. I just like seing them there on the shelf or table. I have thought many times of getting myself a Kindle but I haven't brought myself to it yet because then I wouldn't get to feel the weight of the book in my hands.

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  11. I hardly ever buy books. I always check them out from the library cause I am such a tight wad!
    Congrats on your 13...everything in baby steps my friend! :O)

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  12. This will kill you: Don't read it:

    I managed to get a whole box of books to donate. I put it in the basement.

    The basement flooded.

    The horror was palpable.

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  13. I totally understand. The only reason I can bring myself to part with mine is because of the used books store. ONe thing I do like better than old books is NEW BOOKS!

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  14. Same here with the books. But sometimes my wife 'reorganizes' things and later I find books I want to reread are gone.
    Advice: skip going to the library during the book sale.

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  15. I think part of being a blogger means you're a writer at heart and every great writer is also a reader. I assume the vast majority of people reading your blog can relate to this post. I know I can! Books = love.

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  16. I feel the exact same way. I try not to buy books unless it's something I love and know that I will reread again and again. But recently I've cheated that rule by buying cheap romance novels. If they're only $5, what's the big deal? My book shelf is completely full now! :)

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  17. Same here! I actually buy book shelves in advance just to have an excuse to fill them up. Each week I visit the thrift store and they have a whole shelf of books for 15 cents each. I'm a book addict and proudly admit it!

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  18. I LOVE to read!! The Husband does not so he doesn't understand. I keep my collection down by swapping books with my mom. That will come to a screeching halt now that my dad bought her a nook =/

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  19. Do I love books? Our spare bedroom is now the "library" with one whole wall devoted to bookshelves. And there is a bookcase in the livingroom. And books piled on the headboard. I could never give them up, either, but I found a couple of ladies at work who love books, but don't have much money to spare so every other month or so I try to take a grocery bag of ones I've read in for them to read. I tell them to pass them on or keep them to enjoy. Somehow my shelves never seem to get any emptier. LOL

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  20. I love to read too but here is the odd thing about me. I only read a book once??? It is sooo strange. I will watch a movie over and over again but I will read a book only once. My daughter loves to read and she will re-read her books. Anyways, since I only read my books once I give them away but I do understand your love of reading!!!!

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  21. My husband does not understand my need for books or why we have to pack them and move them each time. Granted, for money reasons I read a lot of library books that get returned. but I have some books that were my grandmothers, my mothers, mine from forever ago, or just books that I love.

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  22. Hello, my name is Linda and I'm a bookoholic. My weakness is books. I get on the Barnes & Noble website and I go crazy a couple of times a month. I hide books so Alex won't know I bought them. I have over 2500 books on shelves in the basement. I have another 500 or so in the house. They are my friends! I cannot give them away.

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  23. i so feel ya sister!!!

    i LOVE books.. with a passion.. not just reading them.. but HAVING them too!!!

    i like to hold books.. and sometimes, they even SMELL GOOD.. uh wow! TMI.. so sorry!!

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  24. Maybe you should ask for an e-reader for Christmas? I was looking at a Nook and it holds something like 6000 books (and you can borrow books from your public library if they have e-books). You can also add more memory which means you would NEVER have to get rid of any of your books. The Nook is also surprisingly affordable- only $150.

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  25. I feel the same way. Gadget Guy is forever on me to just check out books from the library, but I can't help it. I love that new book smell, or the creek of opening the cover for the first time.

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  26. My love of books is the reason I refuse to get an e-book reader.

    Additionally, working at a library is really nice, because when books are taken out of circulation for one reason or another, we can take them.

    Also, we can take donated books if they can't be used.

    It's a win-win-(win).

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  27. I understand you wanting to keep them all. I have kept every book I have ever got. That includes all my past college text books. Luckily I married a man who LOVES books to. Someday when we have our dream home we plan on having a floor to ceiling built-in book shelf in every room. How cool would that be? I can't wait. The only downside about having so many books is moving. Those book boxes are HEAVY!

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  28. The horror....
    If you really want your husband to understand, tell him that you getting rid of your books would be like him getting rid of...I don't know, football or something. Find something he really loves and tell him it's like that.

    Or tell him that it would be like him playing make-believe while wearing a pink tutu. Giving away books just goes against your nature.

    It's a good comparison.

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  29. I should take pictures sometime of my books and you shall see that you and I are twinsies!

    Besides, those book sales can't be ignored!

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  30. im EXACTLY the same way. i loooove books. i have two 6' bookshelves CRAMMED with books, double stacked too! GoodWill and AmVets are treasure troves - especially the last weekend of the month when everything is 50% off. I swear, I bought the whole hardcover set of Laura Ingalls for $6. GO ME!!!

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  31. I too love books. I have a ton of them. I have not read most of them, I just like them.

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  32. Oh do I get it. And it's double trouble around this house because my husband is the same way!!
    One of the best presents my husband got for me was the newest Kindle. I didn't think I would like it but it is so awesome. Sooo awesome. I highly recommend it.

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  33. My heart smiled when I read this. I acquired many many wonderful books and anthologies while getting my English degree. I can't bear to part with them or with my notebooks from college. They have too much valuable information. I feel your pain. Stay strong. :)

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  34. I have a hard time parting with them, too. Especially when I buy them. So, I try to rent from the library....or, you should get an eReader. That's a ton lighter than an actual book:)

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  35. I cannot get rid of books. Since I don't plan on moving anytime soon, when my bookshelf starts to overflow, I put some in boxes and store them in my basement. And I still know exactly where every book is, because you never know when I will have to reference it at a moments notice. Which happens all the time.

    I am a book whore and there is no such thing as too many.

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  36. Call me crazy, but your post made me a bit teary. I remember when we PCS'd from Elmendorf. I had to get rid of TWO full totes of books, many that were unread. I held onto them until the last minute. I had to make a choice between the two totes, or a carseat/kid. It hurt real bad, especially dropping them off at the Airman's Attic. The totes, I mean.

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  37. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NEVER EVER EVER GET RID OF BOOOOOKS! *dies*

    Girl, I feel your pain on this one. NOT fair.

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  38. I can completely relate. We are in the process of selling our house and I had to take books off of the shelf to make it look like nobody lives here and has a life.

    So sad.

    I miss seeing them on the shelf.

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  39. I am the same way, it pains me to get rid of a book. Mostly because I read and reread the books that I love over and over. The worst part? My hubs is the same way. We are overflowing with books!

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  40. UGH!

    YOU SOUND JUST LIKE MY WIFE!!

    What is with you women?!

    She'll FINALLY clean out the closet or something and take a bunch of stuff (shit) to the thrift store, only to come home with a bunch more!

    "They were having a bag sale!"

    Oh great, so you just got swapped a bag of your shit for a bag of someone elses?!?!

    I swear, you ladies see the word 'sale', and your brains go numb.

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  41. I LOVE library book sales. That's how I pretty much buy the books I'm going to read!

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  42. I know exactly how you feel!! When I was moving, I put a bunch of stuff in a yard sale, including books (gasp!) and every time someone bought one I teared up a little and said, "that's a really good one, you'll love it"!

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  43. Books are fantastic. I love how they smell, especially a brand new one with the binding that cracks a little when you open it for the first time.

    It's starting to get a little dirty in my mind.

    This may have been suggested to you, and generally I'm not a fan off the Nook or Kindle because I love the actual feel of a book, but perhaps that would be more efficient for your military lifestyle.

    And 13 is a lot. In fact, it's a straight up butt-load.

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  44. I know your pain. I moved all my books from Texas to North Carolina - and paid for it dearly.

    Eventually though I did have to give some of them up and I donated them to the library - and now they are circulating through other book lovers - making them happy.

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  45. Yeah I am NOT allowed in book stores. I will literally spend all of my money.

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  46. I'm totally fascinated by this. I used to be a huge reader, but don't read so much anymore. I can't seem to make the time for it, or stay awake, but whatever. Anyway...my sister is like you, literal shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books. She finally did a massive clean out and filled 4 huge laundry baskets full of books and donated them somewhere. But my other friend started selling hers on ebay. They have made like 4000 dollars selling books. Just sayin.

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  47. Ugh, I hate getting rid of books. Hate it. WHich Is why we have several totes of them lugging around with us!

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  48. This is why I go to the library, I avoid the pain of getting rid of books that I bought. I am just like you, I love books, always have been. When I was a kid, I used to nag my Mum to take me to the library, and then I'd read all my books really quickly and be begging her to take me back within days (It was kinda far for a kid to go alone). So, thank you for giving the library good books, people like me will love you for it.

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  49. I have the same issue. Discovered something amazing though. Kindle for my cell phone. It's not the same as that wonderful feeling of holding a book, hearing the sound of the page turning, feeling the smooth binding, but it saves me space. When I finish reading one, I can archive it and go back to it later (cuz I always reread the good ones). LOVE IT! But don't tell my husband. Since I've put the Kindle app on my phone, I've been buying more books. SSshhh.

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  50. Almost Hubsa nd I read alot too. But we found that selling them via Amazon and Ebay made parting with them much easier. When it costs you $1 in the end to read an brand new book, it's nice.

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  51. I am the same way. I LOVE books. I hate getting rid of them and I do not like taking them out at the library because THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM BACK!!!

    My husband is like Tom. While he does LIKE books and reading, he doesn't feel the link to them.

    I am proud to say I managed to get rid of a whole bunch last year. A whole bookcase worth (they were just crap from university that I only read because I HAD to but still. Yay me ;))

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  52. Ooooh, books are so hard to let go of!! I think libraries are going to be the next big thing in new home construction. :)

    Hey, thanks for visiting my blog for my SITS day today!

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  53. They are my weakness too...then Ig ot a nook and no more books in the house woohoo!

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  54. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  55. I feel your pain, I love books. I can read for hours. lol my husband doesn't understand it. He'd rather watch TV or play video games. Me? I'd rather read.

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  56. I so understand, particularly about folding the pages. Why do people do this.

    Perhaps you can buy soft-cover books from now on. They weight less.

    There is a giant book warehouse sale this weekend. I just can't go.

    LisaDay

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  57. Thirteen books?!? Ouch. My condolences. As a library employee (in another state, but whatever) I thank you for donating your books to the library. Yours are probably in excellent condition, unlike the dog-eared, crumple-covered, smoke-filled books I had to accept the other day. Ew.

    Any books that won't fit in boxes should fit nicely under seats in your car. Just sayin' ;)

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  58. I love, love, love books too! And my hubs gets irritated as well. Unlike you, we dont' have to worry about moving so my hubs shouldn't be concerned. :P I once found an entire series, 17 books-all hardback-from my favorite author at a garage sale for $35. Hubs almost blew a gasket. "Haven't you read all of those?!" Well, yes...but its the ENTIRE SERIES! IN HARDBACK! FOR THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS! Men just don't get it. hehe

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  59. I am the absolute same way. I love books...they are wonderful. My husband doesn't read either....I wonder sometimes why I married him. LOL

    I'm sure you'll end up buying more than 13 books at the book fair. :)

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  60. In the first 3 years of my marriage, I accumulated over 300 books- and this is WHILE I wasn't reading much due to writing my dissertation! When I completed my dissertation, and DH realized that my "book addiction" had been marginalized for the past 3 years (I may have went on a bit of a book shopping spree the day my dissertation was approved), he decided I was getting a Kindle for Christmas. I love my Kindle! I have already replaced and donated 300 books (mostly my classics that acquired a weird smell when in storage in the attic) and am looking to get rid of 600 more before we move to MS this spring.

    My advice with e-readers- go test them out now that they are available in the stores. Kindles are at Target, Nooks are at Barnes and Noble. I don't advise the Sony one because people have had a lot of software issues with them (software crashed their computers)! What I love about the Kindle is that I can take it outside and read- there is no glare on the screen. The downside is that I need a book light to read on a plane at night...but I used one of those when I was reading paperbacks on a plane.

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  61. Get an e-book reader! I have the Sony, which I LOVE, and the Kindle for iPhone, which I also love. My nephew owns a Kindle and it is great. You can carry 300+ book around with you and it doesn't weigh squat!

    I hear you about letting go of books though; I used to buy like mad, and my mother never understood why I wanted a book I had already read, LOL.

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  62. I soooooo understand. I'm going to get a Kindle, but I'm still going to buy the books I love.

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  63. Oh honey, I feel your pain. I got rid of half of my books. HALF. The upstairs floor still sags but the downstairs ceiling is no longer in danger of crashing down on us.

    I miss them every. single. day.

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  64. Does this mean you are moving soon - or you are just planning ahead?

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  65. (I'm opal_swirl from OD, reading here now via RSS feed. :))

    As a librarian, I can assure you that your books will be well cared for now. :) I bet the librarian feels some of the same reverence you feel for them, even!

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  66. I feel your pain. When we downsized to go full-time in the RV, we donated 650 books to our local library. Granted, the majority were my husband's, but I bet I gave 200. SOB!! I did save maybe 100, and they are sitting in storage, AND I brought maybe 50 or 60 with me in the RV. My husband keeps telling me to get rid of them because of their weight. I figure he could leave and that would make up for the difference, right?

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  67. I'm with you 100% on the love of books! Thomas makes me get rid of my 'babies' every stinkin time we move!

    But I found a solution - THE KINDLE!! I love my NEW baby! And I can have new books (thousands are free!!!) in seconds - no waiting. Love it!

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  68. I totally don't get the whole kindle thing. Why would you do that when you can pick up a real book and smell the pages? Old book. New book. Two different smells, but both are pretty darn awesome.

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  69. I have a book buying fetish. I love the synopsis, buy the book, and it sits. There's no way on God's Green Earth that I will be able to read all of them unless I quit my job and read 12 hours a day. So I got rid of roughly half of them. I gave them to The Boy to sell at the flea market. I kept wanting to ask him how they did. I thought he sold them all. It turns out they ended up GIVING them away. I was all, "But I paid MONEY for those books!!" And the kicker? I now have another bookcase, so I have the room.

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  70. I have a weakness for books too and you're so right ... it is completely painful to get rid of them. I am extremely impressed that you parted with 13 books!!!

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  71. I love books as well and I would keep them all but they do get heavy. I bought myself a Nook from Barnes and Nobles, I adore it. I would keep it with me all the time in my bag because any time you have a moment you can be reading. I would recommend a Nook for anyone but I would also keep a few loving favorite paper books to fondle.

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