21–30 of 60 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
all my Amazon books were dedrm'ed and my kindle does not connect to the WiFi. I've stopped buying from Amazon since they removed the transfer via usb option.
What was different about transfer via usb vs “send to Kindle” ? I’ve always used the latter.
I wonder if an AI company will quietly buy and scan.
I managed to save some of the rare works but I could find absolutely no takers for the bulk of the books, at any price or even for free. That generation is leaving behind an enormous amount of paper and it is mostly going to waste. Very frustrating, if I had had the space I would have been happy to take all of it. I would have read some and I would have tried to find a new home for the remainder but that takes time and the housing company only gave us two weeks to vacate the place, which was much too little time even for proper cataloging. Fortunately he had already organized things to the point that it was obvious which ones were the precious ones.
And the violin got a good home. The guy lived like a monk, the whole flat was just paper and shelves, and a tiny spot for a bed. You could have made the pictures in this article in his flat as well (I didn't make any, it was too sad of an occasion).
My own books I keep giving away on the promise that whoever gets the book will read it and pass it on. That way they stay alive for a little bit longer. Some books I keep buying again just so I can have the pleasure of giving them away once more. Douglas Adams' hhgttg is probably the record holder.
over 1 mile of shelf, he wants 1.5mill£ for the whole estate, and he will stay on
10 GBP/book, perpetual storage space included. Sounds a good price, no? His worst fear resonates with me: if the collection is separated, all his collecting was basically a waste of time and effort. I share similar thoughts: how to avoid that the collection gets ripped apart upon my departure? How to ascertain continuity (if now growth, at least at the status quo level)? Where should bet books be located so as to max…
We collect because collecting is a hobby - it passes the time and provides enjoyment. 99% of collections have 0 intrinsic value. (Jay Leno's Garage aside.)
I collect Sci Fi books pre 1970. Their objective value is close to zero. Their literary value is zero. When I go they'll go to the recycling. That's fine. It was my hobby, not my sins.
Inheriting collections is not collecting. It's just stuff yo get rid of.
If there's anything valuable in your collection, sell it yourself before you die. Or put it in the "specials case". No one will sift your collection for wheat - it'll just all be thrown out or given away. Indeed that's a good outcome- some other collector will find a valuable tome in the charity shop for a few pennies.
I just went to Chruch street in Bengaluru which is full of bookshops like this (obviously not at this scale). Bookworm (a new gem I found) and all 3 Blossoms bookstore (famous in Bengaluru) shops is what I covered on my recent visit. Morning 11:30 till evening ~6:30 buying 19 books. And happy to report that it was really crowded as well.
The right book at the right time can often be transformative opening up your mind to new ideas/possibilities and leading to better knowledge and wisdom.
For example; reading Bergen Evans' The Natural History of Nonsense (https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.77094) from 1946, one of the earliest books on skepticism w.r.t. people's irrational beliefs/thinking/behaviour teaches you the importance of critical thinking for yourself which is arguably even more important today. A good review from Goodreads here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2099042654
Another good collection are the excellent science/mathematics books from the erstwhile USSR many of which are now available at https://mirtitles.org/ A subset of those titles are available in hard copy form from low cost publishers on Amazon India. Checkout for example B.N.Ivanov's Fundamentals of Physics (https://mirtitles.org/2018/04/21/fundamentals-of-physics-iva...) and Roman Podolny's Something Called Nothing: Physical Vacuum: What Is It? (https://mirtitles.org/2013/11/24/something-called-nothing-po...) both of which are interesting takes on aspects of Physics.
I can only imagine the feeling of visiting this bookshop. Hopefully these books will find a good home. I just went to Chruch street in Bengaluru which is full of bookshops like this (obviously not at this scale). Bookworm (a new gem I found) and all 3 Blossoms bookstore (famous in Bengaluru) shops is what I covered on my recent visit. Morning 11:30 till evening ~6:30 buying 19 books. And happy to report that it was r…
I just helped clean up the estate of an uncle of mine that died. He'd collected an absolutely massive amount of books during his lifetime. Besides that he played the violin and had collected an equally impressive amount of music books. I managed to save some of the rare works but I could find absolutely no takers for the bulk of the books, at any price or even for free. That generation is leaving behind an enormous a…
I just helped clean up the estate of an uncle of mine that died. He'd collected an absolutely massive amount of books during his lifetime. Besides that he played the violin and had collected an equally impressive amount of music books. I managed to save some of the rare works but I could find absolutely no takers for the bulk of the books, at any price or even for free. That generation is leaving behind an enormous a…
> "the housing company only gave us two weeks to vacate the place"
It's a very good idea for a collector to own a place to keep the stuff.
The British book collection mentioned in the article is housed in a former youth hostel in the countryside. That kind of place can be surprisingly affordable to buy... But of course it's the renovations and upkeep that truly test the collector's wallet and dedication.
Being a collector is an affliction. A huge house given over to his collection while he relegates himself to the groundskeepers cottage. A lifetime acquiring money to grow the collection. I hope selling it gives him some peace.
What a strange read on the situation. The man combined his hobby with his profession and is now retiring a millionaire. Best I can tell the guy must feel like he's had a rewarding, satisfying life so far.