Friends or a waste of time?

"Liz" wrote in message

> Murielle wrote:
>> This evening I had a little disagreement with a friend. He was urging me
>> to get rid of my books. I responded that I couldn't get rid of my books
>> because I like to reread them. At that point he informed me that he was
>> going to change that bad habit. LOL!
>>
>> It took a few minutes ... okay, several (that word, again!) minutes ...
>> before I was able to explain that my books are like my friends. I don't
>> talk to a friend once and then discard them. I talk to my friends as
>> often as I can because I love to talk with them, to learn about them.
>> And, to me, a book is a very good friend. (Well, one doesn't like
>> everyone one meets. Right?)
>>
>> Goodness! I can never tell him how many times I've reread The Stand.
>> )
>>
>> Murielle
> I hear people saying things like that and just don't understand the
> thought process. I have books that belonged to my grandmother and my
> mother too and have read most of them as well. I could get rid of a couple
> hundred I guess - they just aren't things that I'd read again, but many
> are treasures. Chances are that your friend collects something you don't
> understand. <shrug> It's what makes people so interesting - the
> differences. What amazes me is when people thing that those differences
> must be eradicated. How silly.
>
> Liz

I wouldn't say I collect books. I know book collectors, he's one, actually.
They tend to buy based on resale value or possible future value. I've only
bought one book like that in my life. I buy books I want to read, then I
fall in love with them, or with the author, in which case I will collect
his/her works, and can't part with them. Sometimes, especially with
non-fiction, or how-to books, they contain information I might want to refer
to in the future so I keep them for that purpose.

The books I don't like, or know I'll never return to, I move on out without
any hesitation. But they don't have much re-sale value. Generally, I put
them in the charity book exchange. So, I guess that means I'm not
necessarily a book horder, either. (Oh, and that strange sentence at the
end of the previous post refered to the books I do part with ... it's
dangerous when I post late at night. (g))

I buy new books when I really want one--try to catch them on sale,
though--but I also buy tons of used books and books from the exchange.
Sometimes reading a pre-owned book is really neat because the person who
read it might have left personal notes in the margins, or underlined
passages. It adds another dimension to the process for me.

I guess I'm more of a book-aholic. )

Murielle
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

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 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

"Snowman" wrote in message

> On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:46:44 GMT, "Murielle"
> sneaked
> in and said:
>
>>I guess I'm more of a book-aholic. )
>
> One of my life's biggest mistakes was selling my nearly complete SK
> collection when I was last moving to a sub-rental apt.
> Now I only have abt 2 yards of shelf space reserverd for The King
> (Only 15" for McCammon PBs -- haven't seen his latest ones here yet.)

I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?

I used to cull my books regularly, but haven't done a really thorough blitz
lately. Too many other cool things to do, I guess.

> Funny, BTW, I think I only have some 10-15 books in Finnish, all the
> others
> are in English.

All of my books are in English. (Blush) I watch CC on the French channels
sometimes, does that count? )

> One of the 'rarities' is Peter Straub's "Ghost Story" in Finnish.
> Would *love* to get it autographed ...
> (Wink, wink, Peter, if you happen to be reading

Does Peter still lurk? (Good luck with the autograph.)

Hugs,
Murielle

> &y
> (sirandy at HotPOP dot com)
> --
> You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

Murielle wrote:
>
> "Snowman" wrote in message
>
>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:46:44 GMT, "Murielle"
>> sneaked
>> in and said:
>>
>>>I guess I'm more of a book-aholic. )
>>
>> One of my life's biggest mistakes was selling my nearly complete SK
>> collection when I was last moving to a sub-rental apt.
>> Now I only have abt 2 yards of shelf space reserverd for The King
>> (Only 15" for McCammon PBs -- haven't seen his latest ones here yet.)
>
> I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?

You're missing a good one. Try Boys Life. If you want a book similar
to The Stand you can give Swan Song a whirl. The Wolf's Hour is also
very good, with an interesting take on werewolves.

> I used to cull my books regularly, but haven't done a really thorough
> blitz lately. Too many other cool things to do, I guess.

I did a major culling of my mass-market paperbacks a few years ago. I
realized that they were just taking up shelf space that I could put to
better use with unread books <g> I just can't bear to part with most
of my books, though.

>> Funny, BTW, I think I only have some 10-15 books in Finnish, all the
>> others
>> are in English.
>
> All of my books are in English. (Blush) I watch CC on the French
> channels sometimes, does that count? )

And when I was in Montreal in August I read the French bits on the
museum displays. Just don't ask me to speak it; I'm afraid of what I'd
say <g>

>> One of the 'rarities' is Peter Straub's "Ghost Story" in Finnish.
>> Would *love* to get it autographed ...
>> (Wink, wink, Peter, if you happen to be reading
>
> Does Peter still lurk? (Good luck with the autograph.)

Hope so. It was always fun to have him join in. I did manage to get to
a local signing of his, for his _Magic, Terror_ collection.

The Other Kim
kimagreenfieldatyahoodotcom
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

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 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

Snowman wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:33:10 GMT, "Murielle" sneaked
> in and said:
>
>> I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?
>
> Robert R. McCammon.
> Large repertoire, mostly dark stuff. I was originally hooked in him by
> Kim's kind offer of 'Boy's Life'.
> See Kimmer's suggestions in the other post, and add 'Stinger' to the list.
> It's something 'Tommyknockers' would've been like if SK had been sober
> while writing it <g>
>
> But forget 'Mine', if you have kids ...
> The first chapter made me almost puke.
>
> 'They Thirst' is a very decent vampyre story, though.
> 'Gone South' is quite far from a normal horror story.
>
> &y
> (sirandy at HotPOP dot com)

Gone South is my least favorite of his. I'd say Boy's Life is the best
but the other suggestions are all fine too. Great stuff, usually only
available in used bookstores.

Liz
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

"Liz" wrote in message

> Snowman wrote:
> > On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:33:10 GMT, "Murielle"
sneaked
> > in and said:
> >
> >> I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?
> >
> > Robert R. McCammon.
> > Large repertoire, mostly dark stuff. I was originally hooked in him by
> > Kim's kind offer of 'Boy's Life'.
> > See Kimmer's suggestions in the other post, and add 'Stinger' to the
list.
> > It's something 'Tommyknockers' would've been like if SK had been sober
> > while writing it <g>
> >
> > But forget 'Mine', if you have kids ...
> > The first chapter made me almost puke.
> >
> > 'They Thirst' is a very decent vampyre story, though.
> > 'Gone South' is quite far from a normal horror story.
> >
> > &y
> > (sirandy at HotPOP dot com)
>
> Gone South is my least favorite of his. I'd say Boy's Life is the best
> but the other suggestions are all fine too. Great stuff, usually only
> available in used bookstores.

His last two books, Speaks the Nightbird and the current Queen of Bedlam,
are historical novels set in the American colonies, part of a series
featuring an ongoing character. In the first, he investigates a case of
witchcraft, and in the next he becomes a real detective and hunts down a
serial killer. Wonderfully detailed stories.
--
Bev Vincent
www.BevVincent.com
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

I have books that stuck with me for many years that I am starting to reread.
As I do, I post on the newsgroup for some discussion. Are these books my
freinds? All things considered, these books have traveled around the world
and back with me (literaly) and kept me very entertained while bullets
zinged by me. So, yeah, they are my freinds..why not?

"Murielle" wrote in message

> This evening I had a little disagreement with a friend. He was urging me
> to get rid of my books. I responded that I couldn't get rid of my books
> because I like to reread them. At that point he informed me that he was
> going to change that bad habit. LOL!
>
> It took a few minutes ... okay, several (that word, again!) minutes ...
> before I was able to explain that my books are like my friends. I don't
> talk to a friend once and then discard them. I talk to my friends as
> often as I can because I love to talk with them, to learn about them.
> And, to me, a book is a very good friend. (Well, one doesn't like
> everyone one meets. Right?)
>
> Goodness! I can never tell him how many times I've reread The Stand.
> )
>
> Murielle
>
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

"Bev Vincent" wrote in message

>
> "Liz" wrote in message
>
>> Snowman wrote:
>> > On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:33:10 GMT, "Murielle"
> sneaked
>> > in and said:
>> >
>> >> I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?
>> >
>> > Robert R. McCammon.
>> > Large repertoire, mostly dark stuff. I was originally hooked in him by
>> > Kim's kind offer of 'Boy's Life'.
>> > See Kimmer's suggestions in the other post, and add 'Stinger' to the
> list.
>> > It's something 'Tommyknockers' would've been like if SK had been sober
>> > while writing it <g>
>> >
>> > But forget 'Mine', if you have kids ...
>> > The first chapter made me almost puke.
>> >
>> > 'They Thirst' is a very decent vampyre story, though.
>> > 'Gone South' is quite far from a normal horror story.
>> >
>> > &y
>> > (sirandy at HotPOP dot com)
>>
>> Gone South is my least favorite of his. I'd say Boy's Life is the best
>> but the other suggestions are all fine too. Great stuff, usually only
>> available in used bookstores.
>
> His last two books, Speaks the Nightbird and the current Queen of Bedlam,
> are historical novels set in the American colonies, part of a series
> featuring an ongoing character. In the first, he investigates a case of
> witchcraft, and in the next he becomes a real detective and hunts down a
> serial killer. Wonderfully detailed stories.
> --
> Bev Vincent
> www.BevVincent.com

Thank you all for the suggestions on McCammon. I'll keep his name in mind
next time I'm checking out books ... which is usually about once a month or
so. )

Murielle
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

"Rob" wrote in message

>I have books that stuck with me for many years that I am starting to
>reread. As I do, I post on the newsgroup for some discussion. Are these
>books my freinds? All things considered, these books have traveled around
>the world and back with me (literaly) and kept me very entertained while
>bullets zinged by me. So, yeah, they are my freinds..why not?

Yup. We readers understand.

Murielle

> "Murielle" wrote in message
>
>> This evening I had a little disagreement with a friend. He was urging me
>> to get rid of my books. I responded that I couldn't get rid of my books
>> because I like to reread them. At that point he informed me that he was
>> going to change that bad habit. LOL!
>>
>> It took a few minutes ... okay, several (that word, again!) minutes ...
>> before I was able to explain that my books are like my friends. I don't
>> talk to a friend once and then discard them. I talk to my friends as
>> often as I can because I love to talk with them, to learn about them.
>> And, to me, a book is a very good friend. (Well, one doesn't like
>> everyone one meets. Right?)
>>
>> Goodness! I can never tell him how many times I've reread The Stand.
>> )
>>
>> Murielle
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:51:21 GMT Murielle QWERTY'd the following:
>This evening I had a little disagreement with a friend. He was urging me to
>get rid of my books. I responded that I couldn't get rid of my books
>because I like to reread them. At that point he informed me that he was
>going to change that bad habit. LOL!
>
>It took a few minutes ... okay, several (that word, again!) minutes ...
>before I was able to explain that my books are like my friends. I don't
>talk to a friend once and then discard them. I talk to my friends as often
>as I can because I love to talk with them, to learn about them. And, to me,
>a book is a very good friend. (Well, one doesn't like everyone one meets.
>Right?)
>
>Goodness! I can never tell him how many times I've reread The Stand. )

So introduce him to your other friends instead...the people that UNDERSTAND why
you refuse to "throw out" your books. Somebody, somewhere must have the words
that will help him understand your POV.

Tossed out,
Wojo

--
http://www.wojo.da.ru
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:33:10 GMT Murielle QWERTY'd the following:
>>>I guess I'm more of a book-aholic. )
>>
>> One of my life's biggest mistakes was selling my nearly complete SK
>> collection when I was last moving to a sub-rental apt.
>> Now I only have abt 2 yards of shelf space reserverd for The King
>> (Only 15" for McCammon PBs -- haven't seen his latest ones here yet.)
>
>I've never read McCammon, that I know of. What's he/she like?

Everything that Stephen does well, so does McGammon...the he/she should have
been answered by the "Robert" part.....

Wojo
--
http://www.wojo.da.ru
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time? 

> Thank you all for the suggestions on McCammon. I'll keep his name in mind
> next time I'm checking out books ... which is usually about once a month or
> so. )
>
You can also find several McCammon short stories online (for free) at
his website:

http://www.robertmccammon.com/

Hunter
 >> Stay informed about: Friends or a waste of time?