Pretentious? Moi?

The great clear out continues apace. So much media, so little time. This time around I turned my attention to the books I've gather during times past. It's an easier task for me, fortunately - for some reason I don't feel the same emotional attachment to books that I do to cd's. Perhaps it comes from spending too much time in the library as a youth (I spent a lot of time in the library - it was my sanctuary during school holidays). I developed the viewpoint that books are there for everyone, to be shared and passed on, not hoarded. Those books I've most enjoyed I have no hesitation in giving to someone else. It seems a shame to leave them gathering dust on a shelf where they can do no good for anyone.

That said, I've still kept about half of my books. I do find some comfort in having lots of books on my bookshelves, quite possibly in a "look at me - I've read lots of books, I'm worldly" sort of way. And if I'm honest, those I've kept can be divided into two distinct categories. The largest of these contains those books I've read, enjoyed and which I intend to sit down with again at some point in the future. However, the other section is something of a guilty secret, in which you will find several books generally deemed "worthy" by the lit crit crowd, but which I really didn't appeal to me. I keep them simply as proof I've read them. I mean, quite honestly, I thought Don Quixote was a potentially appealing tale, and it may well be if you can wade through dense, dull and convoluted prose which constituted the translation I read - slogged through even (look, I studied computer science, not English - feel free to jump in and defend Cervantes. I won't stop you). I may not have particularly enjoyed reading it, but I did and I'm damn well going to let people know about it! Hence it shall remain on my bookshelf for now and evermore.

Of course, if I continue giving away all the titles I've taken particular delight in I could conceivably end up in a situation where my bookshelves contain nothing but the books I've disliked. I may need to rethink that plan...