As a lover of books, I am familiar with the Japanese word “tsundoku”. It refers to letting books pile up on your bookshelf - unread. In fact, it even has its own Wikipedia entry: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku#:~:text=Tsundoku%20(積ん読)%20is%20the,they%20are%20on%20a%20bookshelf.&text=The%20term%20originated%20in%20the,–1912)%20as%20Japanese%20slang.
I’m guilty of this phenomenon, especially when I travel overseas. I like to buy books by local authors. The thing is, when I return home, the enthusiasm I have for broadening my cultural versatility often dissipates into thin air. Hence, I’m a supporter of Tsundoku.
Recently, I read about this emerging trend among book connoisseurs: bookshelf wealth. It means to strategically cultivate a sophisticated image of yourself by displaying books in eye-catching Instagrammable ways. You know, so chic that it hurts (and makes your TikTok video go viral).
I guess it’s kinda sad that people buy books these days, not so much to read them, but to mould a particular image of themselves. But I guess it’s not my job to tell people how they should spend their money haha. I’m just amazed that this trend has taken root because I’m all about decluttering books to make space for the ones that I really, really love. Gathering books to spark joy sounds counter-intuitive to me.
Anyway, if you are into bookshelf wealth, flaunt your bookshelves below!
50% of the zaps go toward @siggy47 to partly fund the next writing contest!
No. I have little space so limit the number of books I physically own. If I read a book (and especially if I like it) I make a note of it and then pass it on to someone else. If bookshelf space is at a premium people can let the rather large bookshop or online warehouse look after it…. cheaper to buy it back secondhand than by having to dust it, store it etc etc.
However, my e-reader is full of stuff I won’t get round to and it’s difficult to browse what to read on a tablet. It was a similar problem when music went digital (yes, I’m that old) since humans don’t browse lists the same way aa items or thumbnails.
During the lockdown unpleasantness there was a booming trade in renting bookshelves of classic texts as a backdrop for Zoom calls….
I remember when I first started practicing law I bought the statute books I needed for my state from a retiring lawyer. Fast forward 20 years, and everything of course went online. I assumed my books were valueless. They're not. They are really nice old leather bound volumes. Now that I'm retiring I'm looking into selling them. They're worth more than I imagined.
I once emptied a dumpster, with permission, as fast as it was being filled with old Encyclopaedias from an office clearance and I then listed them online. Never underestimate the value of books and even old knowledge. And beautiful well bound books are like furniture.
I just love stories like this. How people from different backgrounds go through different things, yet come to the same conclusion about life. Beautiful old books are valuable in many ways. Thanks both for sharing 😍
Well I listened to cassette tapes in my schooling years too. I think we must be of similar age haha.
That’s a nice thing you’re doing - pass on books after you read them. Your friends must be gratified that you are thinking of them. I try to do that sometimes but mostly I donate them to the recycling machine for petty cents haha
I'm borderline on this. I tend to read the books I have, and certainly don't care to project an artificially inflated appearance of sophistication, but when I encounter free books I tend to grab anything I might read. The result is many unread books that are fairly sophisticated (mostly acquired during grad school).
Glad that you are as “cheap” as me haha.
I have a habit of grabbing books for free from the book exchange corners outside the libraries haha
I used to scour the discard piles at the library. When I got married my wife made it clear she didn't want the house overrun with books. She reads a lot too. We now both use kindles.
I lost my kindle.
Similar situation over here
Thanks for the forward! One of my friends does this, but in more of a hoarding than fancy instagram photo -op way. We call his apartment the largest library of unread books in the world.
I will be great friends with your friend
Recently, I took the initiative to at least arrange my unread books in terms of height - evokes a less cluttered feeling haha
You need to burrow through a small opening between piles of books to get to the bathroom. There are plenty in there too.
That’s a fire hazard if I know one
I gave up on this , bookshelf vanity
Best to keep life uncomplicated haha
No.
Neither Tsundoku (I try very hard to read all the books I bought, sometimes I self-impose buying restrictions until I read all the ones I previously bought). Neither I'm into "bookshelf wealth" (no pictures and no bookshelf behind my video calls).
Nevertheless, I do "like" my bookshelf and looking at my books. It is a weird thing.
What’s your particular methodology of organising your books? By colour? By author? By themes?
By theme. However the current state is very far from the desired one. I have to take a couple of hours in a given weekend to fix that. I've been postponing it for a long time.
I'm the opposite. I'm selective with what I read, and I read a little every day so that even if I'm maybe reading 5-6 books at once I get through them all eventually. Some get under my skin and I'll do nothing else but read them until I'm done. And I frequently purge my read books to get rid of anything pretentious or cringe. I try to keep it so only the absolute classics that still influence me and I still respect survive. I'm pretty sure my book shelf will end up getting me cancelled /arrested so I certainly don't go out of my way to have it in frame on Zoom calls.
You are very disciplined with your reading
I regularly stop reading books half-way haha
So what are examples of classics that have occupied a valuable space on your bookshelf all these years?
Gladly ignorant of this image-based book buying, I'm all too happy to add even more to these stacks.
I agree. Books should primarily feed our minds and souls
I used to do that until I started going to @PlebLab. Then I started just donating to the bookshelf there after realizing that some like minded people would actually read them and discuss them with me IRL.
I always knew that Texas is a BTC mining hub but knowing that @PlebLab is situated in Texas makes it more real for me. I wanna visit Texas for a learning journey someday!
It's becoming a dev hub too. Door is always open.
Would having 700 books qualify? Is there a way to sell books here? Or is there an online platform that uses crypto? Kinda new to this world.
Have you checked out the ~AGORA marketplace territory? I’m sure @mo and @AG will love to orientate you to the art of selling!
Thank you!
You can advertise and sell anything in the ~AGORA P2P marketplace. I'd suggest reading this (nearly obsolete) guide here, and check digital book examples like this from @Natalia and this we recently republish/promote
Thank you!
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