I'm doing this slow weeding out of my books. I realize I don't want to make any more room in my crowded house, which means making a little room on shelves I already have. This process is interesting. I pick up a book, try to decide: if I have already read it, if I have will I reread it, or am I no longer interested in this subject or author. I've found and read some books this way that I didn't no I possessed and looked completely unfamiliar to me. I read two such this week, and happily, am saving them for my daughter-in-law, who I know will enjoy them as well. A lot of the "weeds" go to a charity for dogs and cats. Some have notes in them from my brother, who used to send me books. I'm reading the notes, but not necessarily keeping the books, as I haven't seen him in twelve years and he really has no idea what I enjoy reading.
For now, I know I want to keep collections: Feminist lit, African American authors, Hispanic authors, Asian authors, Reading theory, Buddhist texts, Native American books. I also have collections of Virginia Woolf, Gertrude Stein, Willa Cather, Edith Wharton, Margaret Drabble, AS Byatt and others. I keep Joyce Carol Oates, Laurie Colwin, Fay Weldon, Margaret Atwood and others who were so influential to me at one time. But my biggest collection is art books, and those are expanding a bit. I know my husband loves looking at them, and all four of my kids have a strong interest in these books.
But gradually, it may be that I give up other books that have meant a lot to me, and my favorite mysteries, and some self help books and health books. I only need the aging books now. And parenting books are ready to be passed on. This whole process involves a letting go of dreams and other stages of life, and sharing what I treasure. One day at a time, I am saying goodbye to my former selves and embracing what is so right now.
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