The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Floss

And if push comes to shove they could be burnt... although my librarian parents would be incandescent at the thought!

VJsmum

MingVase said:

Books are an important part of Prepping though - I read of all these people using Cloud or Kindles etc but what if the elect is off? The internet is off? Books are safer to have 

I have both - 'proper' books as well as a Kindle account.  Having a book on my phone has saved many a train delay or long dull journey.  A charged kindle will last weeks so i guess keeping it charged is one form of prepping   Also, having a phone / kindle with books means i don't have to carry them on my hols.

I do love a 'proper' book though and tend to choose to read those at home.  Also i wouldn't read my phone / kindle in the bath!

mothernerd

Floss said:

And if push comes to shove they could be burnt... although my librarian parents would be incandescent at the thought!

They'd have to be really horrible books. Unsold Mills and Boon Books are used to make substrata for roads and motorway toll booths. I have serious reservations about the art of 'book folding'. Some of the creations are absolutely gorgeous but some are so mundane and mediocre and destroying books is just 'wrong'. I don't understand people who don't read. I think for many the 'idiot box' has replaced them, or perhaps they worship it like an altar, taking up most of the wall in what should be the heart of the home and a place to gather family together.

[Deleted User]

Life without books would be very bleak, when the world is a bit heavy to deal with the biggest relax I find is to 'go away' inside a good story in a book, either a new one for the adventure or a well loved favourite for the comfort of knowing there's going to be a happy ending and your favourite characters live to fight another day.  Favourite book of all time for me is The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill, not a fiction work but a year of country village everyday life for her and her family.  It's the most pleasant get away place I can think of that isn't 1500's Glasgow,  the planet Pern, Regency England or the Discworld (how's that for eclectic?).  The other thing that gives me space to 'go away' from the world is my cookery books and my prepping/wartime shelf.  I can plan menu's with what I have, plan for things out of my control as much as anyone can and count myself lucky that although we're having to deal with a pandemic I don't have to struggle through on rations...all of which cheer me up!

DigForVictory

We're a multi kindle family, and almost every gadget that can run the app, has it, with at least 20 titles stashed. My family de-tackle me before I am required to cook, as otherwise I'm wandering off around other places & planets & times & Not Paying Attention... 

-taff

@boazu I could probably beat you for eclectic reading material. That was actually the word used on one of my school reports in primary school.I agitated for months to get an adult library card because all the children books were either  boring or I'd read them all. When I finally did get one, one of the teachers used to quiz me on the books I'd read to check I was actually reading them. I must admit though sci fi and sci fi fantasy are my loves. This also translates into movies so anything involving action and aliens always has my vote. I used to buy second hand ones occasionally form a market stall and got to chatting with the owner. This stall also bought books back and while we chatting she told me that she could pretty much tell who was going to bring books back but that no one who bought sci fi ever brought them back. Judging by my bookshelves [ when they're finally up] I concur.

greenbee

Floss said:

And if push comes to shove they could be burnt... although my librarian parents would be incandescent at the thought!

Accountancy text books, tax law... there's a LONG list of burnable books out there

Floss

I think with sci-fi, fantasy et al, when you go back to them you can generally find something that you missed in the first read.

I was reading one of my primary school reports the other day from third year juniors (so age 10 and a bit) & it said I had a very extensive range of reading with high reading age & excellent vocabulary. I think it was around when I was reading my brothers' Biggles & Jennings books, along with the William stories, Chalet School series, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women & the occasional Agatha Christie. I blame my parents!

annieb64

Chalet school books are quite collectable now if you still have any.

VJsmum

I'm a big fan of chazzers for books - they don't cost much so it doesn't matter if you don't like it.  i often ask people to go to a chazzer and select me some books as my birthday or christmas present, yet people are strangely reluctant to do so.  Yet you can just take it back and call it a donation if it's not for you, you can read in the bath and it doesn't matter if you drop it when you doze off (ask me how i know ), leave it in the appropriate place in a hotel on holiday once you've read it. i've even been known to rip out the pages i've read and bin them so i have less to carry somewhere .  I don't particularly hold with the idea that 'all books are sacred' - if you want to draw in them do it, underline bits, fold corners over, break the backs to make it easier to read do it - i've no problem.  It's just paper and if you ruin one by mistake, you can generally get another.