The title of this post comes from a terribly tragic re-enactment of me attempting to lift my suitcase, after having a trial packing run. *If I had more room, this post would have been titled "Exactly how many books can one cram into a suitcase when moving overseas in (holyshit) 38 days?" As you can imagine, it's not going real well.
I always thought that selecting what clothes to take would be the hardest part of the packing process. Ha! If only it were that easy. Add shoes, bags, dvds & teaching resources to the mix, and you've got yourself a very frazzled young woman.
That brings me to the book situation. I'm a reader. I've always been a reader. I'll always be a reader. That's just how I roll. I'm also an extremely fast reader, so my book collection is very well-worn. Once I find a book or series that I love, I can read them over and over. Besides the wall to wall bookshelf downstairs, there is a cupboard in my room that is/was half filled with books, especially the ones that I hold dearest to me. Realising that I couldn't actually fit all of them into twelve suitcases, let alone one with a 20kg limit, was a very sad time for me.
So then came the hardest part: What book(s) do I take? I adore the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, but seven heavy books? Errrrrr. Same goes for poor Harry. (I don't know how I'm going to cope without him.) I've decided to squish three books into my packing somehow. Only three. 3 (!) Yipes. (No, I haven't made the final cut yet. I'll get there!) That leads nicely into today's question.
This one is from Noelle, who you should pay a visit to because not only did she break bones this month? She's also continued with NaBloPoMo. That's dedication, right there. Noelle asked me: "What is your favorite book?"
I'm going to cheat, of course. I can't just pick one. These are some favourites;
# The entire Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon, particularly book two: Dragonfly in Amber. I'm not joking when I say that I've read this book so much, that entire pages are now falling out of it. I love Scottish history. I love romance stories that make your toes curl with glee. And I love Jamie Fraser. And Roger Mac.
# Anything by Australian author Matthew Reilly: Ice Station, Temple, Seven Ancient Wonders are my favourites, though. He's so talented.
#Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. I don't know where I found this book, but I know it's one I am always strangely drawn to.
#The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. She is a wonderful writer, and I would recommend her books to anybody.
#The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: It's a long, sometimes drawn-out novel, but it will suck you in and keep you hooked.
#Angels & Demons by Dan Brown: Better than the Da Vinci Code.
#The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: I find this story fascinating.
No more book purchases for me for a while, not a one. Not even the new Paullina Simons book that has just been released. Sigh. I think it's therefore appropriate that we all take a moment to think about my poor, lonely books that are being left behind, that are no doubt already anxiously awaiting my return to Australian soil.
Edit: I know I'm not moving to the middle of Antarctica where there are no handy-dandy bookstores or libraries around, but I'm going to miss my books. Am strange like that. (And also, we all know how I need to whinge about something!)
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25 comments:
I have much love for Jamie Fraser, too.
And I really enjoyed The Historian!
The Historian and The Time Traveller’s Wife are a couple of my favorites too!
I love The Time Traveller's Wife, one of my top 5 books ever. And omg, books are so freaking heavy. Any way you can have them shipped?
Finally, a person who appreciates a good toe-curling romance! I am the Queen of Romance Novels!
May I also suggest Mary Balogh? I adore hers.
And I liked DaVinci better than Angels.
Where exactly are you moving to that they don't have libraries and bookstores?
1) I think they have bookstores in London. And possibly even librarys. :)
2) Can't you ship a box of books? Would that be easier?
3) The Time Traveller's Wife is one of my all-time favorites. You know they are making it into a movie, right? So excited for that!
Oh I love The Time Traveller's Wife. What a neat book. But sweety you do realize they sell books in the UK as well, right? LOL
I love reading too so I feel your pain :)
angels and demons was WAY better than Da Vinci code - AGREED! ;)
I think that here and now, you should start finding new homes for the books you love. Despite the fact that it is my business to sell books, I'm approving you to give those puppies away! That's what's so great about a book, you can share it, one size fits all! Leave 'em at old folks homes, laundromats, and hospitals (because I have first hand experience at there being exactly ZERO books to read in there whilst I was laid up.) Share the love, but do pick out a handful that you cannot do without (or first editions that may be worth money,) and remember that the library will be there for you if you just have to pick up The Time Traveller's Wife again. (I know that I do!)
Thanks for the shout-out!
I just finished Angels and Demons and loved it. Now I want to visit Rome so that I can explore all of the churches that were mentioned! I love books too, so I can understand why you're going to miss you're books. Maybe you can convince some friends and families to mail you one or two of your books every couple of weeks? Sort of like a "Books Alyndabear adores and must have" carepackage?
I've only read Angels and Demons from your list. I loved it though!
I posted a list of books a couple days ago that I recommend. Wait until you move though to read it so you don't go buying anymore books to pack!
Maybe you should treat yourself to a couple of new audiobooks? They take up far less space!
I adore Angels & Demons too. I heard they were gonna do it in movie-form. Hope it doesn't stink. I totally understand your book fetish. My mom once said to me "you know there is such a thing as a library". My response: "EW! Used books? I have to have MY OWN!" (I am sort of a book snob too.)
By the way, I have been stuck at about 2/3 of the way through The Historian for several months. Is the end worth sticking with it?
Maybe you can have your family ship you the books you miss most once you get there?
38 days? Holy shit, indeed!
Oooh! All good suggestions... I need to add these to my list!
BTW, I tagged you for a meme... stop by my blog to check it out!
oooooooooh- a chance to build a NEW book collection! Bring your can't live without, REALLY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT books, but then slowly build a new collection, and as you finish them you can send them home for someone else to enjoy, and when you get home it will already be there waiting for you. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH BOOKS!
I'm also a "book person." I have them EVERYWHERE. Stuffed in over-filled shelves, stacked in closets, shoved in under-the-bed storage containers ... and the list goes on.
Good luck in making your "final cut." :)
What?! You are leaving home without Harry Potter? Nooo....
I read "The Time Traveller's Wife" in one night. I just couldn't put it down!
Wow, you are just like a traveling library.
Yes we have libraries in London they aren’t as good as they used to be but we do have loads of book shops, including second hand books shops and Amazon do deliver here along with eBay. Plus have you considered having some of your must haves on PDF until you can buy them again if you must, I know it’s not the same as the book feel, I get the texture thing I really do but it would save on space and weight not to mention the price of shipping!!! And you may want to add new favourite to the old when you go back home think of all those new books your gonna want to take back with you and you may have to leave old favs behind here in England! Better to leave them in Oz now and not have to choose later! Just a thought! Seeya hugya*G*
I adored Angels and Demons. And I'm the same way with books, I love them and I love owning a collection. I have an entire (almost ceiling height) booksheld filled with books.
Mine favourite was really hard to read, but worth it.
White Oleander, by Janet Fitch. It took me about six months to read, and I had to keep a dictionary next to me whenever I picked it up. That's really the only deep-ish book I like. I prefer to read things I don't have to think about.
You will be glad to know that books are actually much cheaper in the UK (once you are earning pounds) so I highly recommend shipping some stuff home once you have read them!
Ship a box... if you do it buy sea, it will be even cheaper. Might take a few months, but your books will be on their way to you.
I hate having to decide what to bring with me when I go away for the weekend, what I can do without. 2 years without my things... eep.
Yeah, I can see why a library of books wouldn't make their way onto your "must pack" list. It's unfortunate, though, especially since you like re-reading your books so much (I'm not as attached to mine because I'm more of a "read it once, go on to something else" kind of gal). :)
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