I am talking about books (fiction/non-fiction), no graphic novels/manga. I've been an avid reader for the last two years or so and always borrow books in the library, but I don't collect them, even the books that I have thoroughly enjoyed, I just don't find the "replay"value. I only have 2-3 leadership/bio non-fiction books that I bought, but that's it. For fiction, i'm currently in the mystery, thriller, action type with author as James Patterson (his three cheesy romances books too), James Rollins, Daniel Silva, Stieg Larsson. I just finished reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson and loved the whole trilogy, but cannot see myself re-reading it, hence not buying it.

So for those of you who do collect books, what's your reason? What makes you decide to "keep/buy" one for the bookshelf?

Just to add, only books that you read for pleasure, not some required/mandatory reading.


Last edited by makoz at 8:03 pm, Jun 18 2010

i used to, because my library is shitty and they never have the books i want.but now i dont because theres nothing good to read anymore.
but i bought them if the cover was nice to look at, and if i really liked the story and couldnt be bothered to run over to the library to borrow it if they had it.
edit: but you know, you need to support the authors by buying their books, even if you're only one person.

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[img][/img] A senpai tried to violate me after hearing about my transfer. BUT I RAPED HIM INSTEAD.

YES! I have over 300 books. <3 I love them so. They're like old friends... and every single one of them is a real book. Ebooks just can't compare to the smell/feel of real books.

I buy books whenever I like them; if I enjoy something, there is a 100% chance I'll reread it at least twice. I've read some of the books on my shelf well over 40 times, and I still reread them on occasion.

My favorite sub-genre is undoubtedly "epics". Most of my favorite books are either Epic fantasy or Epic sci-fi. Of course, I'm not above plain old fiction ; The Jungle is one of my favorite books. I read non fiction occasionally... but I don't own a single non-fiction book. XD

Ender's Shadow, Dune, Wizard's First Rule, Watership Down, The Eye of the World, and The Clan of the Cave Bear are just a few of my favorites.

The only real problem is I'm running out of space to put them... I need to buy more bookshelves!

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Yes. I even buy multiple copies of books sometimes (obviously not all at once), because I like the different formats/covers. I'm a regular at used bookstores. You never know what you will find. Actually, I was just in Columbus last week and I went to this place. They have 32 rooms of books and I spend hours there. It's the most amazing bookstore I've ever been to.

@zombiefetishlove: agree on buying to support the author, though most of the ones I read are quite popular already.

@dragonfiremule: Wow, must have a nice bookshelf. Yep, ebooks don't compare. I like them when traveling abroad though to avoid those "expensive" luggage fees and having 5-10 ebooks with me.

@masamiakane: 32 rooms, sounds like a maze, my 2-story B&N pales in comparison haha.

most of the "fiction" books I own were on sale or I guess..couldn't wait to read. Shakespeare....had to buy for english courses.
The nonfiction books I bought because I had an interest in it/had good information?
Not really a huge collection, but I think some of the books I can still re-read and enjoy.
I never buy hardcovers though, too expensive.

Now its mainly going to the library to get books.

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Go mangaka.

I have shelves of books as well as boxes of books in my room and i keep at least 10 boxes in storage in my attic, i also filled my closet with books a well as made myself a nightstand outa boxes of books... I read alot... I also work at my local library and lift alot books outta there cus they throw alot out cus they get so many book donations, but i read literally everything so i got a random assortment of stuff

I do! a whole bookshelf of them!
The non-fiction ones consist of books on psychology and human behaviors. (I find that interesting.) I do have some fiction novels from that Goosebumps series, and old novels from the 80-90's. Even if I didn't like a book, I took my time to read every single one of them. I quite like the atmosphere of old novels. :3

Yes, I have a bookshelf full of books. But I usually don't buy books after I've read them; most of my books are from birthday presents and from when I couldn't wait long enough until the library could get certain newly released books.

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Lalala~

I'm too lazy to count (I hate math...argh...counting...) so I'll just list them.
But in short: Yes, I have a decent amount of novels, there're a lot that I haven't gotten around to, yet. But here they are. *=omnibus edition

Salem's Lot, by Stephen King (Haven't read it yet <3. But I will, Trust Me.)
Incarceron, Katherine Fisher (read)
Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld (current/haitus)
PEEPS, Scott Westerfeld (read/rereading)
THE LAST DAYS, Scott Westerfeld (read)
SO YESTERDAY, Scott Westerfeld (read)
Love is Hell, Scott Westerfeld + various other authors (read only S.W.'s short)
MIDNIGHTERS: Trilogy - The Secret Hour, Touching Darkness, Blue Noon; Scott Westerfeld (all read)
UGLIES, PRETTIES, SPECIALS, EXTRAS, Scott Westerfeld (not read yet, at all.)
The FALLEN*, Thomas Sniegoski (current/haitus)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1~4 (read all)
Vampire Kisses, by Ellen Schreiber 1~6 (read), 7 (current/haitus)
Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr (read)
Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr (read)
Fragile Eternity, by Melissa Marr (definite haitus...the characters are bugging the crap outta me XD)
Radiant Shadows, by Melissa Marr (not read yet.)
That Summer, Sarah Dessen (read)
Someone Like You, Sarah Dessen (read)
Keeping the Moon, Sarah Dessen (read)
dreamland, Sarah Dessen (read)
this lullaby, Sarah Dessen (read)
Just Listen [hardcover + paperback], Sarah Dessen (read many many many times)
lock and key [hardcover + paperback], Sarah Dessen (read)
along for the ride, Sarah Dessen (read)
The Night of the Solstice, LJ Smith (not read yet)
Heart of Valor, LJ Smith (not read yet)
The Secret Circle*, LJ Smith (definite haitus)
The Secret Circle 2*, LJ Smith (not read yet)
The Vampire Diaries*, LJ Smith (read)
The Vampire Diaries 2*, LJ Smith (read)
The Vampire Diaries: The Return, LJ Smith (definite haitus)
The Vampire Diaries: The Return 2, LJ Smith (not read yet)
dark visions*, LJ Smith (current/haitus)
The Forbidden Game*, LJ Smith (current)
NIGHT WORLD 1*, LJ Smith (read)
NIGHT WORLD 2*, LJ Smith (read)
NIGHT WORLD 3*, LJ Smith (read)
evermore, Alyson Noel (read)
blue moon, Alyson Noel (definite haitus)
shadowland, Alyson Noel (not read yet)
Saving Zoe, Alyson Noel (read)
Cruel Summer, Alyson Noel (not read yet)
The Silver Kiss, Annette C. Klaus (not read yet)
Blood and Chocolate, Annette C. Klaus (definite haitus)
Keeper of the Winds, Jenna Solitaire (read)
Keeper of the Waters, Jenna Solitaire (read)
Keeper of the Flames, Jenna Solitaire (read)
Keeper of the Earth, Jenna Solitaire (read--why did you have to disappear off the face of the planet and leave your readers with a complete and total cliffhanger--WHYYY??)
The 4400: Wet Work, -can't remember their names- (not read yet)
Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones (not read yet)
-A whole load of Sherrilyn Kenyon books, and I've only read two of them--One Silent Night, and Night Play...kind of smutty, but they're a good read...I guess.
Kiss Me, Kill Me, Lauren Henderson (read. OMG. OMG. Friggin' awesome.)
Kisses and Lies, Lauren Henderson (haitus--won't finish it until I find and buy the latest installment--Kiss in the Dark--WHY CAN'T I FIND YOU?!)
The Summoning, Kelley Armstrong (not read)
The Awakening, Kelley Armstrong (not read)
Sweetblood, Pete Hautman (read--man, I loved this book when I was in junior high XD)
(a few Maximum Ride books...which I'm not even going to bother to mention cause I haven't read them yet...at all...)
-snippet-
FALLEN, Lauren Kate (DROPPED. I couldn't get past page 384--it was too terrible, I'm surprised I even got THAT far.)
[I also have the Twilight "Saga" but I keep it locked away in my closet because even looking at their covers gives me a headache, same with the House of Night and the Blue Blood's series -- WHY DID I BUY THESE!?]

There're a couple of others, but I'm not going to bother to mention them XD.

I effectively have a small library of my own- there's nothing in my apartment but books, a computer, and basic necessities (clothing, cooking utensils, etc.).

Last I took inventory, my Japan contingent had around 350, but I have several hundred more (probably around 500-600) in boxes back in the states. A lot of these are omnibus editions of some sort of another- I'm a bit weak against folktales and well-written short stories, plus I'm big on the classics, so there are a lot of those sort of collections as well. My favorites change all the time- I've a big fan of Calvino, Dostoevsky, and Borges, mostly, but other names often worm their way onto the list.

My nonfiction collection is notably smaller, mostly stuff I use for research- random ethnographies and things of that order, political theory, biographies of a few authors and a few history books.

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Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

yes... im starting now!!! oooohhhh... theres just something magical about books... *sigh*

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The sweeter the apple, the higher the branch. The quieter the fart, the nastier the smell.
GUESS WHO??

Yes, it is mostly my parents' books. Classics, mostly. I like to dig in there from time to time. I buy mostly used books - cheaper and I kinda lost hope in contemporary mainstream literature.

Yes, although it's not really a collection. I mean, they're all over the place

I have some in my old room, and some just sitting in my current room gathering dust waiting to be read. I have lots of books though. I used to read a lot when I was younger, not so much now. After these goddamn exams are over I'll probably start reading the ones that have been sitting in my room for a while.

Historical novels are a personal favourite. I always did have a soft spot for history, especially the Tudors.

I've got a lot of books, a few hundreds, probably. Most of them used to belong to my parents, grandparents, some friends who didn't need them (I mean the books). Some of them are interesting, but most of them are of no use for me, however I can't sell them (nobody would buy them) or throw them away (throwing away books is... unbelievable for me) so they just stand on shelves.
I also have around 100 books I bought myself, mostly fantasy. That's not much compared to how much I read, but I usually buy books I had already read, for example in a library. This way I don't spend money on bad books