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Owning books and reading them are two very different things.
That works both ways. We got rid of a large number of books a few years back because we realized that we weren't going to read most of them again and they were just taking up space. Of the books we do have remaining though there are more than a few that were received as gifts or whatever and sit there unread because we aren't that interested in them but keep them around just in case.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I have never even been in most neighbors homes, so have no idea about them and their books. We have literally thousands. probably there are over 100 cookbooks, many other reference books, and thousands of novels.
I have probably 500 paper books, but have started buying many more Kindle books now that I have discovered BookBub, which is a website that sends me Amazon book bargains to my inbox every day, no strings attached. All the books they send me are $3 or less. Kindle books are usually ridiculously expensive (I will NEVER pay more for a Kindle book than one on paper), so the only time I buy them is if they are heavily discounted or free. I buy used paper books, so most of those are $0.01-$1.00 + $3.99 shipping. Reading is cheap entertainment!
I stopped going to the library years ago when it became a giant computer lab instead of a place for reading. The majority of the books still available are children's books, and their ebooks always have a waiting list. It's more convenient for me just to buy cheap ones than to bother with the poor selection there.
It's not how many books you have, but how many books you read. In our neighborhood, we read books and trade them with each other, or donate them to the library. Why do we need hundreds of books in our houses? Books that we have all read. We also have Kindles, so those books are digital.
How many books there are in a household is a useless metric that reveals nothing about the individuals living there, except maybe that they're hoarders.
It's not how many books you have, but how many books you read. In our neighborhood, we read books and trade them with each other, or donate them to the library. Why do we need hundreds of books in our houses? Books that we have all read. We also have Kindles, so those books are digital.
How many books there are in a household is a useless metric that reveals nothing about the individuals living there, except maybe that they're hoarders.
No dictionaries?
No Larousse Gastronomique?
No field guides?
No scientific or literary reference works?
Don't you have any books that you couldn't bear to be without.
The size and contents of the library reveal not only the intelligence and education but the sophistication of taste and the cultural level of the inhabitants of the home.
The size and contents of the library reveal not only the intelligence and education but the sophistication of taste and the cultural level of the inhabitants of the home.
I disagree.
Do you have credible data to back that up?
The size and contents of the library reveal not only the intelligence and education but the sophistication of taste and the cultural level of the inhabitants of the home.
...The size and contents of the library reveal not only the intelligence and education but the sophistication of taste and the cultural level of the inhabitants of the home.
Maybe you should modernize your antiquated definition of "library." My "library" is extensive and incorporates the digital offerings of libraries around the world. Many libraries offer subscriptions to their digital content, which places them within browser's reach.
How's that for some intelligence and sophistication?
My oldest daughter was recently making comments to me that most of her classmates don't really have books at home.
We live in an affluent upper-middle class professional area, with supposedly high education standards. However, it is mostly immigrant, where I will say there is a more of the ends-justify-the-means mentality and a higher regard for status than real learning.
I know a few families around here with extensive libraries (i.e., literally hundreds upon hundreds of books), but by in large, many more have no books, or fairly close to it.
My oldest daughter has literally counted the number of books in some peoples houses. After purchasing books at the school book fair a couple of weeks ago, my daughter said that most of her classmates had less books in their house than I purchased that day. She also commented another classmate said that her friend (who has like 8 books, excluding textbooks) has a lot of books.
Is this really what America is becoming, or am I in an atypical area?
What are the average and median number of books amongst families around your local communities?
I'm an avid reader, and belong to two book clubs. That being said, does your daughter go room to room in these houses and count books? Kind of like people using your bathroom and checking out the medicine cabinet.
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In our neighborhood, we read books and trade them with each other, or donate them to the library. Why do we need hundreds of books in our houses? Books that we have all read. We also have Kindles, so those books are digital.
My "library" is extensive and incorporates the digital offerings of libraries around the world. Many libraries offer subscriptions to their digital content, which places them within browser's reach.
