I have occasionally culled my shelves but I can't imagine giving up books that mark my growth as a writer and as a person over the decades. Clearly Kondo doesn't understand books and reading.
I can't relate to her at all. Decluttering doesn't apply to books. Books are memories. I might never re-read my copy of Murphy's "Catswold Portal," but when I see it on my bookshelf, I remember how much I loved reading it the first time, how it drew me into another world. And that whole tear out a page and keep it -- that's just freaking weird. I'll bet she thinks in soundbites.
Books are old friends. Yes, sometimes you say goodbye to friends, but usually you keep them around even if you don’t interact with them on a regular basis. Because they are part of who you are.
keep the ones that give me joy? why that would be all the ones on my three ( crammed) bookshelves and the overflow in drawers, the coffeetable, the floor stack, the bed, etc, dear Marie. :)
I think you are being way too kind. I'd say she has a disturbed mind. Now she has three kids apparently she has acquiesced to have a bit of mess in her house. My goodness.
I have kept almost all the books that I have ever possessed. It’s like some sort of store of knowledge, even unread, though of course most are written to be read. I am sorry that I have lost many books and all of my vinyl records in a flood from Hurricane Ian. Knowledge lost.
Vandalism indeed! Marie Kondo has the opposite of a book fetish, surely. She thinks they're just text printed on paper because she isn't a writer, as you can tell if you read her book ;-).
She fetishizes books in that she wants to banish them, diminish their power, and claim that one ripped-out page is enough. That says to me that she envies what they do and offer.
Stating books are just letters on paper is postmodernist poison. Like people are just cells living in symbiosis or love is just a chemical reaction. Its a terrible intellectual wasteland where everything of value and beauty is deconstructed only to be destroyed and die...
I actually studied structuralist and post-structuralist criticism because my late mom was doing a degree in comparative literature when that criticism was modish. I found very little in those writers that helped me as a writer, reader, or teacher--though I thought Roland Barthes was often witty. My mother, witty herself, said she enjoyed reading this school of writing "Because it's like science fiction!"
One of the most difficult things for us to get rid of when we became nomads were our books. In fact, we held on to many of them for years until we finally decided we probably wouldn't ever be coming back to the U.S.
Did we hold on to them because most sparked joy? No. It was for all of the other reasons and more that you mention. Paul Monette's Becoming a Man definitely didn't spark joy, but it always reminded how lucky I am to have the life and the husband that I do. That's just one example.
I don’t think anyone can tell anyone else what should spark joy in their life. I love the books in my home -- some are mine and many are my husbands. There are probably two thousand if not more.
When my mother in law died recently we had to clear out her home, the centrepiece of which was thousands of books lovingly and deliberately collected and eventually culled to be an interesting library. Sadly the vast majority had to go to a local university book sale.
I am quite preoccupied with not leaving this task to my children. But no solutions yet.
I have thousands as well and have given away or sold many over the years. A lot have gone/will go to Special Archives at MSUs library since they collect my literary papers. So, for example, a shelf of research books for a book I might not write but have started and will leave them the notes, those will go. But that doesn’t make much of a dent….. our kids know what to do with art, etc. and which books are valuable, but aside from that, I don’t envy them the clearing out.
I agree with you, Lev Raphael! Books are much more than some paper and print bound together. Books record and analyze our civilization, make us laugh, inspire us, give us information, etc.
There's always that thought in the back of the mind of a book lover: I might want to re-read this some day - and I've re-read a few... but mostly it's about what we think when we look at a spine: I remember this, what I liked about it, how I felt, why I went to buy more books by this author. I read both "on paper" and "eBook", and looking at the library on the eReader doesn't summon the same feelings, that says a lot.
I like e-books for travel or when the real book is super expensive, but even en route somewhere by train or plane, I don't mind having a compelling physical book, like Rubicon by Tom Hollander or The Ghost Writer by Robert Harris.
And the problem for me with e-books is I often forget they're there. :-)
Exactly--as opposed to books that are in my den, or study, or bedroom. I know where they are, whether they're review copies or not, etc.
Just finished The Europeans by Orlando Figes and it's a pretty deep portrait of how Europe developed a somewhat common culture in the 19th century in terms of books, museums, opera, classical music, and even guided tours. All thanks to the spread of railroads and also cheaper printing costs.
I reread books a lot! especially favourite series like Dorothy Sayers and PD James. Must be on the third or fourth reading of them by now. Like a visit with an old friend. My problem is that I don’t want to get to know any new “friends”. I’m more comfortable with the predictability of old ones. I’m like hat with people too.
I have occasionally culled my shelves but I can't imagine giving up books that mark my growth as a writer and as a person over the decades. Clearly Kondo doesn't understand books and reading.
They are milestones, not mill stones.
I can't relate to her at all. Decluttering doesn't apply to books. Books are memories. I might never re-read my copy of Murphy's "Catswold Portal," but when I see it on my bookshelf, I remember how much I loved reading it the first time, how it drew me into another world. And that whole tear out a page and keep it -- that's just freaking weird. I'll bet she thinks in soundbites.
"Books are memories" is beautiful. This is why I have kept some books from college English and Drama classes.
Books are old friends. Yes, sometimes you say goodbye to friends, but usually you keep them around even if you don’t interact with them on a regular basis. Because they are part of who you are.
Absolutely!
Imagine having Kondo over for dinner....
Thank you! I have a friend who’s something of a clutter police and I needed this supportive input!
A Clutter Cop! Yikes!
Thanks for writing this. It helped me clarify my thinking about it.
Glad it helped.
keep the ones that give me joy? why that would be all the ones on my three ( crammed) bookshelves and the overflow in drawers, the coffeetable, the floor stack, the bed, etc, dear Marie. :)
The fact that she thinks tearing out the "key" page of a book would suffice says she has a very limited mind.
I think you are being way too kind. I'd say she has a disturbed mind. Now she has three kids apparently she has acquiesced to have a bit of mess in her house. My goodness.
She's definitely obsessed about books in a very bad way.
I have kept almost all the books that I have ever possessed. It’s like some sort of store of knowledge, even unread, though of course most are written to be read. I am sorry that I have lost many books and all of my vinyl records in a flood from Hurricane Ian. Knowledge lost.
Many of my albums were lost when my dad's house flooded since they were in the basement, but I still have a cupboard of most of the best.
Vandalism indeed! Marie Kondo has the opposite of a book fetish, surely. She thinks they're just text printed on paper because she isn't a writer, as you can tell if you read her book ;-).
She fetishizes books in that she wants to banish them, diminish their power, and claim that one ripped-out page is enough. That says to me that she envies what they do and offer.
Stating books are just letters on paper is postmodernist poison. Like people are just cells living in symbiosis or love is just a chemical reaction. Its a terrible intellectual wasteland where everything of value and beauty is deconstructed only to be destroyed and die...
I actually studied structuralist and post-structuralist criticism because my late mom was doing a degree in comparative literature when that criticism was modish. I found very little in those writers that helped me as a writer, reader, or teacher--though I thought Roland Barthes was often witty. My mother, witty herself, said she enjoyed reading this school of writing "Because it's like science fiction!"
A book is a temple of thought, and I will not sully it.
That's lovely. Thanks!
Thank you for your article!
Thanks for reading & subscribing.
My books are my friends.
That's what Julian Barnes said when I interviewed him on my radio show years ago.
One of the most difficult things for us to get rid of when we became nomads were our books. In fact, we held on to many of them for years until we finally decided we probably wouldn't ever be coming back to the U.S.
Did we hold on to them because most sparked joy? No. It was for all of the other reasons and more that you mention. Paul Monette's Becoming a Man definitely didn't spark joy, but it always reminded how lucky I am to have the life and the husband that I do. That's just one example.
I remember meeting Paul when I was on a book tour with stops in CA. He was a lovely man and his memoir is a classic.
So true, Lev. Thank you.
I don’t think anyone can tell anyone else what should spark joy in their life. I love the books in my home -- some are mine and many are my husbands. There are probably two thousand if not more.
When my mother in law died recently we had to clear out her home, the centrepiece of which was thousands of books lovingly and deliberately collected and eventually culled to be an interesting library. Sadly the vast majority had to go to a local university book sale.
I am quite preoccupied with not leaving this task to my children. But no solutions yet.
I have thousands as well and have given away or sold many over the years. A lot have gone/will go to Special Archives at MSUs library since they collect my literary papers. So, for example, a shelf of research books for a book I might not write but have started and will leave them the notes, those will go. But that doesn’t make much of a dent….. our kids know what to do with art, etc. and which books are valuable, but aside from that, I don’t envy them the clearing out.
I agree with you, Lev Raphael! Books are much more than some paper and print bound together. Books record and analyze our civilization, make us laugh, inspire us, give us information, etc.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Janet Ruth Heller
My website is https://www.janetruthheller.com
And Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
There's always that thought in the back of the mind of a book lover: I might want to re-read this some day - and I've re-read a few... but mostly it's about what we think when we look at a spine: I remember this, what I liked about it, how I felt, why I went to buy more books by this author. I read both "on paper" and "eBook", and looking at the library on the eReader doesn't summon the same feelings, that says a lot.
So true: a wealth of feelings and memories.
I like e-books for travel or when the real book is super expensive, but even en route somewhere by train or plane, I don't mind having a compelling physical book, like Rubicon by Tom Hollander or The Ghost Writer by Robert Harris.
And the problem for me with e-books is I often forget they're there. :-)
Yes, scrolling through that library... especially the books that have been sitting there for a while, they're kind of hazy!
Exactly--as opposed to books that are in my den, or study, or bedroom. I know where they are, whether they're review copies or not, etc.
Just finished The Europeans by Orlando Figes and it's a pretty deep portrait of how Europe developed a somewhat common culture in the 19th century in terms of books, museums, opera, classical music, and even guided tours. All thanks to the spread of railroads and also cheaper printing costs.
I reread books a lot! especially favourite series like Dorothy Sayers and PD James. Must be on the third or fourth reading of them by now. Like a visit with an old friend. My problem is that I don’t want to get to know any new “friends”. I’m more comfortable with the predictability of old ones. I’m like hat with people too.
I’ve read the Arkady Renko Russian crime novels three times except for the latest. I love the voice, the details, the irony.
I’ll need to look that one up!
Martin Cruz Smith is an amazing novelist and his sense of time and place is inspiring for me as a writer.