Here’s a followup question to John’s, from a few weeks back—
What makes a book huntworthy (laying out money for) as opposed to merely gatherable (borrowing).
Ed and I are both avid readers, and he is much more a buyer than a library-goer. I tend to lay out money for certain authors and for hard-to-find or out-of-print material, or for something that I am likely to re-read frequently. Historically, I have been reluctant to part with books once I have gone to the trouble of acquiring them—especially hardback and softcover books. However, I have recently changed my strategy and purged my library. I’ve been a lot more willing to let go of paperbacks; I’ve also gotten rid of books that other people have given me that I either did not enjoy or did not care to re-read. I find it much easier to let go of fiction than nonfiction, too, except for cookbooks. (My dad loves dollar-a-bag day at the library booksale and inevitably finds something for me. Usually, I’ll copy the two or three recipes that I suspect I’ll actually use, and then pass the book on either to another person or a used bookstore.) If I had to summarize—and at this point, I really ought to—I am far more likely to keep a book I’ve hunted down as opposed to one I’ve gathered.