I Am A Book Addict

I am a book addict. There is no way around it, I love books, big books, small books, books of every colour and about many different subjects. I can barely make it past a book shop without going in to see if there are any new books on gardening, self-sufficiency, climate change or how we are killing ourselves by eating food that has chemcials in it. Or just a good adventure book :D

When I decided to revamp my blog and update my favourite book list, I, as usual, had a lot of trouble, so I decided to go all out and just make headings and list lots of books. I just got out all my most favourite of my favourites, very difficult decisions had to be made, and I had piles of books around me which I still had to cull down.

I think I have the self-sufficiency subject covered with just three books. The Australian Self-sufficiency Handbook, which is obviously Australian, The New Complete Book of Self-sufficiency, which is from the UK, and The Encyclopedia Of Country Living, which is American. All are large with lots of useful information, I love just opening one of these books and reading whatever is on the page.

My bookcases are still not very organised from when we moved in a year ago, I know that sounds slack, but I am waiting for our number one and only son to move into his room and then I will have some space.

I have quite a lot of reference books as I like to have information at hand at any time. The health books have come in handy many times, not for things you should go to a doctor for, but for the rest. Also good for interpereting what doctors say and if you can't get to a doctor, like in an emergency. Hope I never go down that road, but having the information at hand is reassuring, and of course knowing first aid.

I have heard people say that we don't need books as the information is on the internet. That is true, but as any one who prepares for the unexpected knows, the internet is not always there, power can go out for various reasons, the internet can go down even if you still have power.

I also print out useful information from the internet and put it into folders for easy reference, in case the internet goes down :)These are also in a bookcase.

This year however, I won't be buying any books :( I alreaady have lots and I am going to save my money and buy rope :D I am going to use the library for books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. I have access to the library catalogue online and can reserve them online too, they send me an email to say my books are there and I just go and pick them up.

Besides the "save the books in case the world ends" reason for having books, I love the feel of a book in my hands. The feel of the paper and the sound of pages turning (quietly of course), it is also the feeling of knowledge sitting in my hands, and all the adventures. I just love books :D