Homestead mailing list

[Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

At 11/29/2004, you wrote:
> Well, I have huge applause for Mr. Carnegie's efforts but I make no 
> apology for the fact that I love books, I love owning books, I have a 
> large personal library, and I plan to keep adding to it as long as I live. 
> When I stop enjoying life and make my final plans, I will likely give all 
> my books to a library. In the meantime, as a writer, I value being able to 
> walk across the room and verify a fact. As a gardener, I value being able 
> to quickly look up the answer to a pH or drainage question. As a designer 
> I value being able to flip through books heavy with photos, pictures, 
> drawings. As a homesteader, I value being able to weigh an idea by quickly 
> reminding myself of various alternatives to any idea that pops into my 
> head. Finally, libraries are wonderful, but fewer good books will be 
> researched and written when authors don't have a chance to make a decent 
> living. And when authors stop writing new books, libraries will become 
> museums of old books full of old ideas.

Now it is time to feel sad.  Before the rush to clear out things to sell 
the house, I gave away about half my books.  Some were outdated but many 
were not and I got rid of them for often not very good reasons.  I know I 
will miss them.  I already miss the ready access to the information 
contained in what was about 2000 books.  I think I have about half 
left.  The trailer has a bunch but there are a bunch more in storage.

Those and my tools are the things I want to get out most.  I have already 
made several trips to storage to retrieve tools but the books are well buried.



Don Bowen
Awl Knotted Up Woodworking
Valley Center, CA             http://www.braingarage.com