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  • From: Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] ... books ....
  • Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:45:21 -0800

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 Some were outdated but many were not and I got rid of them for often not very good reasons.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






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