My Books
I’ve been pruning. And pruning is nearly always painful.
I have my library (the one at work — not counting books at home) down to about 1750. I know I need to keep trimming, but it’s painful. These books have been my tools, my companions, my guides.
Many, of course, will stay with me until I’m six feet under. I’m guessing that about 1500 will survive the move to my new office this summer.
Some of them probably need to go. I haven’t used them in years. I have old commentaries that aren’t helpful — long since “replaced” by better ones (not better because they’re newer). I have old homiletics books that I’ll never refer to; I have some old books that are just plain silly.
But even the latter ones carry meaning in my life. They mark a time in my journey. I just picked up one that is completely devoid of humility — a book that claimed through syllogism to solve every possible question about divorce and remarriage. The tone is clear: anyone who disagrees is either an idiot or doesn’t care about obedience to God. The book is absolutely worthless to me. And yet . . . even it marks a time in my life — a time when I was influenced by people who were confident that WE are right because WE believe in the Bible (unlike others) and because WE have removed the hokey-pokey emotions and have gone with the science of proper interpretation and reasoning
Most of the books, though, are there because they have taught me — because they have sparked thoughts or stretched me. Some have been read again and again.
It would help make space in my new office if I’d quit ordering so many books.
Now . . . I wonder when my Amazon box will arrive?
This is the one facet of my life where I’m materialistic: Buying books.
Who said men don’t like to shop? We just shop for books, music, cars, electronics, tools, fishing/hunting gear…
I am too emotionally connected with many of my books, to the point when preparing to move here last December I decided to as you say, prune my library. I managed to get rid of ONE, that’s right ONE book. In faithfulness to that December decision, while unpacking I was able to cull out a boxful that is resting comfortably in one of the Highland minister’s office. I simply must keep at it. I’ve 6 bookcases full in this small apartment. Anyone want to come over and take 1/2 of them off the shelves? Maybe just a 1/4 …. well really maybe I’ll go through them again …. Oh, just forget it.
Just looking at the spines of some of your books in your picture I can tell that we have many of the same ones.
Certain books, like certain songs, define moments in time; just looking at them in my library brings back memories. I bought a Kindle, though, and am afraid that my “library”, like my music collection, will now be virtual–kind of sad.
For me it’s children’s books. Our kids are 15 and (nearly) 18 and I still have three bookshelves full of children’s books that “we may want for the grandkids someday, honey.” It’s just that they have such precious memories for me.
Oh and books for myself? Yeah, I go a little overboard there too.
Right, PW?
We all need Kindles – that includes you Mike. I’m just afraid it will ruin my reading experience – or that I’ll love it – either way is scary.
As one gets more “progressive”, will the newer commentaries go the way of the older ones? Just wondering.
Chris – Do you have the capacity to EVER say anything nice? Just wondering.
Last year I began the “downsizing” of our home. With much anxiety I culled 10 boxes of books and sent them to the Crowder College Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale. When I came home, I looked at the bookshelves and couldn’t even miss them. But I have found a new source. A grandson-in-law is building his library.
Every time I move houses I try to prune my books – and it almost never works. (My husband would laugh at the idea that I even try.) Some of them are old friends, and others will be one day. And yes, the new ones keep arriving from Amazon – funny how that happens.
Robert,
I think it’s a very legit question. It seems to me through history ones understanding of scripture has been changing. Will it continue to do so? I
Fellow book-geek Mike: Glad to see the shelf in your pic of the book laying sideways… always an issue when we run out of room isn’t it?
Canada Jim
Pruning books is much easier if you have a spouse who is obsessively anti-clutter. Yes, I know, books aren’t clutter, but sometimes space limitations require that certain things (especially things that sit unused for years) must go!
I take delight in carrying a box of books into the Bible majors lounge at Harding, or spreading books on the dining room table and inviting our student friends to take what they like.
Don’t worry, Mike. I DO let Jimmy pick the books that he’s willing to part with!
Moving every several years has helped me to keep my books “pruned”. Well, I think they’re pruned, anyway. The movers tend to be slack jawed when they count up the number of boxes of books we have.
I started swapping books with PaperBackSwap.com. Their site is another way to feel like the books are going to someone who will use them. Christian books don’t come up as often as I’d like, but I’ve gotten some of the ones I’ve been hoping for.
I like the idea of putting “pruned” books out on a table or taking them to a library, too. Just out of curiosity, what other ways do people pass on their books? Does anyone throw them out?
Getting rid of books, even the ones no longer useful but mark a “progression” in our thinking, is like getting rid of old clothes in our closet. They simply no longer fit, even look as ridiculous as a leisure suit, but we tend to keep them around for sentimental reasons, or as a reminder of God’s patience with us. They also compel us to keep reading and learning until we die.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who holds on to junk books. Mine stay, but have to live in the lonely neighborhoods at the very top or bottom of floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Btw, is that a Moulton and Geden Greek concordance on your shelf? What a nice tool. I don’t use mine very often, but when I do, it feels like I’m a lot smarter.
The NTWright shelf sticks out like a sore thumb. LOL! qb
Do to the need to cut back financially about a year ago, I now get a lot of books from the library instead of buying them. Granted, the Abilene library doesn’t have everything I want to read, but when I discover a new book I want I go to the library’s website to see if they have it. It wasn’t as hard to stop buying books as I thought it would be. It’s actually kinda nice to borrow them. Sometimes it’s hard to return them, but I know they’ll lways be there at the library if I want to read them again.
yeah there has got to be a way I can rid myself of about 500 books. There are some I would keep but probably less then 100. Any ideas either to see, donate or trade. Tried giving some to my future son – in- law but he said he only wanted authors who produced fruit. Great idea but how do go about determining that? Plus if he only reading authors he think produced fruit then what books of the bible would he remove?
Happy, feel free to donate to qb’s library!
voracious opportunist qb
Mike, I have thought long and hard before I said anything on your blog, but while I agree with the gist of what you said I was left with the feeling that you are really angry with some people in your past. I think I know the title of the book that you are referring to. There was a time when I felt like I was right and they were wrong, and I had a copy of that book, but I was loved to a point of better balance. Just because a person strongly believes they are right does not necessarily mean they think others who have a different view are idiots. As far as getting rid of books ebay is always a pretty good way of getting rid of unwanted religious books.
Wait a second, Mike – did you just say you’re throwing out the book I wrote on marriage? Just kidding!
I can totally relate to the struggle of thinning the library. I just moved to a new office that is about a third of the size of my previous one. It was painful to have to decide the books that would be among the new selection that feels so meager. But it made me realize how really great the books are that made the cut. It will be interesting to see how many of the other ones get moved back in whenever I get a bigger office.
“but I was loved to a point of better balance”
rc, I have thought long and hard before I said anything to your commit, but while I agree with the gist of what you said I was left with the feeling that you think you are better than some people on this blog.
Clint, your type of comments happens every time anyone questions anything Mike says. You would never in a million years hear Mike say what you just said. I believe Mike to be a wonderful Christian man, and if you had even a slight clue of what I have been through in my life the last couple of years you who not have said what you said.
rc, I was not defending Mike he does not need defending. I was pointing out your arrogant statement that you were better than someone else. No matter what you have been through you should never say you are better than someone.
I wonder how many books Richard actually has? Well, actually, I don’t think I REALLY want to know. We’ll just leave that a mystery.
Clint, all I can say is that the last thing in the world I wanted to communicate was that I am better than another person. At this point the best I can do is to apologize. I still am not sure how what I said communicated that I am better than someone else, but if that is what you got from it I am certainly sorry. God bless.
My in-laws gave me over 200 National Geographic Magazines from the 70′s and 80′s. I just hate to throw them out, wonderful articles and pictures, but I cannot get anyone to take them. Our library even refused!! One of my most interesting books I have kept is a phlamplet published in which a couple described trying to get their daughter out of a cult called the church of Christ. This is also from the 70′s. It keeps us humble!!
Books are like friends. Some are familiar and around a lot. Others swing by once in a blue moon. Others? You see them but with long stretches of time in between, and you pick up where you left off.
I felt at “home” here in Ada on the day that Charla and I unpacked my “friends.” Sweet relief!
I know some deer hunters that are always looking for more kindling – and I’m not talking about that thing people do with that device Amazon sells either.
Wes – You haven’t changed a bit, buddy! Thanks for the chuckle.
I am sure a bunch of those in the discard pile would fit right into church libraries across the country.
Total aside here – but if anyone is interested in finding out how to fill in your picture next to your name on comments like this, go to http://www.gravatar.com Maybe you don’t care about this sort of thing, but it ate at me until I figured it out a while back. But then, I may well be a few bubbles off plumb!
I felt this surge of appreciation for how books have shaped me again this morning when I found out my son has to read NIGHT (Elie Wiesel) for his sophomore English course.
I too am a compulsive “bookie.” But I have never made the mistake of counting them… Books are pathways we can walk w/out leaving our home/office. They are portals into the minds and thoughts of others. They are friends who are not very demanding but very giving. And I have such a hard time parting w/ a friend even if we no longer see “eye to eye.”
Never counted them!? Oh my. Mine are all cataloged in library program on my computer.
Just tell me you haven’t gotten rid of your complimentary “Behold the Pattern”, which as I understand is standard for every cofc minister!!! (They make great table levelers or a good tire chock)
After you get through trimming, how about a follow up article on how you made your decisions? Maybe then I’ll be able to start pruning, too.
“How the E-book Will Change the Way We Read and Write.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123980920727621353.html
Wow. Interesting. Some of that sounds good to me, some of it not so good. For example, being able to easily access what others are thinking about a book sounds really neat, but yet I wonder if it will keep people from thinking something through. (As in “Why ponder this, I’ll just see what everyone else is thinking and decide which explanation I like best.”) And, as much as I love gadgets, I’m still not sure how I’d feel about giving up the printed page and the feel of a book. Gazing into my future, I see me reading something on the Kindle, thinking it was great and then going out and buying the hard copy book to have on hand.
Does anyone on here have one yet? What do you think of it?
Dear Mike,
As I became aware recently that you would be leaving the pulpit at Highland Church of Christ, I was reminded somewhat forcefully of the passage of time. I can still remember some of the early messages. One had to do as I recall with five smooth stones. Several had to do with our role as fathers of children. Each message carried a poignant reminder of our important role in His Church.
Thanks for the years and the dedication that you gave to Highland. I will of course always remember the time that we were together in Hendrick Hospital as we watched our loved ones as they approached their coronations.
Much love and many blessings to you and all of your family.
Max