Thursday Thoughts...

“Book collecting is an obsession, an occupation, a disease, an addiction, a fascination, an absurdity, a fate. It is not a hobby. Those who do it must do it.” 

Jeanette Winterson

I am not sure I could describe myself as a collector of books, although I do experience a bit the obsession she describes.  I find it very hard to walk past a book shop without going in to have a browse. To hold books, turn them over, flick through them. 

I always look up which bookshops are nearby when I visit a new town or city and generally make an effort to visit them (a bit like art galleries). Need versus desire gets tested a lot; and so often a book you didn't even know existed o r had never heard of catches your eye and it must go home with you. 

We tend to circulate and move our books along and around so I never feel like I really own them - altho a lot of art books I purchase I feel are part of a collection; or perhaps simply a library.

I agree wholeheartedly that it is not a hobby; it is definitely a fascination, an absurdity, an obsession...

Books in our hotel room in Ullapool 2019, with a reminder that these plus more could be found in theyr bookshop, and even more in their Library. Such a bibliophile place to stay!