Lots of scholars like books, but classical scholars like them more than most. And I am at the extreme end of the book-likers, so selling my books was a very big decision. I started collecting when I was an undergraduate. This entailed hours of rummaging through bookstores and the internet putting together my collection, book by book. I planned trips around bookstores, and I never went anywhere without finding out if there was a scholarly bookstore nearby. By the time we decided last year to meander minimally, I owned just over 4000 books. They required about 400 feet of shelving, in stacks. I might have put them in storage, but since we don’t know how long we’ll be travelling, we couldn’t be sure for how long. Also, where? We don’t have a fixed abode, so we’d be guessing where we might end up.
I eventually decided that it was time to think about selling the books. When I was preparing to retire a few years ago, I sold off some of the collection, things I knew I would not use again. But this time it was a more complicated undertaking. I wanted a bookseller who had the expertise to assess my collection, and who would offer a fair price. The used book industry is not flush with cash, so it was a struggle.
Eventually I settled on one. We agreed that I would do the packing and he would have them picked up. He sent 125 boxes. When I used those and called him in a panic, he sent another 50. Then I had to find another 25 the day before the shippers arrived. That just about did it (189 boxes in total, including Laurel’s much more modest collection). It was a photo-finish: we were actually packing the last boxes as the shippers arrived in my office. It was raining, of course, but they shrink-wrapped them (in the jargon, they were ‘palletized’).
At the beginning I agonized over which ones to keep and which to sell. But by about box number 70 I couldn’t put them in fast enough! The Stoics are right: letting go became easier the longer I did it. I kept a couple hundred (mostly of sentimental value), in ten boxes. All the rest went to the bookseller or to friends and students.
Some told me that I was crazy to be selling my books, and they may be right: I may regret it. But in this moment it feels like the right thing to do. I loved my books when I had them, but like many things you love, sometimes you still say goodbye. And don’t forget, I still have more books than most people, which will console me for the others!
I might have written your post word for word. But when Christina went into administration and the prospect was to pull up roots every three years or so, I had to consider my library from a new point of view: raw weight for the movers to pack and ship. As you write, it became easier after a while to say goodbye even to things that, ten years ago, I was sure I’d have for life.
I kept what I thought of as an iron core of books in my areas of special interest when we left Omaha; and whittled that down to a core-ier core when we left Arlington. Now we’re moving again and I’m sending the remaining books as gifts to certain younger scholars and friends who express a desire and a willingness to take on hostages to fortune. In a way it’s like dismantling my personality to part with these books, but it’s pleasing to think that this last batch will be going to good homes.
Agreed! We were facing a similar prospect if Laurel continued in admin. It wasn’t the expense so much as the hassle. And we too got rid of parts of the collection before this final purge. And giving things to friends is deeply satisfying. Thanks for writing – it makes us feel less crazy!
Thanks, Gale. There was certainly some pain involved on our part as well. But what made it easier was knowing that there are great libraries in the world, as you say. We’re right now in Oxford, of course, and we’re planning to be in Rome and Heidelberg maybe. Do you have some favourites among libraries?
I read this with great interest (and some pain). Luckily, you are close to some of the best libraries in the world. This is inspiring!