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A Gentle Madness
A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books | Nicholas A. Basbanes
The passion to possess books has never been more widespread than it is today; indeed, obsessive book collecting remains the only hobby to have a disease named after it. A Gentle Madness, finalist for the 1995 National Book Critics Circle award, is an adventure among the afflicted. Richly anecdotal and fully documented, it combines the perspective of historical research with the immediacy of investigative journalism. Above all, it is a celebration of books and the people who have revered, gathered, and preserved them over the centuries.
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bibliothecarivs
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LibraryThing has a cool little feature that shows you, once you've catalogued your books, how tall they would be if stacked. My family's collection (in black) is apparently taller than even the tallest stone structure ever made (the Washington Monument)!

#UniteAgainstBookBans #fREADom

Bookwomble That's an impressive stack! 📚 2y
6 likes1 comment
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RaeLovesToRead
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An enormous, shiny book on book collecting? Yes please!

Ruthiella Totally! I‘d pick it up! 😀 3y
RaeLovesToRead @Ruthiella it's chunky too 🥰 3y
33 likes2 comments
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DivineDiana
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I‘ve been visiting a friend in Colorado for a few days. She has a beautiful house that backs up to the National Forest, but no Internet connection. So, I missed posting earlier tags. Maybe, I‘ll try to back track. 🤷🏼‍♀️ But here is today‘s! #curiouscovers #gold #day12

LeahBergen Such a great book. 👍🏻 3y
Eggs Beautiful 🌟🧡 3y
DivineDiana @LeahBergen Need to actually read it! 🙂 3y
See All 10 Comments
DivineDiana @Eggs It is! 3y
Lreads Love this book! ☺️ 3y
DivineDiana @QuietlyLaura I couldn‘t resist buying it! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 💛💛 3y
Nute Gosh! So pretty! 3y
DivineDiana @Nute It is a lovely book! 3y
50 likes10 comments
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Palimpsest

For those of you who like Nicholas Basbanes, he is giving a virtual talk on Thursday. Information in link.

https://tamu.libcal.com/event/7132269?f=h

@LeahBergen @vivastory

vivastory Thanks for the heads up!! 4y
Lissa00 Ooooh, thanks for posting this! 4y
Palimpsest @Lisa00 I almost missed this myself because I hardly ever log onto FB anymore or I would have posted about it sooner. 😊 4y
LeahBergen Oooo, thanks! I heard him speak before and he‘s wonderful! 4y
Palimpsest @LeahBergen I thought he would be because his writing is so informative and elegant. 4y
26 likes5 comments
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Palimpsest
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I have been waiting for this documentary and it was worth the wait! People might say I‘m somewhat affected because I‘m moved by beautiful, old, and rare books and I‘ve read way too many non-fiction books about books including the tagged and The Book by Keith Houston as well as anything written by Alberto Manuel. Well, you don‘t have to wish you were an archivist or book dealer to love this doc. It‘s about booksellers and the people who love books

StaceyKondla I love this documentary! I had a chance to see it in the theatre before lockdown and I am so grateful. Beautiful books and people who truly love books 💕💕 4y
Palimpsest @StaceyKondla I wanted to see it in the theater, but it wasn‘t near me before lockdown. I loved hearing about the history of bookstores before the internet and the passion of the booksellers. I would love to go to the New York Antiquarian Book Fair just to see what it was like, even though I wouldn‘t be buying! It would be cool to see a documentary about books held in special library collections worldwide as well, but I loved this so much. 4y
StaceyKondla The New York Antiquarian Book Fair is definitely on my bucket list 💕 4y
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LeahBergen I loved this doc! ❤️ 4y
Joanne1 Sounds awesome. 4y
Leftcoastzen I‘ve been longing to see it ! I saw the trailer months ago.I wanted to see in the theater as well.Seems like a lifetime ago since we could go to the movies.😢 (edited) 4y
Palimpsest @Leftcoastzen Aha! My husband accidentally preordered two copies of this documentary. I thought about running a giveaway on here, but I really wanted to give it to someone who is, as you put it, longing to see it. If you‘d like it it‘s yours if you want to email me your address my email is palimpsest1756@yahoo.com 4y
Leftcoastzen Really? Yay ! Emailing you! 4y
47 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Palimpsest
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Pickpick

Finished on 3/9. This book is incredibly well researched. I loved the first half about those like Cotton who started collecting books centuries ago and through the 19th century. I enjoyed the 2nd half, though some of the chapters like Instant Ivy and The Blumberg Collection I wasn‘t that into. I adore old books with a sort of reverence, so it‘s a bit sad that the only way to have these kinds of treasures are with luck and beaucoup $$$. Pick for 👇

Palimpsest Those who are seriously interested in the start of writing, to incunabula, printing, early books of America and collections donated to universities, but if you don‘t love books about books you may find it dry and at over 500 pages. So glad I finally read it I‘ve owned it for years. Since it ends in the 90s I‘m curious what has happened to some of these private collections or books since then. 5y
ValerieAndBooks This was already stacked by me! Maybe you can go on a google expedition! 5y
Palimpsest @ValerieAndBooks That could be fun trying to find out where they are now. If not, I could just look at beautiful, rare books online like they have in the “rare book room” or other collections in the Public Domain. I‘ll get my fix somehow. 😊 5y
60 likes3 comments
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Palimpsest
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1. Currently reading A Gentle Madness. About forty pages to go!
2. The Animals at Lockwood Manor
3. I just shared a picture of my two cats, Fish & Annabelle.
@rachelsbrittain #weekendreads

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MaGoose
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Pickpick

FINALLY! I finished this behemoth this afternoon. I've only been reading this forever it seems like. Nonfiction book about the art of collecting first editions of books. I'm becoming interested in the subject, so I give it 4 stars. Otherwise, you might be overwhelmed and quit a few sentences into this book. 🤪 💕

Leftcoastzen I own it and have yet to read it . 5y
MaGoose @Leftcoastzen I enjoyed it a lot, but it's not a quick read, at least for me. I tend to be a slowish reader as I do read word for word. 5y
36 likes2 comments
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MaGoose
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1. Tagged book
2. Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (didn't read much during January - Mom was really sick for two weeks, then I was sick for a week and a half.)
3. Nada - don't usually watch adaptations

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
@Eggbeater @Crazeedi

Crazeedi Thanks for the tag!❤️❤️ so sorry to hear you've been sick, hope February is a better month, hugs!!! (edited) 5y
Eggbeater I'm sorry you and your mom have been so sick. I hope you're both doing better. 5y
Crazeedi Hope you are feeling better? Sending a hug, and a note very soon!!💕💕 5y
34 likes3 comments
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Palimpsest
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⭐️Reading A Gentle Madness. I‘ve owned it for years and what took me so long? It‘s such a “me”book and I‘m loving it.
⭐️My husband, my son, and my cats.
⭐️Out of the places I actually get to go rather than just dreaming of going? Door County, Wisconsin.
@MoonWitch94 #ThoughtfulThursday
@Taotev want to play?

MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing ☺️ 5y
40 likes1 comment
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Leftcoastzen
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#AuldLangReads #Goldonthecover a book about books still on my TBR .

night_shift So pretty! 5y
LeahBergen It‘s a good one! 👏🏻 5y
Soubhiville Wow that‘s gorgeous. 5y
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OriginalCyn620 Very pretty! 💛 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 💛💛 5y
batsy That's so lovely! 5y
52 likes6 comments
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Leftcoastzen
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#DearDecember #surprises Over time @Eggs @MrBook @cathipink expressed interest about how many books Littens own .I got a new bookcase so some rearranging was in order .So ,I decided to count.my guess was between 4 and 5k.Total :
5,902.😯Better not attempt to move.*3 hours later , I think I missed a room?!😂

squirrelbrain 😮😮😮 5y
Theaelizabet Wow. I thought I had a lot. 🙂 5y
cathipink Awesome! That was a quick count 🙂 5y
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MrBook 😆😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻!!! You are awesome!!! 5y
Leftcoastzen @cathipink 🙂I actually counted a couple days in a row , then stopped , then started again. Room to room , writing totals in notebook with notes of which bookcases and nooks I counted. 5y
Leftcoastzen @MrBook thanks! My mom runs around telling people I have more books than the library.I always add ,well , maybe a small library branch. 5y
MrBook 😂👏🏻🙌🏻🍻 5y
BiblioLitten 😍 5y
Billypar Oh my 😮😮😮 That's amazing! 5y
batsy Dream come true 🤩 5y
BarbaraBB That is amazing and I love the title of your post 😍😀 5y
Eggs That is just-I am nearly speechless 😶!! Do you have shelves in every room?? Have you read most of them? 5y
Leftcoastzen @Eggs no shelves in the bathrooms .😁Some cookbooks in the kitchen, I need to be locked in my house to read , and not buy.I‘d say I‘ve read about a fifth.When I find good books at a thrift or book sale cheap , hard to resist. 5y
35 likes13 comments
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MaGoose
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1. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Anne Perry
2. Which of their own works they liked the best
3. About 250 physical books, about 5,000 ebooks

@Eggs #wondrouswednesday @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great question!! Thank you for the tag 💗 5y
Eggs Thanks for joining in 💗🤗👏🏻 5y
34 likes2 comments
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Lreads
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Day 5 of #GratefulReads is #nonfiction. Here are some interesting books from my shelves: Nancy Drew, Constantinople, books in history, WWII, and a polymath in search of Atlantis. Looking forward to reading these.
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 🙌🏼📚❤️ 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks The one in the middle is a chunkster!! 🙌🏻 5y
Lreads @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks The middle book, A Gentle Madness, comes in at 638 pages! It‘s chock full of bookish history goodness! ☺️ 5y
batsy A lovely stack! 5y
Lcsmcat @QuietlyLaura And it‘s lovely too! 5y
40 likes5 comments
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Palimpsest
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#Day2 #7Days7Covers #Covercrush #Coverlove

To play along just post a picture of a book cover you love, no explanation required. If you‘d like tag someone else who you think would have fun with this. 😊

LeahBergen This is such a great read. 👍🏻 5y
CoffeeCatsBooks Wonderful book and cover! 💕 5y
DivineDiana I have this book! 5y
Palimpsest @LeahBergen @CoffeeCatsBooks @DivineDiana Confession, I haven‘t read this book yet although I‘ve had it a long time, but I do love the cover with the Book Fool. I will definitely get to it soon especially with the praise you have all given! 😊 5y
DivineDiana Also still on the TBR! 😉 5y
43 likes5 comments
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MaGoose
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Thanks to @Amanda61 for the great #staycationintimeswap package. I'll have a good time opening my gifts!

#staycationintimeswap #sits @Chrissyreadit

Chrissyreadit 🥰❤️👏 5y
32 likes1 comment
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Leftcoastzen
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Oh yeah, like we need more books!📚📚📚📚📚

AmyG Psssst...you do. 6y
rather_be_reading 👏👏 6y
37 likes3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Spent the last few days in huge fights to try & get real estate agents to do things like spell my name correctly on our lease, which they‘re refusing to do. I also have no idea where most of my stuff is (somewhere in India, the movers are delaying 😭😡😭) but we did the “scouting” trip to move the kitties and I will confess that much of that luggage was books! These are hiding in Mr GaD‘s office cupboards and make me inordinately happy!!!! 😊😊😊

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m so sorry you are going through this, I hope things start moving soon...and in the right direction. 6y
Crazeedi I hope everything gets resolved quickly! 6y
Chrissyreadit Hope it gets easier quickly. 6y
GlassAsDiamonds @Riveted_Reader_Melissa thanks!! I‘m hoping it all resolves over the weekend but 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ 6y
GlassAsDiamonds @Crazeedi @Chrissyreadit - thanks !!!! 😊😊😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😊😊😊 6y
33 likes5 comments
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Leftcoastzen
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#MarchIntoThe70s #WhatAFoolBelieves This fool believes that if she finds good books cheap at book sales that her shelves will magically expand to hold them all.😂🙄

Cinfhen You could have dumber beliefs 😜😜keep shopping!!!!! 6y
gradcat 😂🤣😂 Here‘s to willing your bookshelves to magically expand! 🤞🏼 (edited) 6y
Leftcoastzen @Cinfhen You little enabler!😁 6y
Leftcoastzen Bring on the magic @gradcat 6y
56 likes4 comments
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TiredLibrarian
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😉

rather_be_reading 😍😍 6y
50 likes1 comment
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JMEdwards
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Ah, that explains it!

Pickels437 LOVE!!! 6y
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Leftcoastzen
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#OldCoolBooks @Linsy posted this great photo challenge and giveaway .Check her original post for details. A great excuse to look through my oldies and have some fun!

Linsy 🙏 7y
22 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BooksAtNight
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Someone doesn‘t want me to read... 🤷‍♀️ #catsoflitsy

Alfoster Awwww😍! 7y
25 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Was SO excited .... until I realized they were all income tax reports. Yeah, thanks but no thanks!!! (At a furniture/ antiques area in Mumbai looking for a wooden folding screen to keep the kitties apart when they‘re finally at “visual greeting” stage in a few weeks). Clearly, I was focused...🤦🏻‍♀️

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GlassAsDiamonds
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What do you do when you go to a Literature Festival then realize you‘ve got an internal transit with a really small luggage limit ....? Courier them home 😊😊😊😊😊

BookishMarginalia I like your problem solving skills! 7y
GlassAsDiamonds @BookishMarginalia I am VERY glad I did.... rickshaws up steep cobbles are NOT great for that many books! 😊😊😊 7y
31 likes2 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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You‘re in Jaipur, at a Mughal palace. After the monkeys, elephants and “wow, look at that”, I ask you, what else am I going to do? (Go into bookstore. Get annoyed at the STUPID AND RIDICULOUS prices in bookstore. Also get annoyed at self for being silly enough to be annoyed that a book store in a tourist area is price gouging. Remember I live in this country and MY DATA WORKS SO TAKE THAT....! Google better bookstores and resolve to go there). 😊

LA_Mead Cool sign though! Too bad the prices were crazy! 7y
GlassAsDiamonds @LA_Mead true... they did have a cool sign!! (They had just about doubled the RRP of a guide book I *know* is a Jaipur standard! So very grouchy!!) 7y
LA_Mead @GlassAsDiamonds aw that‘s too bad... 7y
See All 8 Comments
UrsulaMonarch Sorry this was irritating, but thanks for posting- I am loving vicarious travels, and this is a cool window into a different space for me! 😁 7y
GlassAsDiamonds @Lkelly 😊😊😊 thank you! Sometimes I‘m not sure whether to post (fun vs obnoxious!). I shall go with fun & keep posting 7y
UrsulaMonarch @GlassAsDiamonds definitely! Thanks in advance for future fun posts!! 😊 7y
GlassAsDiamonds @UrsulaMonarch 😊😊😊 this time, there are monkeys! 7y
UrsulaMonarch @GlassAsDiamonds !!! Thanks for the tag - & I'm hoping for no dr visits!! 🐒🐒🐒 7y
29 likes8 comments
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Grrlbrarian
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1. Many places! I do have a reading nook filled with bookcases and stuffed animals too 🐘
2. Either. Drove myself nuts at Christmas looking for a receipt I‘d used as a bookmark
3. End of chapter is best but the end of the sentence will do in a pinch
4. Frequently both
5. Not unless my hubs insists
6. Several in various formats
7. Everywhere
8. Silently
9. Heavens no! That‘s a heresy
10. I keep it nicely
11. No way
12. @Ashley31 @Samwise_Gamgee

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Liberty
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He started it. 😬

BookishBron 😂 7y
DGRachel 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 7y
valeriegeary 😂😂😂 7y
See All 14 Comments
emilyhaldi 🤣😂🤣 7y
Lwiesman 😂 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess 👍🏻😉😆😜🤣 7y
sprainedbrain 😂😂😂 7y
Litlady Love it‼️ 😎😹😹🤘📚 7y
TheLibrarian 😂😂😂 7y
Drnkpnkprincess 😂😂😂😈😜 7y
Bria God I wish my hubby was on litsy so I could tag him in this! 😂😂 (edited) 7y
britt_brooke 😆👏🏻 7y
KaatjeH 😂😂 7y
EllieDottie 😂😂😂😂😂😂 7y
213 likes14 comments
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Megara
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Looking for #recommendations! What are your favorite books about books? It could be fiction or nonfiction. It could be about #bookcollectors, #libraries, #bookbinding, #bibliomaniacs, #bookshops, or anything related.

I had to add a picture to this post so here is a stack of books chilling on the floor, waiting to move to my new apartment. 😊

twohectobooks This one is about a woman who interviews a famous author about her life story and secrets. 7y
twohectobooks And this one involves the “Cemetery Of Forgotten Books” and a very twisty plot. 7y
See All 6 Comments
Megara Thank you @collegecatlady and @twohectobooks ! I added your recommendations to my to-read shelf. 7y
Megara @twohectobooks I looooved The Thirteenth Tale. 7y
twohectobooks Woo! I liked that one better than Shadow of the Wind, but SotW is still quite fun. 7y
6 likes6 comments
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Megara
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Cozy bedtime story #selfie. Snow and ice outside. Candles and hot cocoa inside.

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GlassAsDiamonds
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Me: I really should put some of these books away.

Also me: But I‘m reading them!!!!

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

#litsyproblems

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Megara
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“Book collectors, he stated categorically—and he was including himself—‘are buzzards who stretch their wings in anticipation as they wait patiently for a colleague‘s demise; then they swoop down and ghoulishly grab some long-covered treasure from the dear departed‘s trove.‘”

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GlassAsDiamonds
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Ahh... #booksIalmostbought 😊😊😊😊 (taking a break from the storage unit sorting to wander through one of my favourite bookstores being Dymocks George St. I wandered out with a scary stack of books, mainly gardening and non-fiction. Now, back to errands. Someone tell me when the “holiday” begins ???

BarbaraTheBibliophage That looks glorious! 7y
GlassAsDiamonds @BarbaraTheBibliophage happy place!! 😊😊😊 7y
17 likes2 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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This is normal after a trip home, right? 😉😉😉 (when you‘re an expat Living somewhere with limited releases in certain genres, massively delayed releases in others and abysmal Amazon.... you do what you gotta do!!). The top is a calendar that was cut off in the crop... 😉

#bookhaul #expat

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BooksAtNight
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If you are looking for a curse to for your library to prevent stealing, let monks be your inspiration.

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BooksAtNight
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When I feel bad about the books on my shelves, I remind myself that at least I am not violating building codes... yet 😹

LeahBergen I maaaayyy be violating building codes. 😂 7y
4 likes1 comment
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Lreads
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Happy National Book Lovers Day to all my fellow Littens! Here's a portion from my mystery bookshelves.
#NationalBookLoversDay #BookLoversDay #shelfie #mystery

LauraBrook 😍😍😍😍😍 7y
28 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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1. An Australian expat in Mumbai, India
2. I'm going with all three of the ACOTAR books. While not the best books I've read, they broke a post-intercontinental move depression I didn't even realize I was in.
3. The Burning City
4. The Secret Garden
5. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit
6. Tamora Pierce's February release and the final Throne of Glass book (so I can read the series!).

#letstalkaboutbooksbaby

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Liberty
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Pretty sure the books invite friends over while I'm sleeping. They're inching closer and closer... 📚📚📚

kricheal 😍😍😍😍😍😍 7y
CandycaneBelle Consumes by books is not a bad way to go 7y
See All 7 Comments
elizabethb22 This is actually goals... 🤗😍 7y
Wife My first laugh 😂 of the morning! Thank you!🌹 7y
kezzlou85 Oh wow that looks amazing. Have you read many? 7y
InBooksILive This is definitely goals! I want my house to be full of books and nothing else! Haha 7y
225 likes7 comments