Quick! What in the hell do I do with a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1973 ed.? I've spent the evening unloading the bookshelves in the living room so that I can paint tomorrow, and every time I have to do this I come across books that are too good to toss in the dumpster but are - like old computers - fairly worthless.Yes, a lot of the information in the EBs is still good, but knowledge changes, expands, reverses itself over time, and I suspect much has changed since 1973. (Lord knows, I have.)
The books are beautifully bound and have some wonderful photos and illustrations. I'd donate them somewhere, but nobody wants 'em (I checked around the last time I had to move them for a paint job).
Do I keep them for old times' sake? Maybe I'll have time to flip through them in my dotage. The book-lover in me could never dump them. But they take up valuable space that I could use for new books. (Yum!)
So tell me - What did you do with your old set of encyclopedias?
4 comments:
Have a bonfire in your driveway and gleefully toss books in one at a time with a Teutonic opera playing loudly on the stereo. The neighbors will stop bugging you.
Damn! And all my Teutonic music is boxed up right now! A Bonfire of the Britannicas.
Nah - I could never burn a book (anyway, the fire codes here wouldn't allow for it and I like my neighbors). Seems I tried both Salvation Army and Goodwill a few years ago, and they weren't interested. I'll call and see if they've changed their minds.
Yes, 1973 - graduated from college, got married the first time (and the purchase of the encyclopedias almost caused the marriage to end sooner than it did!).
Sorry, recycle. You'll feel so much better.
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