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Booked Solid: Some Readers' Cherished Collections Have Nowhere to Grow
The Washington Post ^ | March 23, 2006 | Annie Groer

Posted on 03/23/2006 11:53:14 AM PST by Physicist

Law librarian Rick Ramponi's collection of 3,000 regional cookbooks --including "Talk About Good" from the Lafayette, La., Junior League and "Shalom on the Range," which celebrates southwestern Jewish cuisine -- was manageable while he lived in a large house in Kalorama.

But when he moved to a one-bedroom Dupont Circle apartment with a partner who collects large art and architecture books, Ramponi had to exile those cherished culinary texts to a pair of rented storage units several blocks away.

Since 2002, he has spent more than $5,000 to keep them there, which "may be more than they are all worth," he concedes. "But there is a sentimental attachment and I associate them with places I've been, people I know."

Accountant Jennifer Kimball, who is studying for a master's degree in English, and policy analyst Matt Cail, who has a pair of master's degrees, call themselves "huge bibliophiles." Thus their chief requirement when condo shopping two years ago was enough wall space for shelves to hold their books. Already they have run out of space in their Alexandria flat. "Next year we will start looking for a house to buy that has room for children," she says. And books.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: bibliopath; bibliophile; gentlemadness; hobbyanddisease
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To: Rte66

Oh wow, I never actually saw that recipe, that's funny! I just remember always eating such great recipes out of that cookbook. Someday I'll have to look around and try and get my own copy.


181 posted on 03/23/2006 1:57:31 PM PST by Kaylee Frye
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To: RightWhale
One kind of book I get rid of right away is books about philosophy. Philosophy books I keep.

<thinks about that>

182 posted on 03/23/2006 1:57:44 PM PST by Physicist
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To: Physicist

You are thinking linearly. Stop being such a physicist.


183 posted on 03/23/2006 1:59:12 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: linda_22003

What's really bad is moving out of a place with numerous built-ins into someplace with very few. "Storehouse" has those DIYs and I practically lived there for weeks on end ... "just need one more".

Then 10 years later I unexpectedly had to give about 15-20 of them to the Salvation Army and move into a hellhole cave. Also gave away probably 40% of my books, but I have always kept them thinned pretty well (ho, ho, ho).

Not the cookbooks, however. Around 700, maybe a few more. Miss them like crazy - can't even get into the storage unit(s). Ha, cookbooks are the only ones that used bookstores will actually pay money for (not much, but you have to *pay them* to take the others) - and I said "are you nuts? Who would part with a cookbook?"

Nearly all my books are non-fiction and reference, so it's always hard to give them away, except to libraries where they'll continue to be read.


184 posted on 03/23/2006 2:01:05 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Dogrobber
Well, shoot...
This would be a good time to ask.
Does anyone know if there is a collection of the works of Robert Heinlein in hardcover?
185 posted on 03/23/2006 2:02:11 PM PST by Publius6961 (Multiculturalism is the white flag of a dying country)
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To: Kaylee Frye; Rte66
Oh my gosh, I just about did a double-take when I saw this! My mom has this cookbook and it is awesome. :) How funny to see it here.

See my post 179.

Nearly all the recipes are submitted by "Mrs. (husbands full name)" for example, "Mrs. John Smith" which isn't often seen anymore. It must be a sign of the times.

186 posted on 03/23/2006 2:02:35 PM PST by Drew68
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To: Publius6961

The Library of America may get to SF one day. Heck they just published an edition on H.P. Lovecraft.


187 posted on 03/23/2006 2:03:41 PM PST by Borges
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To: Dogrobber

Paperbacks are important! When you have to move or pack your "real books" into book boxes, the little ones fit in the nooks and crannies and make the boxes much lighter than they would be with all "real books."

Have you tried "ceiling shelves"? I loved mine. You can buy them at Ikea. They're like 5-6" wide and 6 or 8' long. You put them just above the door frames or about paperback heighth from the ceiling (assuming we're not talking about a cathedral ceiling here). They can go all around the room and you never even notice they're there--nobody else does, either.


188 posted on 03/23/2006 2:05:57 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Drew68
Now you guys are making me jealous (and hungry). I'm gonna have to look for my own copy.

Interesting about the Mrs. (husbands name). I haven't seen that in a long time either. Cute though - adds more character to the book.

189 posted on 03/23/2006 2:08:44 PM PST by Kaylee Frye
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To: Physicist

My favorite Erasmus quote : "Assiduus sis in bibliotheca, quae paradisi tibi loco est." (I know how busy you are in your library, which is your Paradise).


190 posted on 03/23/2006 2:09:10 PM PST by linda_22003
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To: Physicist

That's nothing. My parents have library stacks in the basement. (That's the only place where the books won't cause structural damage.)


191 posted on 03/23/2006 2:11:23 PM PST by MediaMole
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To: CaptRon
You could get them all on a few memory cards, hold them up and say 'Let me show you my library of sci-fi books"!

I love being able to do that, especially since the memory cards I use hold about 120-140 books, depending on the size.

Have you checked out this site? ebookwise.com

192 posted on 03/23/2006 2:12:21 PM PST by RikaStrom (The number one rule of the Kama Sutra is that you both be on the same page.../Exeter 051705)
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To: Drew68

Number 2 was the one with the George Rodrigue ("Blue Dog") prints for all the section covers - wonderful. Had a crawfish shucking and a hog-butchering and all kinds of fais-do-do's depicted.


193 posted on 03/23/2006 2:13:40 PM PST by Rte66
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To: Redcloak

I have duplicates of some of my first editions, to use as "reading copies", so the old ones stay in good condition.


194 posted on 03/23/2006 2:13:49 PM PST by linda_22003
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To: Physicist
Any other confirmed bibliopaths out there?

Me. *LOL*

195 posted on 03/23/2006 2:14:25 PM PST by DoctorMichael (The Fourth-Estate is a Fifth-Column!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: JenB

Yeah I think it will take a few more years. And there are always bigger houses :D


196 posted on 03/23/2006 2:15:08 PM PST by TalonDJ
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To: KC Burke
I have no fear of tornados -- our home can't be lifted from its foundations.

LOL!! I'm a PhD student and my son is a well read FReeper who hasn't met a book about the economy or the Constitution that he didn't want to read. The books are taking over our grad student apartment and we've had to put some in storage.

I'm about to sign for my first tenure-track job and look forward to a house with a proper office/library. I've tried getting books from the library so they wouldn't pile up, but I want them to stick around, not just board with me for a few weeks. Amazon's used book option makes some books so inexpensive, you might as well buy them.

197 posted on 03/23/2006 2:17:18 PM PST by radiohead (Hey Kerry, I'm still here; still hating your lying, stinking guts, you coward.)
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To: Xenalyte

When I see kitchens in decorating/remodeling magazines, I just laugh at the "bookshelf" which usually holds five or ten cookbooks. I had lower cabinets built in in the kitchen which hold about 200, and I keep the ones not as frequently used on shelves in another part of the house.


198 posted on 03/23/2006 2:17:22 PM PST by linda_22003
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To: Siena Dreaming

I've got two words for you:

Shop Vac


199 posted on 03/23/2006 2:18:03 PM PST by linda_22003
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To: SeaDragon

Now you have proof that I'm crazy. :-)


200 posted on 03/23/2006 2:18:05 PM PST by RikaStrom (The number one rule of the Kama Sutra is that you both be on the same page.../Exeter 051705)
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