Best Book Collection Philosophy Quotes
Book Collection Philosophy
Dive into the essence of why books are more than just collections of words on paper. The Book Collection Philosophy is not merely about amassing volumes; it's a journey through wisdom, obsession, and the impermanence of knowledge itself. This curated collection explores profound themes such as Book Theft and Borrowing, the Personal Connection to Books, and the very Philosophy of Book Collecting. It also delves into how books signify status and embody knowledge, capturing the heart of what makes book collecting a timeless pursuit.
Within this article, you'll find some of the best Book Collection Philosophy quotes that encapsulate the essence of each theme, offering insights from those who have deeply pondered over the significance of their libraries. From the ephemeral nature of books to the act of sharing them as a means to foster accessibility and community, these pieces of Book Collection Philosophy wisdom are sure to inspire and provoke thought.
Join us in exploring this rich tapestry where each thread is woven with stories of obsession, connection, and the quest for knowledge. The value you will derive from this collection extends beyond mere reading; it's about understanding how books shape our lives and perspectives, making them an integral part of who we are. Embrace the Book Collection Philosophy inspiration that awaits, enriching your own journey through literature and life.
Table of Contents
- Book Theft and Borrowing
- Personal Connection to Books
- Philosophy of Book Collecting
- Books and Their Impermanence
- Books as a Status Symbol
- Books and Knowledge
- Book Collecting as an Obsession
- Book Sharing and Accessibility
- Other
- Conclusion
Book Theft and Borrowing
In the realm of book collection philosophy, the dynamics between theft and borrowing reveal nuanced perspectives on ownership, access, and the intrinsic value of literature. This section delves into how these practices shape attitudes towards literary preservation and dissemination, offering insights through a series of reflections that follow.
"I've stolen books. They're the only thing worth taking that don't belong to you."
"Professors of literature collect books the way a ship collects barnacles, without seeming effort."
"Some men borrow books; some men steal books; and others beg presentation copies from the author."
"Nobody steals books but your friends."
"Shelving books incorrectly is as good as stealing them. It's almost worse."
"When you steal from the library, you are preventing anyone else from reading that book, and the very notion makes me want to drop you in the Void."
"It's amazing […] how perfectly honest people who would starve rather than steal sixpence, will steal books without compunction."
"Borrowed books and umbrellas are seldom returned"
"Books were not looked upon as things unobtainable due to economic circumstances or class status. My grandfather stole an entire set of Dicken's from the local library."
"I mean your borrowers of books - those mutilators of collections, spoilers of the symmetry of shelves, and creators of odd volumes."
"Borrowers of books --those mutilators of collections, spoilers of the symmetry of shelves, and creators of odd volumes."
"Books were not looked upon as things unobtainable due to economic circumstances or class status. My grandfather stole an entire set of Dicken’s from the local library."
Personal Connection to Books
The heart of a book collection often lies beyond the mere accumulation of titles; it thrives on the personal connections each volume fosters with its collector. This section delves into how these intimate bonds, formed through shared experiences and emotional resonance, enrich one's Book Collection Philosophy, making every addition not just a book, but a piece of a greater narrative.
"book collecting is only meaningful if it’s personal,” Oscar clarified. “If it’s just another way of accumulating wealth instead of for the books themselves it isn’t right. Collectors are trying to protect themselves. To separate themselves. It’s a hierarchy."
""
"Like all collectors, I exist in a perpetual state of want that bears no reasonable relationship to the quantity of unread books mounting up on my shelves."
"Individuals somehow are led to find my books at times that are important to them. The mail that I get very, very often will say, "I was at a difficult time in my life, and someone gave me a copy.""
"To a book collector, you see, the true freedom of all books is somewhere on his shelves."
""
"What I would most like to think they would take away, is what I take away when I read my favorite books. Which is the knowledge that there is always somewhere you can go, that you love, and where you're safe. And that's how I feel about my favorite books, wherever I am, if I've got that book with me, I've got a place where I can go and be happy. So if that place is Hogwarts for anyone, then I couldn't be more honored or humbled."
"There were books everywhere, hundreds of them on shelves that had been designed to fit into every nook and cranny, and it goes without saying that anyone who collects books can’t be all bad."
"I find it almost impossible to throw a book away. Anyway, what some call hoarding, others might call building a library. So, I can justify my books. I believe I justify them in a perfectly rational way."
"Individuals somehow are led to find my books at times that are important to them. The mail that I get very, very often will say, “I was at a difficult time in my life, and someone gave me a copy.”"
"I am happy if I can give them away or donate them. But I can’t throw a book in the trash, no matter how hard I try."
Philosophy of Book Collecting
Delving into the philosophy of book collecting reveals not just a passion for acquisition but an exploration of personal identity, cultural heritage, and the intrinsic value of knowledge. This section unveils insights from collectors themselves, offering perspectives on why certain books are cherished above others and how these collections shape our understanding of the world around us.
"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. Those who do not do it, think of it as a cousin of stamp collecting, a sister of the trophy cabinet, bastard of a sound bank account and a weak mind."
"Book collecting is a full-time occupation, and one wouldn't get far if one took time off for frivolities like reading."
"If you steal from one book you are condemned as a plagiarist, but if you steal from ten books you are considered a scholar, and if you steal from thirty or forty books, a distinguished scholar."
"Book-hunters are the most determined and interesting collectors in the world. I know of no passion to equal it."
"Real bibliophiles do not put their books on shelves for people to look at or handle. They have no desire to show off their darlings, or to amaze people with their possessions. They keep their prized books hidden away in a secret spot to which they resort stealthily, like a Caliph visiting his harem, or a church elder sneaking into a bar. To be a book collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope-fiend with those of a miser."
"It is a good thing to read books, and need not be a bad thing to write them, but in any case, it is a pious thing to collect them."
"I don't collect books just because other people collect them, and I'm not going to have books in my collection if I think it's badly written."
"I've never been a collector - just a consumer - and these days unless a book is signed to me by another author, I don't normally have any qualms about passing it to a friend or donating it to the library."
"Do you know what they call people who hoard books? Smart."
"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."
"Digital texts are all well and good, but books on shelves are a presence in your life. As such, they become a part of your day-to-day existence, reminding you, chastising you, calling to you. Plus, book collecting is, hands down, the greatest pastime in the world."
Books and Their Impermanence
In the ever-evolving landscape of literature, books serve as transient vessels of knowledge and imagination. Understanding their impermanent nature enriches the philosophy behind collecting them, highlighting the ephemeral beauty and historical significance each volume holds. The following quotes delve into this poignant theme, offering perspectives on how the fleeting existence of books impacts our appreciation and preservation efforts.
"As historian Albert L. Hurtado wrote, "War, pestilence, and famine blow books around the planet like so many hostages to uncertain fortune. Thieves steal, vandals deface, pious clergy burn, and worms eat books. Whether threatened by worms or war, there is nothing permanent about books and libraries."
"Trithemius' concern for conservation was rare, indeed, and is a lesson to modern library managers who discard printed volumes, believing that e-books are the only way of the future."
"We collect books in the belief that we are preserving them when in fact it is the books that preserve their collector."
"It is fortunate that Literature is in no ways injured by the follies of Collectors, since though they preserve the worthless, they necessarily defend the good."
"Great collections of books are subject to certain accidents besides the damp, the worms, and the rats; one not less common is that of the borrowers, not to say a word of the purloiners"
"The extermination of Poland’s literary heritage was frighteningly efficient. Researchers have estimated that 70 percent of all books in Poland were destroyed or lost through plunder. Over 90 percent of collections belonging to public libraries or schools were lost or destroyed."
"Apparently Lord Wyndham did regularly donate books to various museums around London. They were usually ones which he had collected earlier, but which were no longer of interest to him or his associates. Irene twitched at the very notion. Give books away? How very frivolous, she finally said."
"The reason why borrowed books are seldom returned, is that it is easier to retain books themselves than what is inside of them."
"Great collections of books are subject to certain accidents besides the damp, the worms, and the rats; one not less common is that of the borrowers, not to say a word of the purloiners."
"The books that are most likely to be stolen from libraries are books on ethics, especially those that are likely to be read by faculty and advanced students in moral philosophy. Those books go missing at a rate 50 to 150 percent higher than comparable texts not about ethics. And if it is any consolation, books by Nietzsche are among the most likely to be snatched, and another target is Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue. Again, maybe businesspeople are not the most dishonest group after all.8."
Books as a Status Symbol
Throughout history, book collections have often served not just as repositories of knowledge but also as indicators of cultural sophistication and wealth. This section explores how books can be viewed as status symbols within various social contexts, shedding light on the sometimes overlooked motivations behind book collecting. The following quotes reveal insights into this intriguing aspect of Book Collection Philosophy.
"Books are the only things worth stealing."
"Everyone has a bookplate these days, and the collectors are after it. The fool and his bookplate are soon parted. To distribute one's ex libris is inanely to destroy the only significance it has, that of indicating the past or present ownership of the volume in which it is placed."
"SCRAP-BOOK, n. A book that is commonly edited by a fool. Many persons of some small distinction compile scrap-books containing whatever they happen to read about themselves or employ others to collect."
"I've often thought that my scruples about stealing books were the only thing that stood in the way of my being a really great scholar."
"To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser."
"What is this obsession people have with books? They put them in their houses like they're trophies. What do you need it for after you read it?"
"As a rule people don’t collect books; they let books collect themselves."
"What is this obsession people have with books? They put them in their houses like they’re trophies. What do you need it for after you read it?"
"I’ve often thought that my scruples about stealing books were the only thing that stood in the way of my being a really great scholar."
"Everyone has a bookplate these days, and the collectors are after it. The fool and his bookplate are soon parted. To distribute one’s ex libris is inanely to destroy the only significance it has, that of indicating the past or present ownership of the volume in which it is placed."
Books and Knowledge
Books serve as vessels of knowledge, each page a portal to new ideas and perspectives. In the realm of Book Collection Philosophy, understanding how these repositories of information shape our worldviews is crucial. This section delves into insights from various thinkers on the transformative power of books and the knowledge they impart.
"I have stolen ideas from every book I have ever read."
"Of all the ways of acquiring books, writing them oneself is regarded as the most praiseworthy method.— Walter Benjamin, "Unpacking My Library"
"Is there anywhere on earth exempt from these swarms of new books? Even if, taken out one at a time, they offered something worth knowing, the very mass of them would be an impediment to learning from satiety if nothing else"
"The book borrower...proves himself to be an inveterate collector of books not so much by the fervor with which he guards his borrowed treasures...as by his failure to read these books."
"I read individual stories a lot in magazines and other places, too, but I really think there’s something to be said for reading story collections as collections. That’s not true of all story collections, to be honest, but for good ones I think it often is true."
"Is there anywhere on earth exempt from these swarms of new books? Even if, taken out one at a time, they offered something worth knowing, the very mass of them would be an impediment to learning from satiety if nothing else."
"If it weren’t for the law, I would steal books; if it weren’t for my purse, I would buy them."
"To steal book seems like stealing the soul out of someone."
"The books that are most likely to be stolen from libraries are books on ethics, especially those that are likely to be read by faculty and advanced students in moral philosophy. Those books go missing at a rate 50 to 150 percent higher than comparable texts not about ethics. And if it is any consolation, books by Nietzsche are among the most likely to be snatched, and another target is Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue. Again, maybe businesspeople are not the most dishonest group after all.8."
Book Collecting as an Obsession
Book collecting, often seen as a noble pursuit of knowledge and beauty, can also descend into an all-consuming obsession that defines one's identity and daily existence. This section delves into how the passion for gathering books transforms from a hobby to a driving force in life, exploring its profound impact on personal philosophy and lifestyle through insightful quotes from avid collectors and scholars alike.
"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. Those who do not do it, think of it as a cousin of stamp collecting, a sister of the trophy cabinet, bastard of a sound bank account and a weak mind."
"The most discouraging feature of the mania for book-collecting is, that it grows by what it feeds on, and becomes the more insatiable the more it is gratified."
"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."
"Book collecting is a largely solitary, mostly male, and completely absorbing activity."
"Book collectors are thrill-seekers. It is a vegetarian hunt to be sure, without much exertion or risk, but the endorphin rush of the chase and the adrenaline high of the capture are much the same with first editions as I imagine they must be in the pursuit of 10-point stags, largemouth bass, or 20-foot waves at Maverick's."
"Digital texts are all well and good, but books on shelves are a presence in your life. As such, they become a part of your day-to-day existence, reminding you, chastising you, calling to you. Plus, book collecting is, hands down, the greatest pastime in the world."
"I do not feel happy when a collection is understood too well."
Book Sharing and Accessibility
In the realm of book collection philosophy, the concepts of sharing and accessibility emerge as vital pillars, fostering a culture where knowledge is not just collected but also disseminated widely. This section explores how making books available to everyone can enrich communities and broaden individual perspectives, supported by insights from notable voices in literature and education.
"The Gainesville Chamber of Commerce organized a drive to collect books to be donated to the Gainesville Victory ship. Two hundred books were collected."
"That was the impetus behind writing it, was to have the collection be more accessible to more people,"
"There are many ways of discarding [books]. You can give them to friends,--or enemies,--or to associations or to poor Southern libraries. But the surest way is to lend them. Then they never come back to bother you."
"Apparently Lord Wyndham did regularly donate books to various museums around London. They were usually ones which he had collected earlier, but which were no longer of interest to him or his associates. Irene twitched at the very notion. Give books away? How very frivolous, she finally said."
"I like thinking of the writer as a kind of curator; the collection as curiosity cabinet – in a non-demeaning, non-objectifying sense – but an array, a set of offerings."
"I’m not a collector. I don’t keep letters, or books, or souvenirs. But I do keep one copy of each translation of my books into a foreign language. Have you ever seen a murder story printed in Singhalese? Wow!"
"Intrigued by how people became intrigued by this topic, The Hoarders is a book about how some people’s things unsettle some accepted conceptions of material culture, why documentaries, articles, and websites dedicate themselves to eradicating this activity."
Other
Additional quotes that offer unique perspectives on this topic.
"And the non-reading of books, you will object, should be characteristic of all collectors? This is news to me, you may say. It is not news at all. experts will bear me out when I say that it is the oldest thing in the world. Suffice it to quote the answer which Anatole France gave to a philistine who admired his library and then finished with the standard question, “And you have read all these books, Monsieur France?” “Not one-tenth of them. I don’t suppose you use your Sevres china every day?"
"Those who stole and loot from ShopRite in the reprisal attacks of Xenophobia in South Africa left the bookshelf untouched. Readers don't steal and thieves don't read."
"I once wrote deduceable instead of deducible in a book, though nobody then or since has taken me up on it. A small point as they go, perhaps, but Rule I of writing acceptably is to get everything right as far as you can, and in this case I had neglected to."
"As a rule people don't collect books; they let books collect themselves."
"We knew that French bibliophiles would be horrified to see their books falling into a trough like candy or soda. So we installed a mechanical arm that grabs the book and delivers it safely."
"I just thought it made sense to call a book 'Not Garbage,' even though the majority of it was going to be the scraps from people's studios; like newspaper clippings, weird drawings and stuff they might not necessarily show as artists."
"One of the freedoms you get if you earn a lot of money from a book is to throw away what you want. And if you throw a lot away, the good stuff always comes back; nothing is lost."
"There are copies and copies of copies. We're sorting through it."
"I like thinking of the writer as a kind of curator; the collection as curiosity cabinet - in a non-demeaning, non-objectifying sense - but an array, a set of offerings."
"I once stole a book. It was really just the once, and at the time I called it borrowing. It was 1970, and the book, I could see by its lack of date stamps, had been lying unappreciated on the shelves of my convent school library since its publication in 1945."
"I got my books stolen. They wanted my work."
"Books are so cheap and easy to get that people don't bother stealing them, which is the essential rule of piracy that the music business learned much too late."
"They will be given as gifts; books that are especially pretty or visual will be bought as hard copies; books that are collectible will continue to be collected; people with lots of bookshelves will keep stocking them; and anyone who likes to make notes in books will keep buying books with margins to fill."
"The Things They Carried"
"Most authors steal their works, or buy."
"Any and all copyright holders ... can tell us which books they'd prefer that we not scan if we find them in a library."
"I'm not a collector. I don't keep letters, or books, or souvenirs. But I do keep one copy of each translation of my books into a foreign language. Have you ever seen a murder story printed in Singhalese? Wow!"
"I mean your borrowers of books – those mutilators of collections, spoilers of the symmetry of shelves, and creators of odd volumes."
"If you going to steal a book thought, you should at least take the nicest one, otherwise what’s the point?"
"Hef holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for largest scrapbook collection at over 2,000 volumes."
"Shelving books incorrectly is as good as stealing them. It’s almost worse."
"My books were all on their shelves. Nobody steals books but your friends."
"It’s a fair-sized job to write a book that people can be bothered just to read; when they begin to steal copies, you are really getting some place."
"I’ve stolen books. They’re the only thing worth taking that don’t belong to you."
""
Conclusion
The profound wisdom from Book Collection Philosophy quotes not only enriches our understanding but also deepens our appreciation of books as cherished companions and sources of knowledge. From the intriguing topics like book theft and borrowing to the deeply personal connections we form with each volume, these insights offer a comprehensive view into the multifaceted world of book collecting. The philosophy behind why some see books as status symbols or as impermanent artifacts that hold fleeting value, contrasts sharply against those who view them purely as gateways to knowledge and enlightenment.
Moreover, the exploration of book collection as an obsession versus its role in fostering accessibility and sharing highlights how diverse our relationships with literature can be. Whether you are a casual reader seeking inspiration or a dedicated collector building your own library, the quotes from "book-collection-philosophy" provide invaluable perspectives that resonate on both emotional and intellectual levels.
We encourage you to reflect on these insights and apply them in your journey through the pages of countless books. Let each quote serve as a reminder of the joy, wisdom, and connections we can derive from the written word. In essence, every book is more than just ink on paper; it's an invitation to explore new worlds, deepen our understanding, and ultimately enrich our lives. So keep reading, collecting, sharing—and let your love for books be the cornerstone of a lifelong adventure.
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