colligo

Earlier, I was transcribing some of the more excellent passages of a book I had recently finished into a notebook I keep for this purpose.  I like to mark up books as I go along, but as this is potentially not the best thing to do to library books...I've decided I should probably get my own book to write in.

This has been a great idea so far, because I could write down the small snippets of wisdom provided by various authors and keep them forever out of context and all in one conglomerative location.  I'm really not sure just how much sarcasm the previous sentence actually contained.

I guess that just goes to show that I'm not really sure if my transcribing idea is the best option yet.  But for now, while I can't afford nor house all the books I'd like to keep, I suppose it will be a nice compromise between the library and I.

See, this is what I would prefer to do:

Sublime option: Check out books from the library.  The oldest copies available.  Read them and annotate them and indulge in them thoroughly.  Then keep the book and all the annotations for my personal library.

Since I don't see that working out so well, here is an alternative:

Option: Check out books from the library.  It doesn't matter which specific copies anymore.  Read them and annotate them and indulge in them.  Remove the best pages from the book, then return the rest of the book to the library.  Compile my collection of pages and bind my own book.  (Best commonplace book ever, no?) Treasure this book.

(anyone familiar with Regina Spektor?  I'd totally become the Man of a Thousand Faces.)

I still don't see this working out the best.  So here is what actually happens:

Reality and "Compromise" (i.e.: bending to the will and fining power of the public library): I check out books from the library.  It doesn't matter which copies.  Read them, pay attention to them, try to indulge in them as much as possible without marking them up.  Transcribe the best passages into a separate notebook.  Return the book in its entirety to the library. Sigh.

I wish I could tangibly take so much more from these books and authors, but alas.  It isn't so.

Sometimes I wonder if this blog should be titled "Confessions of a bibliophile" or something equally cliché...:P

Bibliophilia or not, my feelings for books might just be qualified as an abusive love...:P  But fear not, it can go both ways.