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Pruning my book collection

I have been doing a bit of pruning in my TBR shelves and am putting the 'cuttings' on my BookMooch trade list. When I got them, some of the books were being given away for free and looked interesting at the time, although I now can no longer remember why they looked interesting, while with others I know I can easily get them from the library and also that I will have no desire to own then after I read them. And then there are the books I do no remember being given, buying or taking from the 'free books' table. How they got into my book collection is a mystery.

If anyone can give me reason why I should keep and read any of these books, please drop me a comment.

Iain Banks: The Wasp Factory - I am only mildly interested in it and if someone mooching it suddenly makes me want to read it, I can easily read it in 2 hours before sending it off.

John Bunyan: The Pilgrim's Progress. Not only can I get it from the library – it is also available on the net. I have mostly been keeping it because it is a pretty little book, a paperback with an old-fashioned woodcut picture and the title in gothic lettering. If I ever fell like reading it, I will get an annotated version.

George Macdonald Fraser: Flashman and Royal Flash. Where these came from I can not imagine. I do find it quite funny that they were shelved right next to Erica Jong – obviously I must have been in a mind to read picaresques when I got these, but now I don't feel like reading them.

Georgette Heyer: Devil's Cub. I think one copy is enough, so I'm getting rid of the spare.

Erica Jong: Fear of Flying: See George Macdonald Fraser.

Maxine Hong Kingston: The Woman Warrior. I must have been interested when I got it, but I am not now.

Colleen McCullough: The Ladies of Missalonghi. Freely available from the library, so there is no need for me to let it take up shelf space.

Barbara Michaels: Houses of Stone. I gave it the obligatory 50 pages and it did not arouse any interest in me, so I am letting it go.

Jodi Picoult: Vanishing Acts. If I ever get an overwhelming desire to read it I can always get it from the library.
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Comments

kimbofo said…
I read The Wasp Factory about 20 years ago and thought it was a startling debut novel. Very dark, twisted and macabre -- perfect, if you like that sort of thing. Very humourous, too, if I remember correctly. Worth a read in my humble opinion.
March 18, 2007 1:47 pm
fleurione said…
The only one I've heard of is The Wasp Factory, and luckily I've read it. It's a very good book - dark and funny - and especially if it will only take you a couple of hours to read, read it before getting rid of it!
March 28, 2007 11:43 am
Bibliophile said…
Hmmm, two votes for Banks - I think I will read it.
April 02, 2007 11:12 am
Anonymous said…
You should read Woman Warrior it's a great book, i actually was able to meet the author Maxine Hong Kingston, she is just brilliant...
May 05, 2007 1:26 am
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