I work in State government and our Governor just reduced the salaries of all state employees by what amounts to 6%. Unfortunately for yours truly, this cut eliminates my book buying budget entirely. As such, I'm pledging here before all the world that I'm not going to purchase a single book for the next three months. It's going to be extremely difficult and I'm hoping that saying it publicly will help me stick with it. On the bright side, this should provide me with a great opportunity to work on the stack of books I have but have not yet read.
Also, for the record, I've already ordered a copy of China Miéville's new book, The City and the City, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Angel's Game, so these aren't violations of my pledge!
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15 comments:
If you can do it you're a better man then me. I once made it almost 2 months without buying any books when I was down on my luck. Now I'm back to my old tricks picking up at least 6 a month, but I hardly ever pay full price. I had a trip to the Strand in NY recently and ended up with 5 books on that visit alone not counting all the books I just had to have from my regular sources.
http://booktionary.blogspot.com/
Glad to know I'm not the only one who will find it difficult!
I've got a friend who orders books from Strand all the time. I've never done so though...
Nice blog. I'm going to add it to my blogroll...
Tell you what, I'll join your pledge and do the same for three months. Fortunately I don't have any wage reductions looming (hopefully never will - knock on wood) but after my mini-vacation, I came back over budget on my book buying. Not what I had planned to do since I really wanted to stay within my budget as proof that you can survive a year with very little money spent on books.
TK42ONE, thanks for joining me! And good luck!
How about joining one of those book swap sites, lots of good books for...well nothing.
Good luck.
Thanks for the idea Colin, but I've got enough books to last me for a while already...
Best of luck, it's going to be difficult as I know how much you love books and building up a good collection of 1st Editions.
I've managed to not purchase any new books myself for about 2 months granted I was on a hiatus from the blogs for awhile. Each time I read a new review of a book that sounds great, I really want to pick it up. (Just like the Hussey book you reviewed.)
I found my Public Library for the most part has a great selection of Fantasy/Science Fiction which has really helped as I just go there and pick up a ton of great books to read for FREE.
So perhaps you can start picking some new releases and old favorites at the library. To at least somewhat sate your appetite for new books.
Harrison,
It is going to be difficult to qwell my first edition cravings. And, like you, whenever I read a great review of a book that sounds interesting it's going to be difficult, but as I said to Colin, I've got a lot of books that need to be read that I haven't read yet. So, this is going to be a good thing, I think.
Right guys, time to start a sweepstake for when Ben will crack, i'll go for three weeks :-)
Sorry Ben, couldn't resist !!!
Haha! Fair enough Colin. That will provide me with even more motivation! It's going to be difficult....really difficult.
Hows it going Ben, that must be week one up now. Hands getting sweaty yet, feel a slight twitch in the upper eyebrow, find yourself nervously pacing the floor trying not to log onto a publishers website. Go on, have a look you know it makes sense, you know you want to. Just buy a paperback, that couldn't hurt could it, I could recommend some good ones if you want. Or how about a first edition, remember that new book smell, the shiny cover, reading the blurb:-)
Nice try Colin! Actually, it's going okay so far. Work has been very busy so I haven't been reading as much this past week, which makes it easier. Plus, I did get in a few last minute book orders before May 1 to tide me over. The most difficult things so far have been not picking up copies of (1) The Adamantine Palace (Stephen Deas) after reading Paul's great review at Blood of the Muse; and (2) not trying to acquire a copy of the chapbook that Bill Hussey & Joseph D'Lacey are going to be distributing on their tour. It's free if you attend one of their tour stops but since I'm stuck in the States I had really hoped to purchase a copy on eBay or something. Other than that, I'm doing pretty good so far! There's no telling how long that will last, though....
Damn you and your pesky willpower:-) I would offer to pick up a copy of that chapbook for you but unfortunately despite being on the same island they are not quite coming close enough so I can visit either.
That's mighty kind of you to even think about that. As far as my willpower goes, it has seen great triumphs as well as colossal failures...will just have to see...
Thanks for the add. Becuase of all the great things I've been hearing about China Miéville's The City and The City I had to pick it up in addition to a used copy of his Un Lun Dun. Now I have to hold off on buying for at least a month and a half, but at least I've got plenty of good stuff to hold me over.
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