Book Purge Seven — July 24th 2016
From the photo above, it will be clear that I have succumbed to the urge to double my efforts. There are, therefore, fourteen books this week preparing their departure instead of the customary seven. This has cheered up my wife no end. (She probably believes that with this dam broken, I will soon be hurling books out by the dozen. Patience, darling.)
I’m not going to spend long defending the decision to eject many of these books. But here’s the dirty on them:
1. How To Be A Gardner (Book 1) — Alan Titchmarsh
I’ve spoken before about my self-deluding dream about taking an interest in the garden. I now believe gardens should be banned. Gardening be gone.
2. The Unified Software Development Process — The Three Amigos
I actually read this and tried to put it into practice at one time. It’s safe to say that I won’t be using the contents of this book ever again.
3. Learning Rails — St. Laurent & Dumbill
There was a time when I collected O’Reilly books like breadcrumbs beneath the toaster. It seemed important to learn Rails. No more.
4. Teach Yourself Copywriting
Really?
5. Ancillary Justice — Ann Leckie
This won the awards and was much praised. I read it and made it to the end but was never, to be honest, gripped. I found the main character someone (something?) hard to care about. I have not sought out the sequels, so this can safely leave the house and find a more discerning home.
6. Never Go Back — Lee Child
He does, of course, which is what the book is about. It is as readable as any Child and fun to tear through and, finally, quite forgettable. I bought this for my dad. He gave it to me and I read it. I won’t read it again.
7. Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2011
I used to buy these quite regularly. This is the last one I bought and I have no idea why it is still taking up room on the shelf. No more. Buying this was more about fantasy — and ego — than for practical help. Making room on the shelf is the practical help it can provide now.
8. Perl In A Nutshell
Another O’Reilly blast from the past. I never came close to mastering Perl. It is unlikely that I will do now.
9. A Most Wanted Man — le Carré
I usually enjoy le Carré novels and I’m the proud owner of many of the early ones. This, however, was not one of the best. Written in auto-pilot. It can go.
10. Michel Foucault — Dreyfuss & Rabinow
This is a study of Foucault when I kidded myself that I took that French post-structuralist stuff seriously. I’ll keep Foucault’s The Order Of Things but a study of him I won’t read again. In fact, I doubt I ever read this; I certainly don’t remember it.
11. The Technique Of Film Music
Where this came from I have no idea. It may have belonged to my father-in-law but I doubt he read it either.
12. Velocity — Ajaz Ahmed
Nope.
13. Manhood — Steve Biddulph
I bought a few of Biddulph’s books about raising kids and left it too late to read them. I feel it may even be too late to read this.
14. Overnight Success — Paul Jay
Business tosh. Off you go.
There are half a dozen different charity shops on the high street in my local town. I think I’ll be able to keep the shelves of their book sections replenished for a while yet.
Now excuse me, I’ve just seen a couple of books that are begging to be released from their dusty and neglected bondage.
