Book Purge Two — June 20th 2016
The second week of my attempt to ease the congestion on my bookshelves, placate my wife, and relieve some of the oppression that I now realise that too many books inflicts went smoothly. So much so, in fact, that I was tempted to start making more wholesale clearances. But I resisted. I’ll stick with the slow but steady progress for now until the daily choice becomes a habit. There’s a danger that a burst of over-enthusiastic purging will lead to an equally strong reaction later on.
Anyway, here are this week’s books heading to the charity shop. There are only two works of fiction in the pile. The majority of the books come from a section of the shelves that contains a lot of business/digital marketing/self-help books and, to be honest, reflect periods of self-doubt rather than a search for knowledge.
1. Hit Me! (12 Web Experts Share Their Secrets)
This is rather like you would expect from the title. My only excuse is that I was given it. I have skimmed it and I will never skim it again.
2. Brogan and Smith — The Impact Equation
I used to read a lot of Chris Brogan material. For a time I even subscribed to his newsletter. That time is past.
3. Ben Aaronovitch — Rivers Of London
This is the first book in a series — the Peter Grant series — about a policeman in London whose job is to investigate magical crimes. I enjoyed the book well enough but I won’t be reading any more. Having the first book in the series on the shelves is a goad to buy and read the rest of the series and I don’t want to.
4. The Miracle Morning
This is a book that takes 150 pages or so to give you one of those “habits to do before 8am” lists. And good habits they are. Once read, never forgotten. So I no longer need the book.
5. Joe Vitale — The Attractor Factor
I really don’t even know why I have this book. Manifesting wealth and attracting the universal will are not what I’m looking for. When I got the book I must have been in some desperate state and searching for the softer easier way. Thanks, anyway.
6. Benjamin Wood — The Bellwether Revivals
I bought this for my mother. She read it and enjoyed it and passed it to me shortly before she died. I don’t think I’ll read it. Nothing to do with sentimentality and everything to do with time and priority.
7. Springer & Carson — Pioneers of Digital
Another freebie. Another book sharing the secrets of successful digital gurus and mavens. It’s rather like a series of long LinkedIn profiles and as about as entertaining.
Two weeks in and there is no discernible impact on the look of the shelves. That is to be expected. It may be many weeks before I start seeing gaps appear or even see through to the books at the back of any shelf. But that suddenly feels like a worthwhile goal. Onwards.
