Proud Book Eccentric

Does anyone have a spouse who is not particularly supportive of their
BookMooch habit? Today my husband said I was "borderline eccentric"
because I keep getting more books, and he said I shouldn't get any
more until I read what I have! I have about 200 books, which are now
starting to overflow our bookshelves. I am working diligently at
getting them all read, but it takes time!

This worries him, as he thinks that is "way too many books for one
person to have." He has no idea that there are lots of people who have
MANY more books than that! He's not really that much into reading--he
reads maybe a handful of books a year; whereas I read a handful every
month.

I need a little bit of support here. Someone please reassure me that I
am not turning *eccentric* just because I love books!! Does anyone
else have to deal with a significant other who is not supportive of
their book habit?

Kristin

I have an entire room dedicated to my books. My TBR pile is 621 (and I have 8 wall to wall bookshelves with some 1200 other books piling onto the floor) and growing. I use Freecycle to get books(got a really good box of 30+ woman self help and a range of novels yesterday in mint condition) to add to the pile and to swap for more books. I have a blog to share my experience of books that include a Twitter board so any random thoughts can be texted at a moments notice and a live music log so you know what I am listening to as I experience life with books. I am active in three forums and two swap sites linked to books and review books for several sites. I catalogue all my books via Librarything.com and get into conversations about that. I also l scan various literary sites and trade press such as the TLS for news on current trends in books for my wishlists.. I also listen and watch any program about books and words. All presents are book tokens, well at Christmas its book tokens (and black socks-long story!) but people still insist on buying me beer and chocolates as well :-(

Oh and I read them as well! I have read around 65 books since the 1st of January and I am currently reading The History of Dreams which was Peter Hoeg's first novel. This means that I am often up by 6 in the morning to catalogue, blog, forum watch, read books. And often read late at night in bed with a little battery operated book light attached to the book so not to get thrown out of bed by outraged wife!

My wife is not amused when I turn up with yet another bag of car boot junk that may have some books as she knows she will have to hassle me to get the non-book stuff to the local charity/thrift shops. Nor when I ask her to stay in " because some books may come!( We cracked that one, I now have a notice on the door that any books arriving and we not answering the door can be put in the safe place tin box hidden in the front garden which the red van posties love as they can rush by, throw the books in and not even have to bother to ring the door). I don't take books out with me if we go out...now...the temperature got too cool!

So the next time you get called borderline eccentric just remind them what you could be like!