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 title: On Buying Used Books
 date: 2022-10-15 12:00:00
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It could probably go without saying, but I read _a lot_ [0] of
books.

Good books, bad books, big books, small books, books I agree with,
books I don't, books with pictures, books for kids... you get the
idea. I love to read, and while I'm no stranger to the world of
eBooks, nothing beats the experience of curling up in front of the
fire with a stack of dead trees.

But, as I'm sure you can imagine, buying physical books can be both
financially _and_ physically unsustainable. The damn things are
_expensive_, and as much as I love to line my bookshelves with the
wisdom of the ages, it's hard to feel particularly good about the
arboreal waste it represents.

While I can and do support my local library (both physically and
digitally [1]), I am a sucker for marginalia. I like to _fully_ own
my books, and fill them with my thoughts and notes. It's how I
retain what I read, which was a hard-won habit that I don't want to
lose any time soon. So, what is a guy to do?

Well, when it comes to fiction, I've learned to be flexible. The
library is my friend, and the Libby app in particular allows me to
borrow books directly on my Kindle. But what about non-fiction? The
types of books that generate a _ton_ of notes, highlights, and
bookmarks? That's where used books have become my saving grace.

With the exception of gifts and the intentional support of
independent authors, nearly every book in my library (otherwise
known as every semi-flat surface in my house) was purchased from a
thrift-store or used bookstore [2], which is not only 85-90%
cheaper, but also gives some potential landfill fodder a much
longer life (and a little extra love).

You see, the wonderful thing about books is that no matter how old
and worn they become, the words don't change. The message will be
the same today as it was the day it rolled off the presses, but
what _is_ different about a used book is that you can almost _feel_
its history. The hands that have held it, and the people it has
inspired. Financial and ecological concerns aside, used books have
character that only time can create.

--

_This is post 016 of #100DaysToOffload [3]_

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[0]: http://flower.codes/library.html
[1]: https://libbyapp.com/
[2]: https://www.thriftbooks.com/
[3]: https://100daystooffload.com/
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