Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 11:37:02 AM UTC+10, James Nicoll wrote:
> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>

I really, really liked this book. People (rightly) criticise Forward for his flat characterisation but, in a novel where the he deals with the growth of a civilisation, in a few hundred pages, characterisation becomes much less important.

The aliens were awesome!

-Moriarty

In article <s78mea$ash$1@reader1.panix.com>,
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:

> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight

Off Topic Note: This is weird; your post is dated May 9th, but I didn't
see it until the 12th. I also see other posts by you that showed up this
evening (May 12th) that are dated May 8th to the May 11th. What happened?

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

In article <robertaw-1A3A50.22035812052021@news.individual.net>,
Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:
>In article <s78mea$ash$1@reader1.panix.com>,
> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:
>
>> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>>
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>
>Off Topic Note: This is weird; your post is dated May 9th, but I didn't
>see it until the 12th. I also see other posts by you that showed up this
>evening (May 12th) that are dated May 8th to the May 11th. What happened?

No idea. Sorry.

--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On Wed, 12 May 2021 22:03:59 -0700, Robert Woodward
<robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:

>In article <s78mea$ash$1@reader1.panix.com>,
> jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:
>
>> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>>
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>
>Off Topic Note: This is weird; your post is dated May 9th, but I didn't
>see it until the 12th. I also see other posts by you that showed up this
>evening (May 12th) that are dated May 8th to the May 11th. What happened?

Traffic appeared to me to drop drastically over the weekend.

Perhaps those pipelines that got shut down by ransomeware caused other
problems as well.
--
"I begin to envy Petronius."
"I have envied him long since."

On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:

> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight

And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.

Funny how that happens.

Cheers - Jaimie
--
I hope I live long enough
to vindicate my pessimism
-- http://www.boasas.com/?c=1108

Moriarty <blues95@ivillage.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 11:37:02 AM UTC+10, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
> ...People (rightly) criticise Forward for his flat characterisation

Nobody criticized the flat charactersm did they?

On 2021-05-12 9:02 p.m., Moriarty wrote:
> On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 11:37:02 AM UTC+10, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>>
>
> I really, really liked this book. People (rightly) criticise Forward for his flat characterisation but, in a novel where the he deals with the growth of a civilisation, in a few hundred pages, characterisation becomes much less important.
>
> The aliens were awesome!

And you don't get any flatter than those aliens.

In article <s7keuh$gh2$1@gioia.aioe.org>,
David Duffy <davidD@qimr.edu.au> wrote:
>Moriarty <blues95@ivillage.com> wrote:
>> On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 11:37:02 AM UTC+10, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>> ...People (rightly) criticise Forward for his flat characterisation
>
>Nobody criticized the flat charactersm did they?

Um, I haven't read that one, but weren't the critters living on a
neutron star? So were they flat, as in lacking characterization,
or FLAT, as two-dimensional?

If the latter, we have to consider A. Square of _Flatland_, who
was pretty flat in both senses, and the much more developed flat
Yendred in Dewdney's _Planiverse._

And here I must quote:

"Incredibly strong, living, fascinating characters will make
a weak plot work ... for a certain segment of the readership.
A fast-moving, intricate, exciting plot will make a book work
in spite of cardboard characters ... for a different segment
of the readership. And each segment tends to throw the
others' books across the room with cries of "Who PUBLISHES
this junk?!?!!"

--Patricia Wrede, rec.arts.sf.composition, Sept. 23, 1997

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 23:44:08 UTC+1, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
>
> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
> >
> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
>
> Funny how that happens.
>
> Cheers - Jaimie

Only on the shelf? ;-)

I think it was they-pronouned comedian Mae Martin
in radio series _Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century
Addiction_, which came on as a repeat the other day
(<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czrbc> I think),
who talked about human personal space in general
and teenager bedrooms in particular as collections
of unnecessary but personally meaningful possessions -
including books. When you have read a book, asked Mae,
why do you hoard it? Why not throw it away after use?

But this must be one of the jokes, surely?

In article <d945cf38-8986-40cb-bb72-49314b3f1ed6n@googlegroups.com>,
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 23:44:08 UTC+1, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
>> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
>>
>> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>> >
>> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
>> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
>> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
>>
>> Funny how that happens.
>>
>> Cheers - Jaimie
>
>Only on the shelf? ;-)
>
>I think it was they-pronouned comedian Mae Martin
>in radio series _Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century
>Addiction_, which came on as a repeat the other day
>(<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czrbc> I think),
>who talked about human personal space in general
>and teenager bedrooms in particular as collections
>of unnecessary but personally meaningful possessions -
>including books. When you have read a book, asked Mae,
>why do you hoard it? Why not throw it away after use?

Some people are rereaders. Some aren't. It would appear that
Mx. Martin (of whomI never neard before) is one of the latter.
>
>But this must be one of the jokes, surely?

Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>In article <d945cf38-8986-40cb-bb72-49314b3f1ed6n@googlegroups.com>,
>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 23:44:08 UTC+1, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
>>> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>>> >
>>> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>>> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
>>> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
>>> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
>>>
>>> Funny how that happens.
>>>
>>> Cheers - Jaimie
>>
>>Only on the shelf? ;-)
>>
>>I think it was they-pronouned comedian Mae Martin
>>in radio series _Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century
>>Addiction_, which came on as a repeat the other day
>>(<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czrbc> I think),
>>who talked about human personal space in general
>>and teenager bedrooms in particular as collections
>>of unnecessary but personally meaningful possessions -
>>including books. When you have read a book, asked Mae,
>>why do you hoard it? Why not throw it away after use?
>
>Some people are rereaders. Some aren't. It would appear that
>Mx. Martin (of whomI never neard before) is one of the latter.
>>
>>But this must be one of the jokes, surely?
>
>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.

Under the severe space strictures of life in the barracks, I /used/ to
do that.

And then came to regret it, in many cases.

And sometimes to purchase another copy.
--
"I begin to envy Petronius."
"I have envied him long since."

In article <k7tv9gdvht78mimvbd05rf3lfi5rmi90ht@4ax.com>,
Paul S Person <psperson1@ix.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>In article <d945cf38-8986-40cb-bb72-49314b3f1ed6n@googlegroups.com>,
>>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>>On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 23:44:08 UTC+1, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
>>>> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
>>>> >
>>>> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>>>> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
>>>> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
>>>> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
>>>>
>>>> Funny how that happens.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers - Jaimie
>>>
>>>Only on the shelf? ;-)
>>>
>>>I think it was they-pronouned comedian Mae Martin
>>>in radio series _Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century
>>>Addiction_, which came on as a repeat the other day
>>>(<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czrbc> I think),
>>>who talked about human personal space in general
>>>and teenager bedrooms in particular as collections
>>>of unnecessary but personally meaningful possessions -
>>>including books. When you have read a book, asked Mae,
>>>why do you hoard it? Why not throw it away after use?
>>
>>Some people are rereaders. Some aren't. It would appear that
>>Mx. Martin (of whomI never neard before) is one of the latter.
>>>
>>>But this must be one of the jokes, surely?
>>
>>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.

>Under the severe space strictures of life in the barracks, I /used/ to
>do that.

Well, we are currently dealing with the severe space strictures
of a two-bedroom apartment, both "bedrooms" being stuffed with
books, also boxes of fabric and tubs of electronic gear.
>
>And then came to regret it, in many cases.
>
>And sometimes to purchase another copy.

I don't have the option of buying any more books at this time; we
are saving up to be able to move out of Vallejo next summer when
Vincent finishes middle school.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 6:44:08 PM UTC-4, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
>
> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
> >
> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
>
> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
>

Allow me to add a fourth: Your post is dated the 13th, and on the 14th,
I was on my first flight since Dec 2019 - so I grabbed Dragon's Egg off
my shelf and read it on the trip. (Quite enjoyable!)
- Tony

On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.

The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)

It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.

(Not all SF of course - I'm a big collector of chess books and have
several valued first editions such as Churchill's History of the
Second World War)

Oh and for what it's worth - I'm now of pensionable age....

In article <innjegp976lvth6bqhcts2pn3cvd6qdsce@4ax.com>,
The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
>
>The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
>of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
>for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
>not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
>miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)
>
>It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
>having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.
>
>(Not all SF of course - I'm a big collector of chess books and have
>several valued first editions such as Churchill's History of the
>Second World War)
>
>Oh and for what it's worth - I'm now of pensionable age....

So am I; and I've gotten rid of some books. So is Hal, and he
refuses to get rid of ANY books, including ones that belonged to
his sister (who died about ten years ago) and are about higher
mathematics and computer graphics, all older than ten years. He
says, "I might want to read them someday!" Which will never
happen, not his field. If he predeceases me, my daughter and I
will do the Great Recycling Run. (If I'm gone by then, she'll do
it herself.)

You might be interested at least in *thinking about* a Swedish
habit called "death-cleaning," getting rid *now* of the things
you know your heirs won't want after you're gone.

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-swedish-death-cleaning-should-you-be-doing-it-ncna816511

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 9:02:30 PM UTC-6, Moriarty wrote:
> On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 11:37:02 AM UTC+10, James Nicoll wrote:
> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward

> I really, really liked this book. People (rightly) criticise Forward for his flat characterisation but, in a novel where the he deals with the growth of a civilisation, in a few hundred pages, characterisation becomes much less important.

> The aliens were awesome!

Given the cover quote from Arthur C. Clarke, the book indeed must have
had _some_ merit.

Many people feel that this sort of thing is what science fiction is _for_:
not to entertain the way great literature, or even cheap genre fiction,
does by playing on our emotions, but by stretching our minds by
presenting to us new ideas to consider from a Universe that we but
little understand.

However, the fact that the title indicates a _sequel_ gives me pause.
However, if the book is planned in advance to be part of, say, a
trilogy, that may work all right.

John Savard

On Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 7:05:03 PM UTC-6, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> And here I must quote:
>
> "Incredibly strong, living, fascinating characters will make
> a weak plot work ... for a certain segment of the readership.
> A fast-moving, intricate, exciting plot will make a book work
> in spite of cardboard characters ... for a different segment
> of the readership. And each segment tends to throw the
> others' books across the room with cries of "Who PUBLISHES
> this junk?!?!!"
>
> --Patricia Wrede, rec.arts.sf.composition, Sept. 23, 1997

However, this book may well have *neither*. Because it doesn't
have charcters that have been neglected in the furtherance of
a suspenseful plot, but rather a Big Idea.

After all, if these aliens on the neutron star learn so fast,
they're going to _pass_ us in the near future, won't they?
And this book isn't _War of the Worlds_ or _Independence
Day_. Instead, my guess is that it's about humanity catching
at least a glimpse of what its own future will hold...

John Savard

On Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 1:59:34 PM UTC-4, The Horny Goat wrote:
> On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
> Heydt) wrote:
> >Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
> >decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
> >read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
> The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
> of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
> for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
> not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
> miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)
>
> It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
> having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.

Is that count correct? I have well over 150' just in my primary SF collection,
not counting ebooks, plus maybe another 60' scattered around the house.

....and that's small compared to many fen.

Pt

On 7/10/2021 1:33 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <innjegp976lvth6bqhcts2pn3cvd6qdsce@4ax.com>,
> The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>> Heydt) wrote:
>>
>>> Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>>> decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>>> read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
>>
>> The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
>> of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
>> for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
>> not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
>> miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)
>>
>> It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
>> having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.
>>
>> (Not all SF of course - I'm a big collector of chess books and have
>> several valued first editions such as Churchill's History of the
>> Second World War)
>>
>> Oh and for what it's worth - I'm now of pensionable age....
>
> So am I; and I've gotten rid of some books. So is Hal, and he
> refuses to get rid of ANY books, including ones that belonged to
> his sister (who died about ten years ago) and are about higher
> mathematics and computer graphics, all older than ten years. He
> says, "I might want to read them someday!" Which will never
> happen, not his field. If he predeceases me, my daughter and I
> will do the Great Recycling Run. (If I'm gone by then, she'll do
> it herself.)
>
> You might be interested at least in *thinking about* a Swedish
> habit called "death-cleaning," getting rid *now* of the things
> you know your heirs won't want after you're gone.
>
> https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-swedish-death-cleaning-should-you-be-doing-it-ncna816511
>

Yes, I'm in the process of that. Haven't cracked 70 yet but approaching
fast. Books that I know I will read again I'm getting in electronic
format and then my collection is up for sale. Finding a clump of it on
Gutenberg. Computer stuff that I'm going to do something with RSN, as of
20 years ago, off to recycling. Knickknacks and dust collectors, gone.
Anyone want Dilbert and Dogbert plushes?

On 2021-07-10, pete...@gmail.com <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 1:59:34 PM UTC-4, The Horny Goat wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>> Heydt) wrote:
>> >Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>> >decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>> >read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
>> The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
>> of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
>> for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
>> not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
>> miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)
>>
>> It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
>> having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.
>
> Is that count correct? I have well over 150' just in my primary SF collection,
> not counting ebooks, plus maybe another 60' scattered around the house.
>
> ...and that's small compared to many fen.

My guess is that there is a confusion of units here. The original post
may have been units of bookcases and you may be using units of
bookshelves. 15'x5 shelves (since any active collector will be of
course be shelving books on top of the bookcase; there is never enough
space!) is 75' of bookshelves; not huge but enough to cause spousal
discussions in a smaller house!

Chris

On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 18:33:25 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>In article <innjegp976lvth6bqhcts2pn3cvd6qdsce@4ax.com>,
>The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>>On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>>Heydt) wrote:
>>
>>>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
>>>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
>>>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
>>
>>The last time I systematically got rid of books was when I moved out
>>of my parents' home (for good - as opposed to going 3000 miles away
>>for grad school. That was about the time I saw the first Rambo movie
>>not because I was a big Stallone fan but that it was filmed within 100
>>miles from home, I was a continent away and homesick)
>>
>>It's to the point my wife is putting books in front of books despite
>>having about 15' of bookshelves with each 4 rows high.
>>
>>(Not all SF of course - I'm a big collector of chess books and have
>>several valued first editions such as Churchill's History of the
>>Second World War)
>>
>>Oh and for what it's worth - I'm now of pensionable age....
>
>So am I; and I've gotten rid of some books. So is Hal, and he
>refuses to get rid of ANY books, including ones that belonged to
>his sister (who died about ten years ago) and are about higher
>mathematics and computer graphics, all older than ten years. He
>says, "I might want to read them someday!" Which will never
>happen, not his field. If he predeceases me, my daughter and I
>will do the Great Recycling Run. (If I'm gone by then, she'll do
>it herself.)

Up here, there are book drop-off boxes that offer the possibility that
some of the books might end up being owned by other people. Of course,
a lot no doubt are recycled. And that's better than the dump.

>You might be interested at least in *thinking about* a Swedish
>habit called "death-cleaning," getting rid *now* of the things
>you know your heirs won't want after you're gone.
>
>https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-swedish-death-cleaning-should-you-be-doing-it-ncna816511

When I was working, I took a week off three times a year, and it was
easy to use that week, among other things, for hauling stuff over the
Half-Price Books and trying to sell it to them.

But once I retired, and could do that any time I liked, I found that
"any time" never seemed to come. And the option of leaving the cleanup
to others after I am gone is getting to be more and more attractive.

I can understand how some people are found, after they are gone, to
have lived among stacks and stacks of newspapers. Not that I have any
newpapers around, but I do have six 1.5 cu ft boxes in the basement
filled with LPs I no longer need. That's 9 feet of LPs. And they are
far too heavy for me to move around any more.

Also, the Half-Price Books I was going to has closed and I have /no/
idea if any market in the most bulky items upstairs -- VHS tapes,
mostly 1 hour cartoon programs -- exists anywhere else.
--
"I begin to envy Petronius."
"I have envied him long since."

In article <4e5meg96ptaki84gp0cm82bjbht61lkv09@4ax.com>,
Paul S Person <psperson1@ix.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 18:33:25 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>In article <innjegp976lvth6bqhcts2pn3cvd6qdsce@4ax.com>,
>>The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>
>Up here, there are book drop-off boxes that offer the possibility that
>some of the books might end up being owned by other people. Of course,
>a lot no doubt are recycled. And that's better than the dump.

Yes, there's such a depository near where my daughter works. I
have given her the occasional bag of books to donate. But she
works in her employer's home (lawyer specializing in wills and
trusts), and can't always find the time to get to the depository
before getting onto the commute-crawl.
>
>I can understand how some people are found, after they are gone, to
>have lived among stacks and stacks of newspapers. Not that I have any
>newpapers around, but I do have six 1.5 cu ft boxes in the basement
>filled with LPs I no longer need. That's 9 feet of LPs. And they are
>far too heavy for me to move around any more.

I have four such cartons. It's not that I no longer need the
LPs; it's that I don't have a player any more. Some of them are
disks from the 1950s, featuring music a lot older than that,
performed by the New York Pro Musica.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 12:55:03 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <k7tv9gdvht78mimvb...@4ax.com>,
> Paul S Person <pspe...@ix.netcom.invalid> wrote:
> >On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:07:43 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
> >Heydt) wrote:
> >
> >>In article <d945cf38-8986-40cb...@googlegroups.com>,
> >>Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
> >>>On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 23:44:08 UTC+1, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
> >>>> On 9 May 2021 at 14:00:58 BST, "James Nicoll" <James Nicoll> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> > Dragon's Egg (Dragon's Egg, book 1) by Robert L. Forward
> >>>> >
> >>>> > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/trippin-on-starlight
> >>>> And there's the third mention of this book I've come across this week -
> >>>> the other two in completely independent private conversations. After at
> >>>> least ten years of only ever seeing it on my bookshelf.
> >>>>
> >>>> Funny how that happens.
> >>>>
> >>>> Cheers - Jaimie
> >>>
> >>>Only on the shelf? ;-)
> >>>
> >>>I think it was they-pronouned comedian Mae Martin
> >>>in radio series _Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century
> >>>Addiction_, which came on as a repeat the other day
> >>>(<https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czrbc> I think),
> >>>who talked about human personal space in general
> >>>and teenager bedrooms in particular as collections
> >>>of unnecessary but personally meaningful possessions -
> >>>including books. When you have read a book, asked Mae,
> >>>why do you hoard it? Why not throw it away after use?
> >>
> >>Some people are rereaders. Some aren't. It would appear that
> >>Mx. Martin (of whomI never neard before) is one of the latter.
> >>>
> >>>But this must be one of the jokes, surely?
> >>
> >>Well, I only get rid of a book when I haven't read it for a
> >>decade or two, and when I am *positive* that I'll never want to
> >>read it again. The latter requirement happens a lot less often.
>
> >Under the severe space strictures of life in the barracks, I /used/ to
> >do that.
> Well, we are currently dealing with the severe space strictures
> of a two-bedroom apartment, both "bedrooms" being stuffed with
> books, also boxes of fabric and tubs of electronic gear.
> >
> >And then came to regret it, in many cases.
> >
> >And sometimes to purchase another copy.
> I don't have the option of buying any more books at this time; we
> are saving up to be able to move out of Vallejo next summer when
> Vincent finishes middle school.
> --

A great model, perhaps long gone, were used bookshops that
used the "paperback exchange" model. Bring in 2 grocery bags
of MMPBs you'd already read, or didn't like well enough to finish,
then leave with 1 bag full of "new to you" books - or the equivalent
in "store credit." Of course, weeding your personal book inventory
by trading them in if you also buy books in excess of the credit you
earned.

One bookstore I worked for in the last quarter of the 20th
Century started just before the Great Depression started. Its
original business model was renting out new hardcovers, especially
titles the local "carriage trade" bookstores might have carried, but
that the public libraries didn't buy. In the 1920s, libraries in the town
concentrated on "classic literature" and "high-minded" tomes, to the
exclusion of anything that might be considered tawdry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulating_library

--
Kevin R

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 2:32:47 AM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:

[snip]

{Should be...}

>....Of course, weeding your personal book inventory
> by trading them in if you also buy books in excess
> of the credit you earned.....

....won't work.

--
Kevin R