Bad book buying/book owning habits

[muninnhuginn]

Prompted by lark_ascending's comment about their love at first sight (if that's the way to put it?) experience with some books, I was beginning to muse about my methods of finding new authors, when not following other folk's recommendations or reviews: my browsing methods. These were, I'd always thought, pretty unexceptional. All the same, when I've mentioned them to folk they've not been unanimously in agreement. In fact, some quirks were deemed to be actually morally reprehensible methods of selecting books (and probably other things in life, tho' my strategies vary according to what I'm seeking).

So here, to my shame, are some confessions of bad book buying and book owning habits (in no particular order, although alphabetical would probably be virtuous):

1. I read the last page in the book shop. Always.
   I honestly can't think of a better way of choosing a book about which I otherwise know nothing. If I don't want to get to that last page, why bother starting?
2. I read the first page with my proof reading eyes in. Always.
   If I find a typo, I put the book back on the shelf. This applies equally to authors I don't know--Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space I rejected several times because of the misuse of the word "crescendo" on one of its opening pages--and to old friends--there's a Brian Stableford (don't know which one, can't check, see mood below) I didn't buy for ages, despite my love of his writing, because there was some horrid misspelling or substitution on the first page.
3. If it's got a thick, black spine I'm almost always sold.
   Well, it's probably why I gave in on Revelation Space (which I eventually acquired and enjoyed). It's also my excuse for *whispers* Stephen Donaldson. One of them. I've made many over the years. I am unrepentant.
   And yes, for several years, I shelved all the black-spined books separately, above the head of my bed. (Now I just display the Folio Society volumes more prominently than the random books of humour folk have gifted and I can't quite persuade us to get rid of).
4. I can't get rid of, even unwanted, books. Ever.
   Some things smack too much of sacrilege. Period.
5. I overbuy books.
   The result of which is the unread piles. These fester against a party wall so they don't even pass for extra insulation.

I know the last one's hardly news round here. I don't think I know many people who don't have that problem. Still.

That's me done. In the spirit of mutual filthy(-ish) confession, what bad book buying/book owning habits do other folk have--and are willing to own up to?

Comments

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

I will buy almost anything, in a pinch, and read it, cover to cover.

I have destroyed a couple of books on purpose (pseudo-SF neo-Nazi propaganda).

"Unread books"? Those are the ones still in the store, yes? (And too few of those ... every month or so, I'll buy a book, get 20 pages in, and discover I've read this one a decade or two ago. Those new covers are particularly deceptive!)

I trade in books. There's a used paperback shop near me that takes cash or tomes. The exchange rate is about 2.5:1, based on dollar value when new; this leads to much hunting for earlier, cheaper editions.

I don't trade in nearly enough books. A book has to be pretty bad to be relegated to the retread pile.

I need a much bigger house, full of shelves and comfy chairs, to appropriately house my books.