Have you ever had someone suggest that you get rid of your books? I’m always sort of shocked to find that some people don’t understand the simple joy of having books on the shelves. It doesn’t matter whether or not I’ve read them – just having them at hand is a wonderful feeling.

“Books can be passed around. They can be shared. A lot of people like seeing them in their houses. They are memories. People who don’t understand books don’t understand this. They learn from TV shows about organizing that you should get rid of the books that you aren’t reading, but everyone who loves books believes the opposite. People who love books keep them around, like photos, to remind them of a great experience and so they can revisit and say, ‘Wow, this is a really great book.’ “