←back to thread

One of Britain's largest stocks of second-hand books ever amassed

(www.worldofinteriors.com)
153 points diaphanous | 2 comments | 01 Sep 25 17:25 UTC | HN request time: 0.513s | source
Show context
fancyfredbot ◴[01 Sep 25 23:00 UTC] No.45097369[source]▶
Being a collector is an affliction. A huge house given over to his collection while he relegates himself to the groundskeepers cottage. A lifetime acquiring money to grow the collection. I hope selling it gives him some peace.
replies(5): >>45097786 #>>45098149 #>>45100406 #>>45100440 #>>45101571 #
akk0 ◴[02 Sep 25 00:14 UTC] No.45097786[source]▶
What a strange read on the situation. The man combined his hobby with his profession and is now retiring a millionaire. Best I can tell the guy must feel like he's had a rewarding, satisfying life so far.
replies(3): >>45100012 #>>45100108 #>>45101703 #
fancyfredbot ◴[02 Sep 25 07:29 UTC] No.45100108[source]▶
Yes, it's entirely possible he may loved every minute!

I don't know if the fact he's financially successful affects my read though. It's certainly obvious he had money but unfortunately I don't think the money precludes an unhealthy obsession. Infact it might make it worse.

replies(1): >>45100287 #
1. Freak_NL ◴[02 Sep 25 08:02 UTC] No.45100287[source]▶
Unhealthy in what way? The article mentions that he is (or was) an active seller as well as a buyer. His lifestyle doesn't seem particularly unhealthy either.
replies(1): >>45102208 #
2. fancyfredbot ◴[02 Sep 25 12:27 UTC] No.45102208[source]▶
My impression was that buying and storing books had become a compulsion. The article mentions that "he sold books primarily so that he could acquire more for himself". It also covers how he "deployed every little sliver of real estate" to 1.5 miles of shelving. To me this sounds like an obsession. It's possible that indulging the obsession made him happy but my understanding is that this is unusual.

It is perfectly possible I got the wrong impression here. I don't know him. All I can be sure about is that this was the impression I got reading the article.