Here's the thing. My Dad, rest in peace, was no mean theologian and had a lot of books, a library of the beasts, to be honest. And I'd fondly imagined that this great collection of literary wisdom could remain stored at Dallas HQ. As a collection, if you like, but no.
The LSP sisterhood decided that the Library had to go, and so it has. I took the first and load of books to the Compound today and they'll be set up in the upstairs guest rooms. Good luck, guests, sleep meets 1st edition Anglo-Catholic genius.
Uncle at Eton
It's upsetting to take down this library, which represents one man's, my Father's, attempt at wisdom and to be fair he didn't hit far off the X Ring. We used to call it the "Rock Study," and so it was until now.
Rock On
Bibliophile,
LSP
They say that when an old man dies, somewhere a library burns. Glad to hear you were able to save your dad's. The current generation breaks my heart. So many were never taught history and so could not care less. They can not be bothered to even donate what belonged to their parents, it all gets tossed in a dumpster.
ReplyDeleteOh, RHT, they're badly ill-read. 20 years of staring at a screen instead of turning a page. I stress to my eldest, who barely reads (books), "The boss class reads, take note." Maybe he will... I understand they have reading assignments in the cadet world...
Delete"When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground."
ReplyDeleteI've left instructions that when it comes time to distribute my books, a certain select group of friends identified by name are to assemble and each pick one at a time until they're divvied up. If the Good Lord provides me sufficient time before that day, I intend to host that party myself.
That'd be a good party, Wild.
DeleteBut I tell you, there's an awful lotta books to be evacuated in this lit mission. And it upsets me in a way because I'd like to keep the library intact and build on it.
As it is, I won't be keeping things I won't read, they can go to worthy causes/people.
Follow on to my last.
ReplyDeleteWe are baby sitting our 15 month old grandson today. It is time for his breakfast and he is in his high chair. My wife is opening some sort of baby waffle to stick in the toaster. The instructions inform you that you may need more than one toaster. ??? Ah. Not said, if you wish to toast them all at once.
We are so screwed.
!!!! RHT, I applaud your babysitting courage :)
DeleteMy father was a preacher too. He graduated from the seminary in 1939. He spoke English, Swedish and Finish, and conducted services in all three languages, so he had a lot of books in those languages, plus Hebrew books on the Old Testament and Greek books on the Bible. Probably something on the order of 250+ books. After he died I contacted his seminary, and some influential pastors I knew. I offered to donate them, but no one wanted the books. No apparent value on the web either. It seemed a shame to send them to the landfill, but there was no other option.
ReplyDeleteAnon, it's not easy. I HATE breaking up this very good theology/history/philosophy library, but it has to be done. Some of it, to be fair, is out of date (biblical studies) and other parts are very niche, and there's random stuff too.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I won't bang on but I know you did what you had to do and may your father rest in peace and rise in glory. I understand heaven is multilingual even though they all speak Latin and Greek :)