What do you do with your Gothic books after reading them?

[clarkrbrady]

I keep them! I keep all my read books in an area all by themselves apart from my books that I have yet read. I frequently go back and handle all the books that I've read just like old friends. I think about the book and the plot. I enjoy the book all over again. I just couldn't throw the book out. I use the book to jog my memory. If I didn't have the physical book to jog my memory, then I'm afraid I might not ever think of the book again. I'm 53 and I need all the memory jogging I can get!

[Penfeather]

While I've become quite good at purging unnecessary clutter from my life and house, something I find almost impossible to part with is books!

My gothics have their own dedicated bookcase. It's not a large bookcase, but I have no doubt that eventually the collection will outgrow it.

I simply can't part with them. I like the covers. I like to think that the air in my study/office/library is perfumed by the emanations of their yellowed, acid-laden pages. The smoky-sweet-powdery-acrid-woodpulpy smell of old paperbacks -- I'd bottle it if I could!

[librarylady44]

I keep them because I love the covers. Have about 200 so far.

[pambie]

I've sold them, typically in lots grouped by author, on eBay. I also list them on paperbackswap.

[daniel05]

Hi all

After reading Gothic books I keep them all in alphabetical order by author so I know whether I've read future novels I come across and consider reading.

[AliceChell]

Hello out there! I am only minutes new to this forum. In fact, this is the first of any kind that I have ever joined. My user name is taken from the heroine of one of my favorite Gothic stories--The Master of Aysgarth by Margaret Mayhew. I have been a Gothic fan since I was in my teens. I am now in my forties. I keep most of my Gothics after reading them, unless I really disliked them, in which case I donate them to the library book sale in my area. I have enjoyed reading the posts of others and learning of some new authors. What fun!

[lostintwilight]

I usually donate my books to the local library or to Goodwill.

I would not donate my books to Goodwill. It's not that Goodwill is not a worthy charity, but do you know what they do with older books like gothic romance? They don't usually go into the regular stores, but rather into the Outlet stores, where you dig through bins and buy your stuff by the pound, except they don't sell their books by the pound. The paperbacks are $1 each, even though they're dumped into a bin where they're subjected to the expected abuse of torn pages, covers, etc. But that's not the worst thing that happens to them. Because Goodwill receives so many book donations, their book bins are rotated throughout the course of a day. So by the end of the day, whatever books have not sold, are recycled, and trust me, it's a bunch. (you'd think maybe they would realize perhaps their book price is a little high if they're recycling so many books everyday, but that's another story)

Most people shopping in the Goodwill outlet stores are Spanish (at least where I live), and they are very unlikely to purchase an old English book. In my experience, gothic romance, in general, does not seem to sell very well at any location except on eBay. So in other words, if you donate to Goodwill, you may as well be throwing your books in the recycling bin, because for a gothic romance to sell in the space of the twelve hours the store is open, is just not likely.

You're probably safe to donate to any other thrift store, because from my own experience, I've noticed that they have very little turnover in their book selection.