In Part 1 of this two-part series, I shared my attempts to declutter my bookshelves, a process that raised a taboo question: What to do with personally signed books that I don’t want to keep?
Confronting this question made me feel vaguely guilty. As a writer, book lover, and someone who strives to support authors, I found it difficult to admit I might not want to keep every signed and personalized book I purchase at readings. In fact, I don’t recall ever discussing this issue with other writers. Are other readers keeping all their signed copies without question, I wondered, or do they simply remain silent about their own discarding habits?
To find out, I reached out to other writers and readers to ask where they stand on discarding signed books. Here’s what they had to say:
I used to write my name in books because I thought I’d keep them forever. I used to finish reading any book I started. Now I have given countless books away. If I don’t know who inscribed the book to me, I would give signed books away, too. I need to free up space and time! –Susan Grimm
I keep it forever unless the writer pissed me off. Like personally pissed me off. Forever. –Nichole Rued
I do sometimes give away books that have been signed. It depends on how close I am to the person who wrote it or how much I loved the book. It’s scary to admit that publicly. (But before I give a book away, I sometimes tear out the signed page and hold onto the personalized message. Is that terrible?!) –Anonymous Author #1
Yes, I get rid of them. Sometimes I tear out that page. Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes in the life of a writer you feel an obligation to buy and get a book signed that you didn’t ever want. If I’m never going to read the book, why keep it on my shelf? –Anonymous Author #2
If it’s signed and I LOVED the book I keep it forever. If it’s signed and I did not like the book and I’m not in love with the author, then I donate/give away, hoping someone else will enjoy it. If it’s signed by a personal friend, I keep it, probably forever, because that’s more of a gift even than just a book. –Lisa Romeo
I feel guilty getting rid of signed books because I live in a small town and if the author has written “To Bonnie” the local author might see it and feel bad that I donated it to the library. But unless the author is famous, they have to go eventually because I don’t keep books forever that I’m not going to reread. –Bonnie McMillen
I have a hard time getting rid of books, but if it’s personally signed to me by a writer I know, I never pass it on to any venue that can lead it to being sold. Nothing worse than seeing someone gave up a book you signed for them. –Charles Oberndorf
I’ve found a copy of my first book signed in a Half Price Books. It was signed to one of the people at a Barnes & Noble who had helped organize a reading, back when I was a B&N Discover selection. At first I was hurt, but then I shrugged, and then I was hoping that somebody would buy the book, read it, and love it. –Lawrence Coates
Half Price Books! I’ve sold signed copies to them because I’m at the point where I can’t keep everything forever. Special books are still special to me, but so many others simply must be set free for someone else to enjoy. –Chris Kastner
I never set books free. I’m like a dragon with a horde over here. –Suzanne Hodsden
After contemplating this range of responses (and deciding that, as far as my own book is concerned, I’d rather someone give it a sendoff and a potential second life vs. keep it on the shelf forever but unwanted), I proceeded with my decluttering plans and discarded even some of my signed books.
This doesn’t mean I disliked the books I gave up, or that I don’t respect the authors’ work—I’m just trying to make more room in my life (and house). That means learning to let go, and to remember that books become a part of us in ways far more enriching than as they exist in physical form on a shelf.
As of this writing, my bookshelf-cleansing process is almost—but not quite—complete. I’ve hauled away several heavy boxes and bags of books, but I still have some more to-be-donated bags hanging around. I finally replaced the keepers on the shelves, but I’ve also maintained a small stack of books I’d planned to discard before my resolve wavered. I’m still not sure whether those books will stay or go. Where’s Marie Kondo when you need her?
In her LitHub article, Summer Brennan writes, “Books, like people, are bigger on the inside.” (If the same could be said of bookshelves, maybe I wouldn’t be in this mess.) I’ll keep Brennan’s wisdom in mind as I enjoy my newly organized shelves, and also as I inevitably start to overstuff those shelves in the months to come as I acquire new titles.
In the meantime, I need to make a final decision on that last lingering pile of books waiting in my dining room. The fate of those books is in my hands—or maybe, if they end up in a library book sale or used bookstore, their fate rests in yours.