I am a slow reader and have a list longer than my arm span on all the books I want and intend to read. Naturally, this means I also accumulate books like any self-respecting book lover, at an absurd rate.
Whether the blurb caught my fancy, the cover drew my eye or it was recommended to me about half the books I own - I simply have not got round to reading. Some have been on my shelf for a few weeks, and others a few years. Occasionally this can leave me feeling a little guilty but I recently came across an article that suggests we need to look at unread books in a different light.
Ness Labs - established by neuroscience student (and I believe recent graduate) Anne-Laure Le Cunff introduced her readers to the concept of the 'antilibrary'. The condensed explanation for this is that the 'antilibrary' is a personal collection of unread books (particularly in an academic setting) with the potential for new knowledge. Essentially making them more valuable than the books you have already read. Anne-Laure Le Cunff explains this concept far more eloquently than I can; I thoroughly recommend you read the article here. Using her words:
"The goal of an antilibrary is not to collect books you have read so you can proudly display them on your shelf; instead, it is to curate a highly personal collection of resources around themes you are curious about. Instead of a celebration of everything you know, an antilibrary is an ode to everything you want to explore."
While this idea is framed with non-fiction in mind - why can’t it apply to fiction? As a result, I now refer to all my unread fiction as my 'secret' or 'hidden' library (at least for my amusement). I have always liked the idea of having a secret library; it suits the undiscovered worlds, characters, and adventures I have yet to read.
So how do you create one? Well, you probably already have been if you are reading this; now you have a name for the practice and can be more intentional. All you need are books that you intend to read (but have not and maybe never will). If you want to be more intentional with the practice try exploring books that have influenced other works or authors that you love.
So whether you develop an 'antilibrary' or a secret one - part of the joy of acquiring a new book is the potential it holds as something unread, is it not?
コメント