Weeding the Classics

I spent yesterday weeding our fiction section -- specifically our classics. The previous fiction librarian, who retired in the spring, was great about keeping most of the fiction pared down, removing old or worn or unused books. But she routinely bypassed those that she deemed to be classics -- by Graham Greene and D.H. Lawrence and Somerset Maugham, for example. I think she figured she'd just leave them on the shelves regardless of how often they were checked out.

I understand that rationale, but many of them had become really sad-looking -- tired, worn, decades-old paperbacks with yellowed pages and broken bindings. So I ordered fresh copies of about 20 books, and pulled a few others that we probably won't replace because they're duplicates or they're too obscure. ("The Black Tulip" by Alexandre Dumas -- ever heard of it? Me neither. And it hasn't been checked out in donkey's years, as the British say.)

Otherwise, not much excitement around here. I completely avoided the recent Republican debate in the States. I figure I'm not going to vote for any of those people anyway, so why bother watching? I'll pay attention to the Democrats -- eventually.

(Photo: Spiral shadows from our patio table on some Alchemilla in the garden.)