Then I had the bright idea of sorting out my books in the house. That led inevitably to interest from the Margravina who then took a hand sorting out her books. Various other items got swept up in the process (adding to the Old Tech Drawer of Terror). At the end of the process we had three large baskets of books for disposal...then our daughter added to the pile.
By this time my interest in a seasonal clear-out of the bookcase in the Kriegskabin was waning. After a break I collected stray 'mil.hist' books which had infiltrated strategic areas of the house emptied the shelves in the cabin. I got as far as sorting the books into piles by subject matter ready for the Grand Restack. That will have to wait for another day. As will a few books that I have not read at all yet.
In amongst the books were several pieces of paper, most destined for the recycling bin, but some useful bits put in those plastic wallet thingies for safe keeping. I also came across a programme from Salute 1987 which from memory was in a rather crowded Kensington Town Hall. How things have changed since then.
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| Unsorted piles. Not looking forward to sorting this lot. |
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| More stuff on the desk - the boxes just off to the left contain modelling supplies. |
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| Wonder how many of those clubs are still in existence? |
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| I never got to Rye Stamp & Hobby Shop (don't know why, as my train to work in those days used to stop at Peckham Rye). I certainly went to Navwar - that was a trick from my corner of SE London. |
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| Then finally I began to impose some sort of order on the books. Next I'll have to decide what order I want to put the books in on the shelves, adjust some of the shelf heights, how much space to leave between collections etc. Then what to do with the other boxes. The little pile bottom left is for disposal.* There might be more if I take a ruthless view on some of the ones I'm unlikely to read or consult again. |
* This includes British Grenadier and Black Eagles rules, plus some others, and the Leigh Fermor book if anyone is interested.
Post Script
In answer to Alan's question here is a sample from the Black Eagles rules - very old school in terms of typed and stapled sheets, and rule mechanisms (they date from 1985). Non-gridded. Lots of tables.
Looks like time well spent to reorganize the bookshelves. I have a similar problem with book sorting. When I add a few books in a particular subject, sometimes the whole library needs resorting to make room as changes ripple through all of the shelves. It’s a nightmare…
ReplyDeleteYes, I need to allow space for expansion. The question is, do I have enough room.
DeleteI try to leave a little room between historical periods but it is never enough and often only short lived!
DeleteA great start Chris, and as the books in the house have been thinned out there maybe some space there 😁
ReplyDeleteAlways good to go through the library to remind you what you have and to get rid of unwanted books, with the benefit of making room for more.
The freed-up space in the house is sacrosanct Ben. I'm fighting a never ending war with the distaff side of the household and I need to demonstrate my discipline in order to maintain the moral high ground on clutter!
DeleteCulIng a collection is a melancholy task at best. Every single book, magazine or pamphlet can be found with a reason to be a future friend. I have done the deed in the past and must do it again but have no appetite for the task. But a new bookshelf is cause for rejoicing.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel so bad about clearing out the books as I thought I would. I left piles of them at the recycling centre this morning. The non-mil.hist books that is.
DeleteA job well done so far. I had a weed out recently. Being a non driver l use the forthcoming visit of my eldest and her fiancé as a reason to fill some bags and they whisk them off to the charity shop by car. They get first dibs at them as a wee thank you. Can you tell us about the Black Eagle rules and which PLF one is it?
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Hi Alan, the PLF book is 'Abducting a General', the one about the kidnapping of General Kreipe and made into the film Ill Met By Moonlight.
DeleteA sample of the Black Eagle rules are above in the post script.
Well done on sorting out your books, always a bit of a chore, I finally got mine done a few months ago and was glad to see the back of it!
ReplyDeleteThe re-stack is going to be the harder part. I found the rest of the process surprisingly unmoving Donnie.
DeleteHaving added some more shelf space to my games room, I certainly know I need to have a good sort out, both in terms of books to go and to sort them into periods, for ease of reference. Currently the lovely weather, painting and 'life' mean I'm not in the mood to tackle this onerous task;)!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely more of an Autumnal task, I agree. I've got a busy few weeks coming up so had to get it done this weekend or put it off until November.
DeleteThat's a good start, Chris. I had a sort out a while ago and now work on two rules: read the book then move it on and out, and if keeping the book then get rid of another one. Keeps my stock level at a constant level... just as well, my spare shelf space is zero.
ReplyDeleteThat's very disciplined Richard. Some of the wargames related books for disposal I haven't read. But most of the ones I'm keeping have been read, sometimes several times. They're keepers!
DeleteGood luck with the Grand Restack—it’ll be immensely satisfying once it’s all sorted and back on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Andy
I'm hoping it'll give me a boost Andrew. I'm enjoying seeing a bit of extra space in the house!
DeleteSplendid news, Chris! Extra space in the house is a rare and wonderful thing; however, I'm sure you will soon fill it. I know I would.
DeleteAll the best, Andy
Oh my giddy aunt, you are a sucker for punishment mate. What you failed to understand was that the book overflow was natures way of telling you to build a new kriegscabin with a greater capacity for clutter. If in doubt always double down.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Nundanket's Law states that 'Stuff expands to fill the space available for it'.
DeleteAfter all the prep work for the current Kriegskabin, and all the painting of it, clearing out books is a doddle! And it's due a repaint at some point. This post doesn't begin to capture the sweat, blisters and muscle strain involved. https://horseandmusketgaming.blogspot.com/2021/07/sapping-weather.html
Re-organising, the job that cascades and expands. I love that you got everyone else into the swing! Some great finds. Remember how good it was to be reacquainted. Don't dispose of books, it is the end of civilisation. Build another bookcase, as Mark suggests!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, James
I’m afraid I can be a ruthless Philistine now and again. Not always, but occasionally I. A sort of dilettante ruthless Philistine.
DeleteSo out sent the unwanted novels, general history and Penguin classics (mostly poor in condition). And in the process of the Grand Restack (another example of a plan going out the window on contact with the enemy) more books were designated ‘not required’.
Chris
Always good to occasionally tidy up. Although sometimes I return to a book only to find I had cleared it out in the last tidy up.
ReplyDeleteSome of these I have not looked at in 30 years, so I’m not sure if I’m going to return to them now. I had originally written “20 years” but that is still this century and the year I last looked began with a 19.
DeleteChris
Yeah, I went through something similar a couple of years back - got rid of maybe 50 books and I haven't missed any although emotionally, I agree with James about not throwing books away!
ReplyDeleteI didn’t even find the process cathartic.
DeleteChris
I think sorting out my books is going to be someone else's problem......
ReplyDeleteAre the "Black Eagles" rules intended for very small scale or blocks?
I only ask as I'm sure I have a set with a similar name that I found very disappointing. I seem to recall very narrow depth bases...
Neil
I've never played them. Checking briefly....They claim in the introduction to be for big battles but then basing is 2 bases of 8 figures per battalion, which seems a very low level for a big battle.
DeleteEach base is four platoons, and for firing you count the number of platoons, plus/minus various factors, adjust with a dice roll, then multiply by a casualty factor (which varies by range with 4 ranges!). Then somehow (it isn't clear) you end up with a table of hits which are given in 1/2 bases. So there's a lot of calculation, table checking to end up with so many 1/2 or whole bases. That looks more complex than the old WRG 1685-1845 rules which were around years before these were published, and they took long enough if you had 20+ units a side. So if they are the same set you were thinking of, I can see why you were disappointed.
Rotten job, my wife likes throwing things away,'I'm not so keen but I have been trying to clear stuff out, especially as we are planning on downsizing in about 18 months, so stuff will have to go in storage until Ive built at least one shed wherever we end up, I was working from home recently and spent ages looking for a reference book until I realised it was gone. The trouble is thete is still more information in books then on the internet, the web will give you a skim but if you want depth you need books!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Downsizing is something I’ve flirted with, but I have a feeling that having a base for the kids when they’ve graduated could be useful.
DeleteChris
Its nice to have a clear out now and again and a great find in the Salute program, I don't think I went that year??
ReplyDeleteIn contrast I had a thirty year gap!
DeleteChris
Salute 87 ! Yes Kensington Town Hall, we'd been there 7 or 8 years. I think it was 1984 that we first cracked the 1000 attendees mark and it grew quite rapidly after that. I was very involved as Salute organiser and then, as per the programme, chairman. Thanks for prompting memories of some great times.
ReplyDeleteHi Brian. Glad it provoked some happy memories. It's amazing (a) how long it's been going, and (b) how big it's become. Something to be proud of.
Delete