This was really interesting to read. I don't acquire nearly as much anymore except for at places like library booksales, where I can walk out with a dozen books for a few bucks. I'm far more inclined to buy unread nonfiction, and even read fiction I only buy new if I think I'll want to keep it. The nonfiction I can almost always justify as reference--'course, this means I'm sitting on a stack of military/medieval history that I need to read. (I need to resume reading the Revolutionary War military engineering book, which I got for free just by writing the US Army Corps of Engineers. Eep! Or as Joe put it, "They're giving them away because no one would buy them to read." Heh.)

This probably annoys various fiction-writers of my acquaintance, but I really, really, really hate buying fiction I'll only read once. When in WA, I console myself by culling books ruthlessly--of course, this probably would annoy them too, because it means someone else out there isn't buying the book new. But what am I supposed to do, toss the thing in recycling? *sardonic look*