AntiLibrary

Let’s face it!

The world of books is more of a maze that will never let us find an exit. The more you read, the more this thirst for reading continues. I have never heard a reader say, he read enough. There’s always something left undone.

Whenever we enter someone’s private library or study room, filled up with hundreds of books, The first query that occurs in our mind is “Has he read them all?” Most of the time we end up asking it too.

One thing to be very clear is that “A library is not meant to show off how much knowledge you’ve gained. It is a place to acknowledge that what’s gained is much less valuable than what there’s still to conquer.”

This doesn’t imply that collecting books just not to read them is justified.

Well, here’s a term for that collection of unread books; Antilibrary.

This concept was first bought up by a Lebanese-American scholar and author Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book “The Black Swan” in which he describes an Italian writer Umberto Eco’s relationship with books.

According to Nassim Taleb-

“A private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you do not know as your financial means, mortgage rates, and the currently tight real-estate market allow you to put there.”

Purpose of Antilibrary

The idea of gathering up unread books in a room, that whenever you enter it feels like an accumulation of what you don’t know can be a lot frustrating.

But the whole idea of maintaining an Antilibrary is “ to remind that there’s still a lot to grab in this vast world of knowledge.”

An Antilibrary serves as a visual impression of the opportunity to learn more.

We tend to treat our knowledge as personal property to be protected and defended. It is an ornament that allows us to rise in the pecking order, but exploration is the vastness of knowledge. One should always find ways to fulfill its quest of knowing and sharing.

What to add to your bookshelf?

Here’s to ponder about what should we add to our cart? And how to know whether it’s the right choice.

Maintaining a library is not even that easy task, but you can surely get out of these queries with the below-mentioned strategies.

• Discover your way: There is always room for discovery in your mind, do not stick to any particular kind. Try to explore different authors, genres, and styles of writing.
• Look for recommendations: Don’t be shy to ask for recommendations if you’re a newbie in this book world. Ask your fellow readers about their favorites and how did they come across books like that. Be intuitive.
• Don’t judge a book by its cover: Go for reviews, if you’re new to any piece. Sometimes most precious of the authors fail to deliver good work. Fill your shelf with a historic yet interesting piece of words. Don’t feel obligated in trying young authors.
• Don’t try to maintain the ratio: Read and unread don’t need to be on an equal count, you can add as many books as you want in your library. Having a room filled with the unknowns will make you curious and increase your will to be known.

This world needs more readers, thinkers, and creators.

Be one.