Midwest Mary

Not including children’s stories, how often do you read a book more than once? Sure, we have reference books we return to for bits of information, but what about the novels, self-help, spiritual, poetry, and motivational books on our shelves?

I pondered this question while rereading a book that’s been on my shelf for decades. The Roosevelt Women by Betty Boyd Caroli is one I read when it was released in 1998. I’m an admirer of the achievements of Eleanor Roosevelt, but I admit, I knew little-to-nothing about the other women in the book.

Now that I’m more familiar with these women and the world events they experienced, the book was tremendously more comprehendible. Unlike the first time when I struggled through the book, this time around, the read kept me engaged throughout. Could this be the way with others on my shelf I’d like to revisit?

When I moved into my townhouse, I vowed not to have more books than what fit on my wall of shelves in the loft, not including books in my office that I’ve written and ones in the wait in my nightstand.

I needed to keep that promise. Books were double-stacked throughout and hanging off the shelves. It was time for me to share my abundance with someone else. I went through the books one by one, dusting and deciding if I’d reread or search through them for tidbits of treasured writing. In the end, I removed four bags of books for donation. May someone else enjoy them.

I have to admit that I enjoyed the process of elimination. So many of my books hold a fond memory, and I want to return to that joy. I also kept books to reread, that offered references on topics I often write about, or were written by friends.

Writers are typically readers because we learn so much by reading. And a happy place for us is where we find books, like libraries and bookstores.

Our books are our treasures. As a writer, nothing would honor me more than to know that someone’s favorite books included ones I wrote.

©Mary K. Doyle, 2026