Normally, if I dislike a book that I bought, I’ll donate it to a thrift store or a little free library.
But when I found out about Marion Zimmer Bradley’s history, I threw my copy of Mists of Avalon into the garbage. I had always felt uneasy about some of her more graphic scenes (especially in The Firebrand), but felt I was being squeamish because these were supposed feminist masterpieces. Knowing what we do now about her past, I wonder what was truly going through her head when she wrote some of these scenes, and I feel duped and (sorry to be dramatic) almost victimized – like I was somehow made complicit.
I didn’t want to subject anyone else to that feeling of disgust, so I chucked the book. Good riddance.
Have you ever thrown out a book?
by afamousblueraincoat
29 Comments
So from what I know, all purchases of that novel now go towards a charity for abuse victims, someone can fact check me on that but I believe that’s what’s happening now since she’s you know, dead.
🤺 honestly I would never throw a book in the trash I think the closest I came was catch 22.
It has been sitting in the bathroom forever and I never end up picking it up but to be honest I just cannot throw it in the trash it is some thing that I hope one day I will be encouraged to read further than major major major
I have read books on canoe trips and used themt to start fires. I have owned thousands of books (currently 12k in inventory). Sometimes they are just paper that needs to be recycled.
Yep, I’ve done that for the same reason, not wanting to subject others the distastefulness – this was about some donkey masked woman in some cultist nudist colony.
I’ve found quite a few there, even sold some.
Michael Chrictons anti global warming book
Once – I received a copy of *The Education of Little Tree*, the book written by the Klu Klux Klansman, and tossed it in the trash.
One. It was gifted to me when I was in the military by a fellow service member who said “I just had to read it”. It was pure Nazi propaganda. Literally. Swastikas and all. That’s not an exaggeration. So just tossed it.
Threw Amy Schumer’s book away two days ago. Bought it seven years ago for some light reading. Couldn’t give it away to anyone I knew. No regrets. The book was terrible anyway.
No, that’s horrible. I would never throw a book in the trash. They should go in the recycling.
One. The Te of Piglet.
Yes, a couple of “history” books I grew up with that turned out to be propaganda. I loved those books as a kid, and finding out real history was devastating…I kept them stashed in a cupboard for years but finally tossed them in the garbage a couple of years ago.
If it’s nothing too obscene and the book isn’t all torn up, I might just take it to the used bookstore that supports my public library. Otherwise, I might just toss it in the recycling bin.
Yes. Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard.
I once bought a creationist book aimed at kids from a second hand book sale just so I could throw it in the garbage.
Every time I go into a bookstore or someone’s home and there is a copy of Catcher in the Rye, I steal it and throw it in the trash.
Last night I had had enough of A Little life after 455 pages. Right into the trash.
Yeah all my Harry Potter books after I realised what a hateful transphobe JKR is
Only a gluten-free cookbook given to me by my ex-fiances batshit insane mother.
Yes. My husband inherited a bunch of books from his grandmother who was a world renowned family history expert. There was one book that caught my eye, as im a lover of history myself. It had some interesting factoids that were really relevant to the level of research she delved into when it came to family history. But it was buried neck deep in the most white supremacist garbage I ever read. She highlighted the relevant, fascinating stuff, and when you look at them on their own from the rest of the book, it’s actually really interesting stuff. But I held that book in my hands when I was done reading it and asked myself if I really wanted to risk my children getting their hands on it…. And the answer was not a chance in hell.
With increasing frequency I am tossing books I could not force myself to read.
Yes, one of those god awful children’s books written by Rush Limbaugh. It was gifted to our son by a misguided relative. Straight to the dumpster- no regrets.
All the Harry Potter books I had
I have thrown away two books.
Hypnobirthing and She-Ology. Hypnobirthing while great for some, was judgemental as hell about the birthing process and as a PT who specializes in part in preparing people for whatever birth they prefer and heavily educate? It was toxic trash.
I don’t remember what it was specifically about she-ology that made me finally throw it out but there was something in there that also didn’t sit right with me as a professional, and this MD lauding themselves as Reese Witherspoon’s OBGYN like that gives her any special credibility left a sour taste in my mouth.
Otherwise I usually donate books I don’t like.
I thought I was buying a book on Zen Buddhism but it was really written by a cult leader and had next to nothing to do with zen. so I tossed it so someone pursuing the selection at the salvo wouldn’t make the same mistake I did.
I worked in a thrift book store so I threw away books on a very daily basis.
I once had a copy of the Spider-Man 2 novelisation as a child. I spilled chocolate milk all over it. It had literally managed to get all the way through the entire book to the spine. Goodbye Spider-Man 2.
Catcher in the rye, American Psycho. Though I eventually bought another copy of American Psycho and love it. One of my favorite books.
My in-laws give my husband and I bibles every few years- so those. I’ve lost count of how many.