The reason one hard drive could hold all of your books and other print material is that the data storage density (digital bits per unit of disk surface area) increased by greater than a factor of about 1 billion over the life span of that technology from its invention by IBM in 1956 up to a few years ago. That's the famous 'Moore's law' (exponential growth) as it has translated to disk drives.
Someone once walked into my library and exclaimed, "So much leather!" I had never thought of my books that way, although it's true that many of them -- especially the various Jewish texts -- certainly are beautifully leather-bound. I too, am reluctant to part with books. But we're considering putting a little free library outside our house. Probably time to start sharing our wealth with the neighbors.
A lovely story in many ways - as always. Nice to know and see that you and Rabbi Kaplan decided not to organize your books by color which is apparently popular. I think Ben Franklin, the ever-experimentalist, must be turning over in his grave every time he hears the word Originalism. And the mix of books and women leads to the question – did your folks know the NY Jewish writer, Lore Segal, who still writes at 95?
I'm not familiar with her. I spent most of my New York youth laying baseball and basketball in Riverside Park with Puerto Ricans, Italians and Irish kids. Did Lore Segal hang out there?
She escaped to England from Vienna during WWII. She’s lived most of her adult life in the Upper West Side. She writes a lot for the New Yorker. She’s written a few novels that have been well-received including "Her First American" which tells the story of a Jewish refugee from Nazi Europe and her relationship with a middle-aged black intellectual – based on a true story. I also heard she has a mean hook shot – but that might be a rumor.
From reader Terry McDaniel:
The reason one hard drive could hold all of your books and other print material is that the data storage density (digital bits per unit of disk surface area) increased by greater than a factor of about 1 billion over the life span of that technology from its invention by IBM in 1956 up to a few years ago. That's the famous 'Moore's law' (exponential growth) as it has translated to disk drives.
This week's feature short story in the New Yorker is by Lore Segal.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/09/18/on-the-agenda-fiction-lore-segal
A collection of books is like bottles in a wine cellar. You may not drink the wine today but perhaps tomorrow!
Someone once walked into my library and exclaimed, "So much leather!" I had never thought of my books that way, although it's true that many of them -- especially the various Jewish texts -- certainly are beautifully leather-bound. I too, am reluctant to part with books. But we're considering putting a little free library outside our house. Probably time to start sharing our wealth with the neighbors.
Charming
Your story made me feel so much better about hanging on to all those books I can't seem to get rid of.
A lovely story in many ways - as always. Nice to know and see that you and Rabbi Kaplan decided not to organize your books by color which is apparently popular. I think Ben Franklin, the ever-experimentalist, must be turning over in his grave every time he hears the word Originalism. And the mix of books and women leads to the question – did your folks know the NY Jewish writer, Lore Segal, who still writes at 95?
I'm not familiar with her. I spent most of my New York youth laying baseball and basketball in Riverside Park with Puerto Ricans, Italians and Irish kids. Did Lore Segal hang out there?
She escaped to England from Vienna during WWII. She’s lived most of her adult life in the Upper West Side. She writes a lot for the New Yorker. She’s written a few novels that have been well-received including "Her First American" which tells the story of a Jewish refugee from Nazi Europe and her relationship with a middle-aged black intellectual – based on a true story. I also heard she has a mean hook shot – but that might be a rumor.