129,860,884...

Ladies and Gentlemen, the number is 129,864,880! Yes, Google has determined that the total number of books written is that rather large number above. It needs to be noted that this figure is only indicative of modern history. The definition of modern history suggests a period from the end of the middle ages through to now.

I am very sad to say that I have not written one of them. Bugger! Just thinking that there is that many books out there, and not one of them is written by me is kind of embarrassing. Therefore, I am resolving right here and right now to rectify this oversight of mine, and write a book! Although, it might have to wait a little while until I have some more time.

Google, as Google does, has developed an algorithm that they feed into a computer and just like magic it spits out a number. Not being of the mathematical kind it all sounds sort of a little like playing lotto and the numbers dropping out of a big ball. Anyways...

Moving House

To all my 3 loyal and regular readers. I am moving house and this is the reason for my lack of postings. It is not writers block or boredom or anything else, such as pure unadulterated laziness.

So, it has been a hectic couple of days. It is funny to see how quickly the new place has filled up. In fact it seems to be smaller than the place we have just moved from. I should know by now that an empty house always looks much bigger than it really is. This said my problem is that I am a bit of an accumulator of stuff, especially books. I must have a personal library of a couple of thousand books. I have bookcases full all over the house and still have 4 more removal boxes full of books. I am out of bookcase space. I also have half a dozen storage boxes of accumulated articles and other goodies collected over time.

I am a voracious reader and this accounts for my collection. I am attached to most of the books that I own and never seem to get rid of any once I buy them. I own a few novels but most of the "stuff" that I read is academic. This is also the reason I have such an extensive general knowledge and the reason I am always good for a comment on any topic.

The better half is probably dreading a serious move, say to Australia, as she knows that parting with my library is going to be a big call. I must admit that of late I have been thinking of donating them to a worthy cause, such as an under-funded library somewhere. This probably would have to be at the university level as the majority of the collection would not really fit into the junior / senior high school scene. Then again, I could try and sell them to a second-hand bookstore.

Time flies when you're moving. I need to get some work done. Later!

Books I Have Open at the Moment

I am a pretty good reader and collector of books! I now have six book cases that are full and a table that is stacked high with another two book cases worth of books. I am almost at the stage where I am going to have to start cataloguing them so that I can find them quickly.

This could be a bit of a problem if the Missus and I do decide to head back to Australia at the end of the year. It will cost a fortune to ship them home. Maybe I will just donate them to a worthy cause, if I can find one!

Being a good reader and a devout learner I am always starting one book before I finish the one before it. Then it just becomes a juggling exercise to make sure that they all get read, eventually.

Right now I have the following books open (part read):

1. Islamic Law: From Historical Foundations to Contemporary Practice (Mawil Izzi Dien);
2. Muslim Jurisprudence and the Qur'anic Law of Crimes (Mir Waliullah);
3. Practical Balinese: A Communication Guide (Gunter Spitzing);
4. Indonesia's Secret War in Aceh (John Martinkus);
5. The Real History Behind the Templars (Sharan Newman); and
6. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades (Robert Spencer).

I am more than half way through on all of them so hopefully before the month is out I will be done on all of them...