I've never been without books at any stage of my life, however up or down it was.

I hear ya. There are women who buy clothes simply to have clothes. Me? I buy books simply to have books. I haven't thrown away/gotten rid of any books that I purchased in the past 8 years at least...which includes college textbooks that would probably make me a couple hundred bucks richer if I sold them back. I just can't bear to part with them. :-(