For twenty years past, books have eaten into at least 10-20 percent of my pocket. Now the only things of some value under my roof, if any, are my books.
Since I have been entertained ambition for making a profound study of any subject, the books I have acquired cover almost everything - religion, art, literature, sociology, philosophy, history, biology, etc. Most of them are Chinese translations of literary works by famous foreign writers and anthologies of Chinese poetry and prose through the ages. The rest, often called an outline or introduction, are merely on rudiments of various subjects.
I never care to borrow books from other people or a library. It seems that books bought can better satisfy my bibliomania than books borrowed. You may also attribute this to some sort of desire for personal possessions. Whenever I have some new acquisitions, it always gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to stamp my ex-libris on them one by one.
As soon as a new book comes to hand, I always read the preface first and then the table of contents. If it happens to be a thin one, I often finish reading it at one sitting. Otherwise, I often browse through one or two chapters or sections before putting it onto my bookshelf. I seldom read a thick book from cover to cover unless it is a novel. But dint of the first impression it made on me at the time of buying, I have a rough idea of what a book is about and what useful materials in it are available to me. But I have little idea which book is to be read or looked over again at what time. It is completely subject to the whims of the moment. This often prompts me to liken myself and the books on my shelves respectively to an ancient emperor and his concubines housed separately in a row of adjoining rooms.
Much as I love books, I take little care of them. In doing my reading, I often mark out what I regard as important in a book. If it is a thread-bound Chinese book, I use a writing brush to draw small circles as markings. Otherwise, I use a red pencil to draw heavy underlines. Consequently, the books I have read are rarely clean.
It is said that those who have a great liking for candies will sicken to see them when later they happen to work in a candy store. Likewise, ever since I began to work in a bookstore, my obsession with books has been very much on the decline. Nevertheless, I still cannot help slipping back into the same old rut, eager to buy this and that book. This is probably because candies are to be eaten with the mouth and not worth keeping as knickknacks while books can be bought without being read and just left on a shelf.
anthologies n.（不同作家作品的）选集
prose n. 散文
rudiments n.基础；基本原理 the rudiments (of sth) -SYN basics-
bibliomania n. 藏书癖
ex-libris ad. （写于书前页的藏书者姓名前）......的藏本，......的藏书
dint n. IDIOMS- by dint of sth/ of doing sth 借助；凭借；由于 He succeeded by dint of hard work.
whim n.心血来潮；一时的兴致；突发的奇想 He was forced to pander to her every whim. -&- We bought the house on a whim. -&- My duties seem to change daily at the whim of the boss.
concubine n. （尤指旧时某些社会里的）妾，姨太太，小老婆
slip v. 滑；倒 1. 滑倒；滑跤 She slipped over on the ice and broke her leg. -&- As I ran up the stairs, my foot slipped and I fell. 脱离位置 2. +adv./ prep. 滑落；滑离；脱落 His hat had slipped over one eye. 快速地走/放置 3. +adv. / prep. 悄悄疾走；溜 - SYN creep- She slipped out of the house before the others were awake. 4.迅速放置；悄悄塞；偷偷放 ～sth +adv./prep. Anna slipped her hand into his. ~sth to sb They'd slipped some money to the guards. ~ sb sth. They'd slipped the guards some money. 变差 5. 下降；退步；变差 His popularity has slipped recently. 陷入困境 6. +adv./prep. 陷入，进入（困难或不愉快的处境） He began to slip into debt. 穿/脱衣服 7.（迅速且容易地）穿上，脱下 +adv./prep. to slip into /out of a dress ~sth+adv./prep. to slip your shoes on/off 摆脱 8. 摆脱；挣脱；松开；放走 ～ sth This ship had slipped its moorings in the night. ~ (sth) +adj. The animal had slipped free and escaped. IDIOMS let slip sth泄漏；无意中说出 let sth slip (through your fingers) 错过（机会）；失去（机会） slip your mind被遗忘 slip one over on sb 欺骗 slip through the net 漏网；被漏掉 (slip / be thrown) out of gear （情绪或形势）失去控制 roll / slip/ trip off the tongue容易说（或发音）；顺口 PHRASAL VERBS slip away消失；消亡；死去 slip out 无意中说出（或泄漏） slip up疏忽；不小心出差错 n. 差错 1.差错；疏漏；纰漏 纸2. 纸条；便条；小纸片 滑跤3.滑跤；滑倒；失脚 衣服 4.衬裙 板球5.（击球员后侧的）守场员；守场员所站的地方 IDIOMS give sb the slip摆脱某人的追踪；甩掉跟踪者 a slip of a boy, girl, etc.小男孩（或女孩等）；瘦男孩（或女孩等） a slip of the pen/tongue 笔误；口误 there many a slip twixt cup and lip到嘴的鸭子也会飞走（指没有十拿九稳的事）
rut n. 1.车辙 2. 刻板乏味的生活 3. （雄鹿等雄性动物的）发情期
knick-knack n.（房子里的）小装饰物，小摆设 -SYN ornament-
books and I：我之于书，比I and Books更符合英语习惯。
books have eaten into at least 10-20 percent of my pocket：我的生活费中至少十分之一二是消耗在书上的。to eat into作，耗尽、花费，意同to use up或to spend gradually；pocket作腰包解。
under my roof：我的房子里，同in my house。
bibliomania：藏书癖，意即desire or passion for collecting books。
I often finish reading it at one sitting：往往立刻通读。at one sitting(at a sitting)为成语，作，坐着一口气、一下子解。
concubine：妃子。宫女可译作court ladies或palace maids。
slipping back into the same old rut：故态复萌，也可译为 relapsing into my old habit。
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