"A lot of books"

In our front room we have a tall bookshelf full of books. This bookshelf represents only a small fraction of the number of books populating our home. There are books in every room. A few days ago I had a visitor that said "you have a lot of books." I realized that she meant just the books in our front room, so I kind of chuckled. Then I led her into the den where she could see the five bookshelves overflowing with books. She was shocked. (Trust me, I am equally shocked when I go to people's houses that don't have books. They never seem like homes to me.) My visitor then asked if I had read all of the books. Nope. But I plan to eventually.

We do have a lot books. Occasionally, I feel the need to purge some books and then I get rid of some of them. I typically donate them, but sometimes I sell them in exchange for credit at the used bookstore. Because if I visit the used bookstore, you know I'm walking out with books. But the books keep creeping back up to larger numbers. They are tucked away in various corners and nooks. So, if you come to my house don't be fooled by the books you see--that's not all of them.