Kylie Abecca finds solace in her tens of thousands of books, losing herself in worlds of words as a distraction from her neurological and physical disabilities.
The Albany resident has more than 30,000 books in what might be one of the largest privately-owned libraries in the country.
She baulks at the suggestion she has too many for one house.
“It’s not hoarding if it’s books, I don’t believe that books can be hoarded,” Ms Abecca said.
Private library
From Enid Blyton — her favourite author — to Harry Potter, Goosebumps, Bryce Courtenay, adult fiction, horror, and crime, her collection fills her Gledhow home, and has been compiled over more than 35 years.
Ms Abecca has photosensitive epilepsy, hypoadrenalism, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and dyslexia.
The photosensitivity means watching television or playing video games are not possible as the brightness can bring on seizures.
Instead, she found her life’s passion in reading.
“I don’t think I’d be here without books to be quite honest,” she said.
“When I’m in pain I just grab a book, usually an Enid Blyton book.
“You just fall in love with the characters on every page.”
The complete collection by the English children’s writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers since the 1930s, takes pride of place in Ms Abecca’s book room in her home.
She even named one of her four pet Australian pink cockatoo’s after Enid Blyton.
Enid the Cockie shares the house with three other cockatoo’s named Major Mitchell, Steve, and Pumpkin, two dogs, and Kylie’s partner.
“The birds are not allowed in the book room. Neither are the dogs — or my boyfriend,” she said.
The bibliophile can rattle off information on every book in her collection, recalling where and how she got it, and has met with many authors whose names sit proudly on her bookshelves.
Books helped as life hit crossroad
Ms Abecca’s books have always been with her, even during a period of homelessness.
“My marriage fell apart and the world was swept out from under my feet,” she said.
She packed up her car up and drove from Kalgoorlie to Albany.
“And when I got there, it was freezing because I didn’t pack a sleeping bag or blanket, anything like that, because the car was full of books,” Ms Abecca said.
“It was really hard when my car started leaking [from the rain] and I was trying to cover the books.
“I was just sopping wet, but that didn’t matter as long as the books were okay.”
She shared that car and the books with her brother.
“We would have candles and I would read to him because he wasn’t a reader, and we would be sitting there at night freezing with nowhere to go,” she said.
“I would just read aloud to him and he’d fall asleep. Obviously, not an Enid Blyton fan!”
Collection priceless to owner
Ms Abecca said the collection’s value was hard to quantify — but to her, the books were priceless.
“My body has been failing me for many years now. I was told I’d be in a wheelchair by 30. I turned 40 last year, so I’m still on my feet,” she said.
“There are people out there that have had horrific lives and they’re happy, and they rebuilt their lives, and if they can do it anyone can.
“The books and stories, I think they keep the world going.”
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