I chose to start with my books for a few reasons. For one, I have more books than I have anything else. There are more of them in my room than there are places to put them. They stack in piles, some here, some there, and they take up the entire top quarter of my closet, which could be better used for other things. For another, even though books are wonderful, they are heavy, bulky, and cantankerous to move. It was also a test of my determination. Few things carry as much resonance as a well loved book, so perhaps if I can be ruthless with my library, I can be ruthless with everything else as well. If I am to escape Vancouver, I will need to travel light.