The Next Best Book Club discussion

Looking at my bookshelves, you'd probably see that I'm a YA lover, though I also like classics (and yes, I do read them). I also love history as well (WWII)

Bookshelves are probably the best decoration ever invented, although maybe a bit expensive at times. There are so many ways to arrange your books; by genre, colour, size, alphabetically, random or in any other aesthetically pleasing way. They give you the opportunity not only to say something about your love for books, a certain type of books or about your intelligence they also let you say something about the way you interprete the world by the way you organize your books, the way you want to be seen and of course they say something about your decoration skills. And: books are a very interesting type of decoration, you can take it apart, look at the insides of every single book, discuss it. What other type of decoration allows you to do so many things with it? Art maybe, but that takes up a lot of space. I own the notorious Billy and I'm proud of it.
My books ... well, there are a lot of them, certainly when compared to the space I have. Mainly 'literature', Dutch and world literature, also some classic classics (Greece and Rome), non-fiction on different subjects like literature and philosophy (most of those were required), a good collection of dictionaries and a huge bible. That at least says something about my love for literature and language. And the 'high quality' literature might make me look intelligent which of course is always nice.
I don't display books I haven't read yet. I have to 'conquer' them first before I get to show them off.

shoot...I have cute little stacks under lamps,candles,dried flower arrangements ect; displayed randomly from room to room. But my bedroom needs professional help!! I have corners stacked and my headboard has books everywhere. I have one bookshelf and its jam packed as well as the top and the stacks on the sides. I have a lot of chic lit novels, historical fiction, YA, paranormal, fantasy, new age and memior style books but I guess I hide the ones with blood on the covers in my room so nobody thinks I'm werid. Not all understand the excitement of a steamy vampire novel and I don't want to scare the kids! I do enjoy the paperbackswap for some but it takes me a while before I can part with new ones unless I didn't like them that much. When people see my home I guess it's a giveaway that I like to read and it's good conversation starter. So many people say they don't read because it makes them fall asleep and that annoys me...Grrr... These people just don't like reading I suppose. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around that. I understand when you have small children excuse cause I couldn't even sit through a movie when my kids were young it was there only childhood, all about them time then.

My bookcases say that I need another bookcase! They are overflowing! I have a lot of fantasy, a lot of L.M. Montgomery, and a lot of my books from when I was little. I guess that says I'm an escapist/sentimentalist?

Jo wrote: " Not all understand the excitement of a steamy vampire novel and I don't want to scare the kids!

Haha! "

I know right? Some books have fangs dripping and claws out to pounce is that a display piece...lol not, a leather bound classic thats for sure. I do have a few though with the pretty leather and gold embossed simple titles those are the fancy ones I put out for display or ones with beautiful covers.

I have a big bookshelf that has a shelf of political science and related non-fiction books, a shelf that is divided into books on religion and books on LGBT issues/sexuality, a shelf that is dedicated to fantasy (Harry, LOTR, His Dark Materials, etc.), and a shelf that has African American literature along with Holocaust literature and some other books that are classics and that fit that shelf size-wise. In the bottom of my bookcase there is a space with two sliding, wooden panels covering the space; I put all the books I have listed on paperbackswap under there (I don't want people seeing them and judging my book taste based on those books, because they are books I really did not care for).

Then, I have five crates of books on my floor that also have books on top of them. I have an entire crate dedicated to Kurt Vonnegut, one for memoirs, one for books that take place in other cultures, such as The Kite Runner and Life of Pi, and the rest is pretty random. I actually have another twenty or so books that I don't have room for...

I keep books that I have checked out from the library on a space on my nightstand.

I don't know what this says about me. People can probably tell from looking that I'm a political science major, an atheist, and a lesbian, just based on the large collection of non-fiction books that I have. I probably look like I'm more interested in fantasy than I am (while HP is my favorite book, and I enjoy a few others, I spend most of my reading time on other genres). And it's obvious that I am a poor college student because almost half of my books are kept in crates, as are my iPod dock, my laptop, my hard drive, etc.

Goth books...lol never heard that one before.

Last time I counted, I was at almost 500, so I guess people would also assume (correctly) that I read a lot :)

To me it looks like your a very intelligent person who also aware of the world around you and likes to have fun also.

My husband recently remodeled our back room, so it's now an office/library. (My favorite room!) I have a large bookbench beneath an oversized window that holds all my fiction - which is alphabetized by author. Then I have 4 built-in bookcases that hold my nonfiction, which is arranged by subject, similar to a bookstore. My history section is further subdivided into various periods, such as European, American, Civil War, etc.

My taste ranges from simple mystery novels to 500 page books covering the history of religion. I'm not sure what all this says about me, other than I love to read - everything! (And maybe that I want to live in a bookstore?)

I love the comparison between bookshelves and picture frames. Books not only make a statement about who we are, they're also pretty!

I don't know if I judge people by what is on their shelves; I probably do. I definitely notice what books are on display and comment when we have the same interests. Book talk is such an easy icebreaker.

My bookshelves are very ordered and neat, probably the most organized thing in my life. I'm not sure what that says about me, maybe just that I like books? I don't think I have more than two books by any given author...not sure what that means, either.

I do try to quickly give away books I don't like so that nobody sees them on my shelves. Wouldn't want people thinking I like bad books! I hide away books I haven't read for the same reason.

Darcia wrote: "My husband recently remodeled our back room, so it's now an office/library. (My favorite room!) I have a large bookbench beneath an oversized window that holds all my fiction - which is alphabetize..."

Darcia, that sounds AMAZING! I would love to have a library/office, and a book bench beneath an oversized window. I can see why that's your favorite room. Yay for handy husbands!

Katie wrote: "Darcia wrote: "My husband recently remodeled our back room, so it's now an office/library. (My favorite room!) I have a large bookbench beneath an oversized window that holds all my fiction - which..."

The room definitely bought him a lot of bonus points! There's no way we could have done it if we'd had to pay someone.

Jessi wrote: "I have a big bookshelf that has a shelf of political science and related non-fiction books, a shelf that is divided into books on religion and books on LGBT issues/sexuality, a shelf that is dedica..."

Jessi, I love that you have a whole crate just for Vonnegut.

Darcia, I am now daydreaming about your library, trying to picture it! :)

I have quite a mix on my bookshelves. Not really a whole lot of chick-lit, and no romance or mysteries. I do have a lot of contemporary fiction, and right now I'm on a Russian and Japanese literature kick.

I always love a good sci-fi/dystopian novel, so I do have a lot of those shelved. I do have quite a few classics, and I'm always on the lookout for more. There are some I haven't read yet, but I'll get to 'em sooner or later! I can only read one or two classics in a row before I need a break and move onto something more modern.

I also have tons of kids books everywhere. There's some even my kids have outgrown, but I just can't bear to part with them.

I think mine say I like history, historical fiction, mysteries, and science fiction.

Though I have scatterings of a lot of other stuff, like chicklit and "testosterone trash."

My bookshelf says I need another bookshelf! LOL! This is just one part of one shelf. Plus, since this picture was taken, the whole bookcase has gotten even more crowded!



My preference is for literary fiction, classic fiction and some non-fiction. By nature I am curious and quirky. I don't know if that would be apparent from looking at my bookcase?

Love the pic!! Your shelf looks colorful and organized! I have no idea how people get pictures on here, so nifty of you!!

The first time a friend visited my house, she said of both my books and my music, "I can't decided if you're eclectic or schizophrenic." And I guess that says it all.

I think my bookshelves say that I like a mixture of fantasy, classics and fiction (and yes, I have read many of the classics on my bookcase and I definitely plan on reading those I haven't).
My bookshelves also say that I'll need to invest in some new ones soon. Mine are getting very crowded!

Over the years I have parted with many books. Now I generally don't keep too many books . I pass them on to others to enjoy. So my shelves are a bit empty. I don't know what that says about me. Take your pick or give me a label

My bookshelves say a lot about me, I think. First, looking at them as they normally always are, my shelves make the picture Jennifer posted below look like brilliant space utilization and organization.

I'm constantly pulling books off the shelf and then not putting them back where they actually go, but rather sticking them on top or a stack of books that don't yet have homes. I just counted and between 2 bookcases, I have 81 books stacked haphazardly anywhere there is space. That's more books than some people own altogether! (And haphazardly stacked they may be, but they are all carefully stacked so as not to damage them -- I love my books!!)

So, aside from my organizational techniques, or the lack thereof, the first things that people would probably notice about my collection are:

1) I love Stephen King.
2) I love Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings (I have two full sets of each. HP in the US and UK editions.)
3) I love fantasy and horror and the classics
4) I don't read very much contemporary fiction at all.
5) I love paperbacks.
6) I have a TON OF BRICKS. (I love a good story, and when it's good, I don't want it to end!)

What? Contemporary fiction is the best! Well, not the best, but I do really love it.

I do like it, when its good, but too often I don't think it's that good. What are some of your favorites?

Off the top of my head.... The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Fight Club, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I would also have to say most stuff by Vonnegut, as well as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, if you consider those contemporary.

I read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns and loved them both. I haven't read any of the others you mention.

I have mixed experience with contemporary fiction - generally what everyone else LOVES, I either don't like at all or thought it was just OK. Like Water for Elephants. Everyone raved about that book, and I thought it was OK. *shrug*

Oh, I just got that book from paperbackswap, but I probably won't be reading it for several months because I am in the middle of a book challenge that doesn't include Water for Elephants.

That happens with me a lot, too, though. I can think of quite a few books that people I know loved, and I didn't like that much. For instance, I hated Fahrenheit 451 as well as The Alchemist, and I found The Catcher in the Rye to be highly overrated.

Karen wrote: "The first time a friend visited my house, she said of both my books and my music, "I can't decided if you're eclectic or schizophrenic." And I guess that says it all."

Hahaha I love this post! That's awesome. I think I would be labeled as schizophrenic too! I have so many random choices and then some that just go on for series on end. There's definitely some that can be clumped into one genre, for sure, but I could debate until my last breath how or why it could totally be it's own genre.

I try my best not to stick to one genre all too often, and just go with my gut and see what I pick up next. I would like to broaden my horizons even more so I've been picking up some that I "normally" not choose at first. Sometimes it works out, other times I tend to want to just return the book.

There have been nice surprises along the way though! :)

Mmm-hmm! I've only read one of Paolo Coelho's books, The Devil and Miss Prym, and I thought it was massively overrated. I won't be wasting my time on any more of his books.

I do happen to love F451 though. :)

I am not into magic per say, so I don't know if I will read The Alchemist. I thought it was about the Spanish Inquisition. I am a history buff.

Well, I don't know about The Alchemist, but D&MP was awful. It was barely 200 pages and it took me days to read it. Ridiculously simplistic writing style that had nothing new to say but still managed to brow-beat me the idea of choice and right vs. wrong and good vs. evil, and justice vs. vengeance. Ugh. And all of that in the guise of a kind of... Long Forgotten Tale - Now with Extra Moral Lessons!™, like just telling the story would be insulting so it had to be framed as an allegory.

My bookcase is presently clean and neat with lots of open spaces as I just cleaned out and got rid of six boxes of books!!!

Before that you would think that I never met a book I didn't like! Eclectic is a good descriptor.

Becky wrote: "Well, I don't know about The Alchemist, but D&MP was awful. It was barely 200 pages and it took me days to read it. Ridiculously simplistic writing style that had nothing new to say but still manag..."

ok scatch him off my list. I don't think I would enjoy it.

Jessi wrote: "Last time I counted, I was at almost 500, so I guess people would also assume (correctly) that I read a lot :)"

My collection is almost 500, but I have only about half of them on shelves, the rest are stored in totes in the closet. I love reading! I think my many diffrent types of books says that I am an open-minded person.

Becky wrote: "Mmm-hmm! I've only read one of Paolo Coelho's books, The Devil and Miss Prym, and I thought it was massively overrated. I won't be wasting my time on any more of his books.
..."

Amen to that! I read The Alchemist, & thought it was overly simplistic pop-psychology. "You can achieve anything if you just want it badly enough!" Sorry, but no. No, you can't. I've sworn off Coehlo entirely.

What my bookshelf says about me:

"Kim really has a problem..."
"Kim really should read more Nonfiction"
"Kim really should read some of the books stacked here before even thinking about adding one more!"

Miss GP wrote: "What my bookshelf says about me:

"Kim really has a problem..."
"Kim really should read more Nonfiction"
"Kim really should read some of the books stacked here before even thinking about adding..."

aw Kim Join the rest of us addicts. I thought about going to library, changed my mind. I went on line to Amazon,To many to buy. I need to buy groceries first.

I think if you looked at mine you would probably say: "This girl needs more bookcases!" I have books everywhere in my house. They are especially taking over my bedroom. I would say I have a pretty good mix of Classics (some I've read, some I'll get to someday!) which are more buried than the ones I read a lot, I also have maybe 3 chck-lit books but not romance-y kinds. More of the friendship kind. Looking at them I notice that I keep my horror books prominently displayed because that's my favorite genre and I read them the most.

How does everyone organize their shelves (when they are organized at all? *pointed look at myself*)?

By author?
Genre?
Size?
Color?
Favorite status?
Series?
Or not at all?

Uh, generally speaking, I generally separate out:

mystery
science fiction
historical fiction
general fiction
history
science
miscellaneous, for the stuff hard to categorize, or the stuff from categories I just don't read much from

I have a separate bookshelf, next to my bed, for favorites from all categories. And "history" has a lot of sub-categories, as I read and own a lot of it. Usually by author/series order within category.

I separate mine into my books, and books my husband might like. (Tom's take about 1/8 of one shelf...)

:)

hmmmmm...my shelves probably scream "history major!!!"

I mostly read literary fiction these days, but pretty much cut books (fiction, particularly) our of our budget 9 years ago. So the shelves don't really reflect what I read these days. And much of the fiction there is is historical fiction!

Dh keeps most of his books in the den (or in his office)--he teaches geography at a CC. It is obvious :)

Becky wrote: "How does everyone organize their shelves (when they are organized at all? *pointed look at myself*)?

By author?
Genre?
Size?
Color?
Favorite status?
Series?
Or not at all?"
Quasi-alphabetization. I say "quasi" because the thought of splitting my series among shelves makes me shiver, especially my Harry Potter books.

I have a shelf for L.M. Montgomery, a shelf for Charles de Lint, a shelf of Harry Potter, a shelf of my old kids books, a couple of shelves with photo albums, and then everything else is sorted out roughly by how "favorite" it is and by size within that. I don't know that that would be obvious to anyone else. They really are just a mess.

My to-reads are stacked on my bedroom floor, and my borrowed to-reads are in a huge plastic crate in my office floor.

My bookshelf says:

This person has no friends or life

I try to remain organized with my books. When I buy a new bookshelf (which I need to do again!) I tend to reorganize, because I just cant keep up with it under normal circumstances.

At the moment I have all my Stephen King (which takes up an entire shelf) chick lit and kids books in the computer room. In the living room I have all my books. The contemporary stuff is in a tall case (5 shelver) and the three shelver is broken into Poetry,Jose Saramago, Classics, and Lost Lit books.

Yes -- I keep my Jose Saramago away from the regular novels. I don't want his writing to become contaminated/tainted- it's too perfect the way it is. I also want to be able to display him at eye level and not at the lower portion of a bookcase! hee hee

The unread books (of which I own close to 200) are all stacked into the bottom row of the smaller bookcase in the living room, shoved in front of the books on the bottom row of the bigger case and all stacked on the floor in front of both! I need a new case JUST for the unread ones!

Upstairs are my oldest sons books along with my hubby's books.

My bookshelves would tell you that I read just about every genre, except Romance, non-ficition/biographies, and self help.

The comment I hear most;

"You haven't read all these books, right?"

Suzanne wrote: "The comment I hear most;

"You haven't read all these books, right?""

I get "Why do you have this?"

That one takes the prize, Christy!!! OMG

~♡кαтιє♡~ wrote: "my books are mainly of the fantasy genre which is mainly vampire at the minute although am getting a bit hooked on fairies. most of my books are also young adult. i try and have a change sometimes ..."
Have you read any poetry of W.B. Yeats? He ahs some very nice romantic poetry about fairies, but that's also about Nationalization and Anglicization in Ireland (sorry, I'm writing a paper). His writing is beautiful.
Also, I don't know if you've heard of Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, but they have some awesome fairy tale collections--I've read part of The Faery Reel, which is awesome. I need to buy a copy.

Books and more books. In a two bedroom house--3 floor to ceiling in the bedroom, in the other bedroom/office 4 seven shelf bookshelves and 2 smaller 3 foot ones and downstairs another 4 seven shelve and an amoire stuffed to the doors. Extremely loose collections of history--American and Asian, US current political, sci-fi/fantasy, travel--mostly Asian, language, classics, misc novels, bio, cookbooks, psych, old college texts, computers, classics, cat care, mythology, religion, gardening, local books and the two library book/swap shelves.