I thought I would take you on a little tour around my messy house to see my book collection. When I have mentioned that I LOVE books, I was not exaggerating. One of the main reasons that we bought this house was because of all the built in book cases.
Here is the library. I share this space with my husband. Most of the books are mine; novels I have read and cannot bear to part with. He has some law school texts and some travel books and poetry on his share of the shelves.
This is the family room. These books consist of hard cover novels, cookbooks, gardening books, cookbooks, decorating books and more cookbooks. I read somewhere that you should not fill every single space on the shelves with books, but should incorporate decorative items as well. I can see from the photo that I need to re-evaluate this arrangement. It is way heavier on the right than it is on the left. Very poor balance. Also my inclination to place a photo on the right hand side of each shelf is weird.
In my sewing room, I have a shelf devoted to quilting books. It is totally messy. I try to put the books in some sort of sensible order so I can find things when I want them, but it gets messed up in no time. It takes me forever to put my hands on the thing I want. Not too long ago, these shelves were jammed full, every single shelf, but I gave away a ton of books.
Last but not least, the place where things end up if I run out of space in the house, or are falling out of love with the book in question. Or books I am embarrassed to have on the shelves where guests can see what I am reading. All diet and exercise books, plastic surgery books, how to age gracefully books, for instance. No, no, no. Those are out in the garage.
Man, what a mess (I think I have used that word six times in this post). I can see what I ought to be doing this weekend.
28 responses to “How Much Do I Love Books?”
I love the books placed about your house! It really reflects the character of who lives there. Have you ever walked into a house where there are no books? I have and it was strange…a bit unnerving and very cold… To quote Cicero “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
As an aside, I have been doing some purging lately and listing lots of my old quilting books on Amazon. They sold like crazy! Who knew there would be such demand?! Not all of them get top $$ but enough that I can no buy some newer titles that I want while passing along the ones I no longer read.
I love the books placed about your house! It really reflects the character of who lives there. Have you ever walked into a house where there are no books? I have and it was strange…a bit unnerving and very cold… To quote Cicero “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
As an aside, I have been doing some purging lately and listing lots of my old quilting books on Amazon. They sold like crazy! Who knew there would be such demand?! Not all of them get top $$ but enough that I can no buy some newer titles that I want while passing along the ones I no longer read.
Whoops, meant “now” buy some…
Whoops, meant “now” buy some…
If those are all of your books, I think you have it totally under control!
After I read your post yesterday, I checked out our library – and they actually had The Little Stranger!! I went and checked it out yesterday. I love a good ghost story.
Also, have you read The Thirteenth Tale? If not OMG!, you have to. You’ll LOVE it.
If those are all of your books, I think you have it totally under control!
After I read your post yesterday, I checked out our library – and they actually had The Little Stranger!! I went and checked it out yesterday. I love a good ghost story.
Also, have you read The Thirteenth Tale? If not OMG!, you have to. You’ll LOVE it.
To read is to enrich your life. YOu must have a very rich life! Are your quilting books actually labeled?
To read is to enrich your life. YOu must have a very rich life! Are your quilting books actually labeled?
I too have a book addiction, but I have stopped buying novels and light reading because the Public library is only a 5 minute walk from my front door. I now only buy research books and of course quilting books.
I too have a book addiction, but I have stopped buying novels and light reading because the Public library is only a 5 minute walk from my front door. I now only buy research books and of course quilting books.
I’d show you a picture of Sweety’s office, but then, I care too much for your mental health to do that. He has THOUSANDS and it’s a mess!!!!! He does love his books. So do I, for that matter, but I “attempt” to keep it under control.
I’d show you a picture of Sweety’s office, but then, I care too much for your mental health to do that. He has THOUSANDS and it’s a mess!!!!! He does love his books. So do I, for that matter, but I “attempt” to keep it under control.
I thought I had a lot of books But you beat me I just had a big clean out and gave lots away now I have some extra space.to put other things.
Hugs Mary.
I thought I had a lot of books But you beat me I just had a big clean out and gave lots away now I have some extra space.to put other things.
Hugs Mary.
I love books too…If I had the space and the money I’d have a library…to me that would be wonderful and then it wouldn’t matter how books you had :o)
I love books too…If I had the space and the money I’d have a library…to me that would be wonderful and then it wouldn’t matter how books you had :o)
Are you a BookCrosser? I am and so far I have able to manage to have just enough books to fill my shelves and still able to add books. Its a great way to let go of your book and still able to track them down (provided the next person journals it which so far I have few success on that front).
Are you a BookCrosser? I am and so far I have able to manage to have just enough books to fill my shelves and still able to add books. Its a great way to let go of your book and still able to track them down (provided the next person journals it which so far I have few success on that front).
Wow! Makes me want to break into your house when you are on vacation and hang out there just admiring and browsing all your books! It doesn’t look messy to me at all – very comfortable.
Wow! Makes me want to break into your house when you are on vacation and hang out there just admiring and browsing all your books! It doesn’t look messy to me at all – very comfortable.
How lucky you are to have so many attractive built-in bookcases! WOW! When my husband and I married, we were melding the book collections of two English majors. Add to that reference books, history, and children’s books and our home could easily be overwrought! I hate purging books. They carry too many memories.
How lucky you are to have so many attractive built-in bookcases! WOW! When my husband and I married, we were melding the book collections of two English majors. Add to that reference books, history, and children’s books and our home could easily be overwrought! I hate purging books. They carry too many memories.
Hi Nicole,
I refer to myself as a chronical, incurable reader ~ and I think people who read & have lots of books have to be friendly, creative people ;O)
I adore your bookcases which frame your window. My dream is, to own a ‘library room’ some day with built-in shelves…
I recently had to reduce (once again) my book stash (just novels, my quilting and science literature are sacrosanct) and it was really hard to actually put some books on the “give away” pile…
Cheers, Julia
Hi Nicole,
I refer to myself as a chronical, incurable reader ~ and I think people who read & have lots of books have to be friendly, creative people ;O)
I adore your bookcases which frame your window. My dream is, to own a ‘library room’ some day with built-in shelves…
I recently had to reduce (once again) my book stash (just novels, my quilting and science literature are sacrosanct) and it was really hard to actually put some books on the “give away” pile…
Cheers, Julia
Dear Nicole,
One can never own too many books! I love the pictures of your bookshelves because it lookes much like mine–I have about 18 bookcases scattered about the house.
So, I would say that your house is well-loved and well-lived in!
Dear Nicole,
One can never own too many books! I love the pictures of your bookshelves because it lookes much like mine–I have about 18 bookcases scattered about the house.
So, I would say that your house is well-loved and well-lived in!
You love books as much as I do! I have them everywhere, too, and Mark is just as bad as I am. Two history/literature majors in one house, what can you do??? How fun was it to see your books…lots of fun!
You love books as much as I do! I have them everywhere, too, and Mark is just as bad as I am. Two history/literature majors in one house, what can you do??? How fun was it to see your books…lots of fun!