What does your bookshelf (or, what do your bookshelves) say about you to the people who come into your home?
My bookshelves say quite a bit, at least from my own perspective; and since I live with mom, they are limited to my room.
First, considering just about every single piece of furniture in my room has books on it, it says, I really should be investing in another actual bookshelf. My regular full size bookshelf is packed full, and my other smaller bookshelf, well its small, and full. The top of my dresser has become a makeshift bookshelf. My wall shelf thing that I use for painting and drawing supplies now holds my art books since I had to move them. My other shelving unit, which was not meant to be a bookshelf, but acts as one quite well, is pretty much full of all my text books and other academic or professional books (and my favorite DVDs and box sets). And of course some other books as well. The thingy from IKEA next to my bed is on its side for optimum ‘top shelf space’ that’s covered in piles of books, and there’s even more books in the actual cubby holes. And lastly, the main shelves I use for CDs and DVDs, naturally the top of that is used to hold books as well. Though mostly they are borrowed books.
Second, they say that I have mild OCD. Even though I don’t have enough shelves, each pile is organized. Book series are together and in order by release. Certain piles are made up of books I own that I need for different book challenges. Everything that is shelved is done so by author last name. For the authors that I have more than one book by, it goes by release date. I also decide where to put books by genre. Vampire series are together, true crime is together, psychology, sociology, textbooks etc. They’re all arranged in a very particular way.
Though my collection of books is not anywhere close where I want it to be – I have roughly 430 book books and 500 e-books – it still says I read a lot. No matter how hard I try to slow down, my book collection continues to grow. I find new authors, genres, or develop new interests and, WHAM! The pockets on fire and the bookshelves start to explode again.
Certain people think different things about my book collection. My mom thinks I need to stop buying books, unless they’re for school, until I read every single book I own. My father, though he hasn’t seen the collection with his own eyes says I need to slow down with the book spending. My grandmother is proud of me and my friends wonder why I’m such a reader.
I make no secret of myself being a reader. After all this is the bag I use on a daily basis.
So, are your bookshelves busting at the seams?
Among Stories 