Books you are proud to have on display...

[Justcallmemissstupid]

I’ve bought a lovely new bookcase for the living room. But I’ve come to realise my taste in books isn’t something I’d like to display 😆 think Bridget Jones etc.
I’d like to fill up my bookcase but I’d also like to expand my reading. So can you give me some titles that wouldn’t make you cringe if visitors were to see them? 😬 and that are a good read also

Books I’ve enjoyed that I’d put out on the main bookshelf if I needed to ‘impress’ are usually classical fiction (Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, things like Black Beauty, Warhorse, Lord of the Flies, Ulysses, Dr Zhivago, War and Peace) or autobiographies of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs etc. Or maybe world history books.

But if someone came into my house that would tut at Bridget Jones, Sophie Kinsella or my extensive range of Dan Brown then i would carry on walking them out of the back door

To kill a mockingbird, Catcher in the rye, Catch 22, Long Song all great books to read, saying that I agree with PP I just love that people read whatever it is and sometimes books need to be light and all of us readers have our ‘comfort books’ the real world is shitty enough.

I read Wuthering Heights and didn’t like it 😂

Don't buy into all that faking it nonsense. Read whatever you like and anyone who judges your bookcase is a prat. And by osmosis makes you one too! Enjoy reading for the pleasure it brings you!

I've never read more than a few pages of Wuthering Heights. Tried more than once.

I don't care if my books impress anyone other than me.

I read what I want and let people judge my vinyl collection instead

@ILoveShula

I've never read more than a few pages of Wuthering Heights. Tried more than once.

I don't care if my books impress anyone other than me.

Glad it wasn’t just me, I read the whole thing but just seemed like a lot of fuss over nothing

Is there any reason why I should read it?

Just looking at the bookshelves nearest to me, I can see a copy of the Geneva Conventions, some books about Vietnam, Margaret Atwood, a full shelf of the Chalet School...

Unless you have several different editions of Fifty Shades of Grey (I admit I would judge you for this) all books are fine. I love nosing at other people’s bookshelves.

I know you’re all right! 🙈 I shouldn’t care what anyone thinks!
But glancing over at my bookcase that is now filled with children’s books, my chick lit and a few sports autobiographies, makes me think people will judge 😂

I’ll be honest, the reason this occurred to me was when I was taking a photo of DC for their teachers (for homeschooling). The bookcase was in the background... for some reason I didn’t want their teachers seeing my low calibre taste in books 😂 stupid, I know.
But I honestly would like to start reading a wider array of books.

Totally agree on Wuthering Heights... it’s stayed in my memory but for all the wrong reasons!

@ILoveShula

Is there any reason why I should read it?

?

The Clothbound Classic Range

Loads of people don’t even have book cases, you should only cast your net wider for books if you like the sound of them and think they’d be interesting. I definitely would recommend Long Song but it’s very sad.

Nothing wrong with children's books. I have several. They are classics.

I need to have a clearout. I have books I would like to keep and books like 'Sort Out Your Life in 21 Days', 'Motivate Yourself' or 'I Can Make You Thin', which I haven't got round to reading and have no idea when I bought them.

I have my books in alphabetical order (by author) which is a pain in some ways as every time I buy a new book something has to shuffle up..and I have a lot of book cases!
It means I have a total mishmash of authors and genres rubbing shoulders.. everything from Shakespeare to YA vampire romances... and anyone who judges can poke off :)

I bought a book on decluttering once. A friend poked fun at it so I gave it to the charity shop. The clutter is still here.

My book cases range from classics to chick lit with recipe books and children's books thrown. I'd feel more judged on my dvd collection!

Don't be proud about books on display on your bookshelf OP. Be quietly proud to yourself about the good things about you and all you have achieved. Don't be out and proud about possessions, it won't bring you happiness.

@Nohomemadecandles

Don't buy into all that faking it nonsense. Read whatever you like and anyone who judges your bookcase is a prat. And by osmosis makes you one too! Enjoy reading for the pleasure it brings you!

This.

Start with some booker prize short list books. I loved girl women other. I also have some beautiful (to me ) cloth bound books- the secret garden (I've not read it but the movie has such a sentimental meaning to me and I will get around to it) maybe try some factual books - invisible women, why I don't talk to white people about race or why men hate women.

Such a fun age by kiley Reid is great and a good cross over of looking intellectual and a bit chic lit I think.

We also read alot to our girls so I try to buy books with beautiful covers , again tends to be cloth bound - wizard of oz etc

I love Zadie Smith too she has lots that are great. Three women by Lisa taddeo was brilliant also.

Can you tell I'm sitting near my book shelf

In general I try to buy books in hard back and lovely covers.

Blimey, our bookcase is full of DHs fishing, cycling and running books, I have a few books mainly cook books but most of my fiction books are on my kindle. Looking at our bookcase, I see he also has a shelf of ordnance survey maps, so not a bookcase to be proud of but ho hum

I don’t keep most fiction as I only read a novel once. So my shelves are full of history and cook books.

Read what you want and sod anyone who judges.

@Chicchicchicchiclana

Don't be proud about books on display on your bookshelf OP. Be quietly proud to yourself about the good things about you and all you have achieved. Don't be out and proud about possessions, it won't bring you happiness.

I agree with you... although I don’t think it’s about being proud of ‘possessing’ something, more that I’ll be judged as not being.... sophisticated? I don’t know why I feel that way tbh. I am who I am. But I have that niggle. That’s pretty bloody stupid isn’t it? 🤔😆

I just realised that I have a shelf and a half of poetry, and under that half a shelf of my school prizes and half a shelf of Alan Bennett. I have a bookcase of green and orange Penguins. There are bookcases or bookshelves in every room apart from bathroom and lavatory. I like reading!

@Frazzlefrazle

Start with some booker prize short list books. I loved girl women other. I also have some beautiful (to me ) cloth bound books- the secret garden (I've not read it but the movie has such a sentimental meaning to me and I will get around to it) maybe try some factual books - invisible women, why I don't talk to white people about race or why men hate women.

Such a fun age by kiley Reid is great and a good cross over of looking intellectual and a bit chic lit I think.

We also read alot to our girls so I try to buy books with beautiful covers , again tends to be cloth bound - wizard of oz etc

I love Zadie Smith too she has lots that are great. Three women by Lisa taddeo was brilliant also.

Can you tell I'm sitting near my book shelf

In general I try to buy books in hard back and lovely covers.

I bloody love a hardback. I always try to get that version if I can!