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

Malleus Maleficarum?

A cautionary tale about putting your books somewhere visible: I work on rape culture and lesbian history. When DD was born I noticed the health visitor shifting and looking uncomfortable and couldn't think why. DD was quite ill when she was born so we saw the HV often, and it didn't take that long before I realised she was staring at a bookshelf full of titles about rape, rape, rape, sexual violence, rape, queerness, stone butches, rape, lesbians.

I've got my cookbooks on show now.

Cross post, but I did literally have a copy of the Malleus visible. I don't think it was near the most disturbing.

I always have a mooch through peoples bookshelves! Is that a bad thing? I'm looking for inspiration, or something to borrow. I'm pretty sure people look through mine too.

Ditto the vinyl and cds.

"But there's no such thing as an intrinsically good read, people enjoy different books.

In fact the first book on your list was rounded slated on a thread I read about the worst books you've read.

It's entirely personal choice, read what you enjoy OP, life is way too short to feel under pressure to read books other people tell you that you should enjoy."

You're right - but the OP asked for recommendations and those were mine. I would suggest you read The Goldfinch yourself though rather than judge by reading a thread... kind of destroys your point otherwise?

I have a mix of:
Travel guides
Art/architecture/photography
Poetry
Really old old books I've found in charity shops (hardcover, with gold-edged pages, beautiful illustrations etc, picked up for pennies, sadly: Hans Anderson stories, v old Oliver Twist, beautiful copy of Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination).
Lots of Atwood, Kate Atkinson, Philip K Dick, Fay Weldon, Adichie, AS Byatt, Angela Carter.
Travel books of Thesiger, Theroux, Mary Kingsley.
Foreign stuff (has its own shelf )
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Micheal whatsisface who wrote Westworld, and the like - real 80s schlock stuff, I love it!

Never been a fan of "chicklit", so don't have any.

I have kept lots of books, I have chucked lots of books (to charity/friends). I can't say as anyone checks my bookshelves when they visit other than to pull out a travel book.

for some reason I didn’t want their teachers seeing my low calibre taste in books

I am a teacher and can assure you that this thought would never enter my head, nor my colleagues' heads.

The best books on display are the ones that you genuinely love and enjoy.

@impressivelycunty

"But there's no such thing as an intrinsically good read, people enjoy different books.

In fact the first book on your list was rounded slated on a thread I read about the worst books you've read.

It's entirely personal choice, read what you enjoy OP, life is way too short to feel under pressure to read books other people tell you that you should enjoy."

You're right - but the OP asked for recommendations and those were mine. I would suggest you read The Goldfinch yourself though rather than judge by reading a thread... kind of destroys your point otherwise?

You said the books were great reads that's a matter of opinion, that was my point

I didn't say that I haven't read The Goldfinch , I said that in the opinion of a number of posters on a recent thread it was one of the worst books they'd read illustrating that it's all subjective.

I have two Guinness world record books that my grandfather appears in

He wrote some books too and I have those.

Also my great auntie was a crime writer so I have a set of her books.

I recommend dear reader by Cathy retzenbrink. its a memoir / loved of books. .With many recommendations.....its a great read and .fill your shelves with books you love and that bring you pleasure. that is the only criteria.

I would buy loads of non fiction useful books. References or dictionaries. Maybe travel books or photo heavy books and just have your fiction displayed as well!

I’ve got floating shelves in my front room and a few ornaments on them but one of the shell has all books, I went to the charity shops and bought books that colour coordinated with my lounge, travel, crime, erc etc, they look great, tho nobody really notices them

Ch3rish - but have you? I loved it, it's one of my favourite books ever which is why I recommended it - and that is what the OP asked** for, recommendations. Of course it's personal opinion - and that's mine. No pressure on you to agree, but if someone asks ... I genuinely don't see your problem, agree to disagree right?

My bookshelf is like a history of mine and DH’s life. It’s not there to impress anyone. It’s got some of our university text books on it - we both studied very different things so it’s very eclectic. I’ve got literature from all over the world from travelling. Plus loads of books from my childhood that I can’t bear to part with and often re-read (including Enid Blyton who is persona non grata these days).
It has old maps and A-Z from places we’ve lived, my old GSCE and A level texts, books bought from random used book stalls, obsolete things like old Lonely Planet guides. A bunch of music books from when I was learning the guitar. Cook books we’ve acquired on holiday. It has plenty of high brow stuff on it but the more interesting things are the items which make us, us, and hold lots of memories - not the classics and Booker prize winners that you’d find on anyone’s bookshelf.

I have all my chic lit on display along with sci fi, a few children's books and multiple other genres including the odd Booker winner. It has never once occurred to me to worry about people judging my taste. Frankly, anyone who seemed like the type of person who would do so wouldn't be getting an invite to my house in the first place.

If you're looking to read something new, then Terry Pratchetts Night Watch is excellent, I also really enjoy older books like Heidi, the Secret Garden, Jane Eyre. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde is another one I've really enjoyed. Tbh just having books on display is a good thing, I know quite a few families where they are proud that they have no bookshelves or books in the house, and its not because they borrow them from the library. Surrounding children by books, any books, and them seeing you reading for pleasure is one of the nest ways to encourage them to read for themselves so the teachers wont be judging your reading choices.

I liked all the Donna Tartt books (although if I recall correctly that's only three of them). They're quite intense and self indulgent, and I like that none of the characters are particularly nice.

If you like chic lit then what about Time Travellers Wife? It’s a great read, well regarded but will suck you in with the emotional story

If you're looking to read something new, then Terry Pratchetts Night Watch is excellent
It most certainly is.
My Pratchetts are all in my bedroom bookcase.
The bookcase in the living room has most of my 'classics' - Austen, Brontës, Dickens, quite a lot of Stephen J Gould .... can't remember what else. They're obscured by having DVDs stacked in front of them, eg boxed sets of all the Star Trek series and films. If anyone has a problem with that - that's their problem.

@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.

Love the song, hate the book.

I have an arranged bookcase in my study. It deliberately reflects my own tastes which are quite eclectic.

I'm not sure all of these will "extend your literary horizons" but here are a selection of my choices (all hardback)

A Spool of Blue Thread
Sweet sorrow
Lincoln in the Bardo
Wolf Hall
Girl. Woman. Other.
Why Mummy Swears
Jane Austen
The odd cookery book
Reference books about my profession

I just love people having books out on bookcases and nosying for recommendations - I also reckon a variety of books is more fun to peruse than the last years Booker long list

We've got a bookcase with 50% doored cells and 50% open cells. And I admit that we keep the 'better' books in the open cells. But that's as much for us and our own smuggery as it is for visitors.

In open shelves we've got:

A bunch of Iain Banks, Magnus Mills, Vonnegut, JB Ballard, Louise Welsh, and Pynchon (basically slightly dark, often satirical).

A bunch of modern classics, Steinbeck, Bukowski, Paul Auster, Hesse, Poe.

Some layman science books: largely entry level Quantum Physics (genuine interest).

Some poetry, plays and philosophy, fair bit of Nietzsche, ee cummings, Pinter, Rimbaud, Camus - largely relating to DH's degree, though he still reads them if he's feeling fancy.

And then kids' books, reams and reams of kids' books.

Mine are a real eclectic muddle which suits me.

I confess though that some of them, including my own copy of Malleus Maleficarum are kept in an upstairs bookcase where guests are unlikely to find them.

Generally though I'm not worried. From where I'm sitting now I have Light of Britannia, Celtic Myth and Religion, Hamnett and the Snow Spider all within arms reach. Should put a few of them back in the bookcase

@BettyAndVeronica

*And there’s always the hope it’ll give me something to talk about. Do you go to people's houses for your job? In pre-covid times I can't remember being in the position of going to someone's house where I wouldn't be friends with them already and would need to find topics of conversation*

• lunch with DH's friend and partner who I barely know, who he hasn't seen in years
• Invited over by a school mum as DC having a play date
• Invited in for a drink by neighbours
• Having dinner with a work colleague and her partner who I don't know

4 examples from the last 18months or so where a conversation starter such as this has / would have been useful.

Yes, this.

Also, I suffer a bit from social anxiety, so get a bit tongue tied. Books make me feel comfortable. Big reader, massive introvert...you must know the type 😂