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Original poster

What does your bookcase say about you?

95 replies

lyrasilver · 14/08/2008 10:09

Maybe I should ask what do you want it to say about you! Mine is in the kitchen and a quick look at the books currently residing there ... thrillers, mainly american authors and quite grusome, some scifi/ fantasy Stephen Donaldson, Eddings,Iain Banks, and loads of Stephen King for light relief. Bottom shelf cookery books and childrens books.
Not sure what it says apart from I like cooking, I have children andenjoy the dark side of fiction.

OP posts:
saltire · 14/08/2008 10:14

We have 2 bookcaes, althoug one does ahve some dvds and videos on it as well.
I have the enitre Agatha Christie collection, all the Inspector rebus books,some other crime/thrillers such as Karin Slaughter, Harlen Cobin,Reginald Hill. Then there are a few chick lits (how did they get there) such as Marian keyes, whatserface Ahern and some danielle Steeles. Autobiographys, Scottish history, General history and some reference books! Oh and a collection of Shakespeare plays and a book of Hugh McDiarmid poems

Not really sure what it says about me. or should that be us?

Overmydeadbody · 14/08/2008 10:19

Well, I have 8 bookshelves, with all kinds of books, lots of fiction, lots of classics and modern classics, rows and rows of national geographic, cookery books, and then there's all the non-fiction: child development, reference, dictionaries, philosophy, psychology, autobiographies, travel, lonely planets, and two shelves of physics and quantum physics.

Not sure what is says about me tbh.

psychomum5 · 14/08/2008 10:23

we have five bookcases (one of which is massive) filled with all my stuff........vast range of thrillers, crime, horror, true crime, chic-lit, mis-lit (a neighbour keeps giving them to me) and fantasy. not much in the way of 'deep' novels altho I do have a few classics in there too.

then the kiddies have 3 bookshelves stuffed with their books, oh, and two mini ones in the kitchen with cookery stuff in.

I would think most people look and wonder how the hell I pay for them all, and then they comment on me being able to start a library.

I have far too many books, but I am not for giving them up or selling them.....they are mine, all mine.

Earthymama · 14/08/2008 10:26

We have SIX bookcases (and piles of books everywhere )

I guess the one's in the 'public' areas are:-
No.1...2 shelves of gardening and cookery books, Nigel Slater, Nigella, Delia, Jamie< Sarah Raven, Monty Don, Carol Klein. So that shows I'm a sucker for celebrity (and I don't watch/read anything about slebs if I can avoid it!!) Eco and environmental books and natural stain removal!!

No.2..Poetry, spirituality, Crime, some classic, some modern, some historical, Georgette Heyer, novels by Kate Atkinson, Sarah Waters, Alice Sebold and others,Knitting and craft Books.

I have NO idea what this says about me except that on closer inspection I should tidy the shelves and organize myself!!

3andnomore · 14/08/2008 10:27

no bookcases....all my books are stored under my bed and in my bedside cabinet
I mainly read true stories, about victims of abuse, victims of institutionalisation,religious cults, stories of people dealing wiht disabilities and diseases.
On the other hand I have also have phases where I love fictional Nvels forinstance Maeve Binchy is one of my favourites....

Not sure what it says about me! You tell me, lol!

saltire · 14/08/2008 10:28

I'd love to have room for 5 or 6 bookcases. I also have a pile of books beside the bed and more piled on top of the wardrobe. Some of them I am swapping with "read it swap it"

3andnomore · 14/08/2008 10:31

I often pass books on to my father in law or my dh's aunt....or I bring them back to the Charity shop....where I buy a lot of the books I read....

beanieb · 14/08/2008 10:32

I have several bookcases. A lot of Biography and Autobiography, Loads of books about Bob Dylan, Lots of Proof copies of novels (I was a bookseller for years), many of my old boos from when I was a child, some poetry. Quite a few gardening Books.
I don't have anything trashy, most of my novels are classics of thick serious stuff.

elkiedee · 14/08/2008 10:35

Ours probably say I'm completely crazy - 6 sets of shelves in the front room, 2 more upstairs, boxes and boxes of books everywhere. Most of my family have homes crammed with books, ours is a lot smaller and more crowded than most though.

Generally adult fiction and non-fiction are downstairs, my kids' books in our bedroom and crime fiction on the landing and in the spare room. Books for reading to ds are in boxes, about 3 already and he's only 15 months old.

RustyBear · 14/08/2008 10:39

I think my 9 bookcases would say 'Stop overloading us!' - most of my books are in double rows...

Fiction - historical, crime, Sci-fi/fantasy, lots of PG Wodehouse, classic children's books

Non fiction - History, true crime, some travel - mostly Bill Bryson, a sprinkling of biographies, a lot of maps.

psychomum5 · 14/08/2008 10:41

actually, thinking about it, I reckon most people would wonder how the hell I have the time to read the amount I do.

and MN.....

I must be a lazy slattern in their eyes!!!

3andnomore · 14/08/2008 10:45

lol....

I tend to take long baths and read in the bath....or when I take Kids to softplay, I nowdays can read there.....bliss

pigleto · 14/08/2008 10:50

mine says that I read too much vampire porn and agatha christie. I take books back to the charity shop or the library when I have read them. So there is quite a turnover.

psychomum5 · 14/08/2008 10:51

I tend to read on the school run (have to get to school really early to be able to park), or yes, now that they are older I can take them to places and then read while they enjoy:0

psychomum5 · 14/08/2008 10:51

even!

cocolepew · 14/08/2008 10:55

Mine makes me look like a trainee serial killer.

claricebeansmum · 14/08/2008 11:01

LOL Rusty Bear - ours would be the same!

Have no idea how many books we have but it is alot - guessing over 1,000. What would our shelves say about us - eclectic and diverse!

Original poster
lyrasilver · 14/08/2008 11:02

Loving the VAMPIRE PORN!!
The kitchen bookcase is mine, where I seem to keep specially selected stuff. The main bookcases are in the study.. along with the pc and filing cabinets. On them there is a motely collection of uni texts from yesrs ago..education, psychology and biology texts of mine and all sorts of engineering/communications stuff of dhs'.Loads of dictionaries and encyclopedia and more cookery books. Also see some stuff on taro,meditation and masonic stuff. The books I am actually reading are lying around in wee piles in bed/bath and livingrooms.I cant part with books, although I will lend them out. Really need to get some quantum physis for beginners as I get a headache trying to understand any of that!

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Original poster
lyrasilver · 14/08/2008 11:03

Loving the VAMPIRE PORN!!
The kitchen bookcase is mine, where I seem to keep specially selected stuff. The main bookcases are in the study.. along with the pc and filing cabinets. On them there is a motely collection of uni texts from yesrs ago..education, psychology and biology texts of mine and all sorts of engineering/communications stuff of dhs'.Loads of dictionaries and encyclopedia and more cookery books. Also see some stuff on taro,meditation and masonic stuff. The books I am actually reading are lying around in wee piles in bed/bath and livingrooms.I cant part with books, although I will lend them out. Really need to get some quantum physis for beginners as I get a headache trying to understand any of that!

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ChukkyPig · 14/08/2008 11:03

Ooh is this thread because of what I said on the other one? How exciting!

Mine makes me look like a person who does a lot of cooking and gardening while dressed for a SF convention and keeping an eye on the skies!!!

Original poster
lyrasilver · 14/08/2008 11:04

Note o self ... check spelling.. quantum physics not physis and dont let lo press the keys. . One post is enough.

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Original poster
lyrasilver · 14/08/2008 11:06

Yes ChukkyPig... you were the inspiration!

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zippitippitoes · 14/08/2008 11:12

i have a lot of poncey head spinning stuff of an arty farty cultural kind like lacan, derrida, schama,foucault etc, loadcs on politics and culture of south america particularly colombia, lots of photogrqphy books, big art library with a lot of large catalogues, interiors and house books, a travel library, business and html, photoshop books etc

cookery books, music and lots of gardening books, antiques guides and sewing and knitting

sailing. language and dictionaries

poetry and psychiatry/psychology

and loads of fiction qacross the spectrum

i have got rid of loads of books but i probably have about 800 on shelves in my not very big bedroom

and more downstairs

ChukkyPig · 14/08/2008 11:16

Hooray!!!!

Peachy · 14/08/2008 11:16

it probably says I buy the kids books before me tbh but also I give away ones I will never need again, gave away my Psych texts for example

The top shelf says we like humour (tom holt, pratchett etc), the next that I studied religions- lots of core texts such as the Qur'an, Bhagavad Gita.

The rest is kids stuff but I have 3 on the go atm, one of which is catch 22 so it's not all drivel- honest guv!