Books, Nooks, and Looks–Unpacking Your Library
I’m nosy. Total confession. When I am visiting I tend to check out the my host’s books. Of course, I’m subtle and discreet, although I figure if it’s in open view, it’s open season on snooping. This, what could be considered a habit of questionable good manners, began in college. Ah, college days. Where all the believe-we-have-the-answers crowd congregated at one another’s flats, apartments, dorm rooms, and houses to sip upon cheap brews and crushed grapes and nibble on snacks and talk, talk, talk. Being a gregarious hermit by nature, I would chat enough to leave an impression and then slip away to surreptitiously inventory the host’s or hostesses’ bookcase. Sound like a book stalker, don’t I?
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Actually, the habit developed out of the need to remain anonymously conspicuous within the crowd. Though I like conversation, I do get overwhelmed with a room full of it swirling about me. Slipping off to study books is acceptable crowd avoidance behavior, at least this is what I came to believe. Contemplating book titles allowed me remain a part of the assemblage, yet gave me space. It also gave opportunity for other hermits to find sanctuary while we scanned books. Books make great conversation starters.
You can tell a lot about a person about the books they keep on their shelves. On the other hand, that wouldn’t be so true of my bookshelf. After years of lugging books from place to place I began to understand that books, while a treasure in my life, took up a lot of space. And I began to stop buying them, collecting them, and hoarding them. Instead I am a frequent flyer at the library. I go so often that I am on first name basis with the librarians and counter folk. True story: I grabbed the wrong key chain and did not have my self-check out scan card (my Fred Meyer card doesn’t do the trick), so I stepped up to the counter and hoped one of the friendlies would have compassion on my card-less state. I didn’t know her but she knew me and checked me through. She whispered, “We don’t do this for everyone,” and confirmed my regular patron status.
This is why my local library rocks. This is also why they are my bookshelf. I do, of course, I have books on my home bookshelf. I review books and have my keepers. I also have my set of reference books. I have books from parents inherited, forgotten children treasures waiting for new eager hands, and books that I know are there for yet another read. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books. There are also gift books, I probably won’t read, but respecting the giver too much, they nestle among the other keepers.
All that to introduce this little book I picked up on the way out the library the other day.
Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their Books edited by Leah Price features the personal libraries of Alison Bechdel, Stephen Carter, Junot Díaz, Rebecca Goldstein and Steven Pinker, Lev Grossman and Sophie Gee, Jonathan Lethem, Claire Messud and James Wood, Philip Pullman, Gary Shteyngart, and Edmund White.
Some people delight in People, National Enquirer, and other celebrity peep sheets. I am curious about the to-dos of the literary crew. Unpacking My Library was a grab and go and admittedly it proved a bit disappointing since I did not recognize any of the featured writers. Maybe you will. What I did get out of the book was the delicious lookey-looks at about dozen different private libraries. Ooh, I did indeed enjoy doing so.
In this age of Kindle, Nooks, and phone app capabilities, books and bookshelves might become more of an anomaly than a requisite in homes. Although it wouldn’t take much to pack up my own home library these days, I still root for the book on the shelf. Here is a fun video about bookshelves.
Happy Pages,
CricketMuse
Oh–there is still plenty of room on the Book Boosters page if you haven’t yet exclaimed your love of books.
Pam Webb 
I confess…I’m a book stalker too! You’re not alone. And as you say, it makes for a great conversation starter. That’s always a plus at a party or festive dinner.
Whew! Glad I’m not the only one Should we start a support group? 🙂
Sounds good to me!
Oh how I love to peruse other people’s bookshelves! And I agree with you that if the shelves are out in public, then it’s fair game. It’s like putting pictures up on walls– you put ’em up and expect people to look, right? 🙂
Books on display are so visually appealing. Almost better than an art gallery. I could do a whole blog dedicated to the the display of books. Maybe I will! 🙂
I am surrounded by books: home, work, and in between ( I have a kindle). I can ‘t imagine life without books! I loved your blog today!
Librarians are the spine of life. *smile*
I finished the Darcy books and they made me run out and grab a copy of Pride and Prejudice. I might have to come in for a Colin Firth Darcy fix as well!
I could not agree more with this post. I totally read all the titles – and make it obvious when I enter someones house. By now people can tell just by looking at me that I’m bookish and a book hoarder so maybe they’re expecting it. I hate it when shelves have NO poetry books. BAH! However, love this post, totally agree.
Agreeed! I’d always stalk off while at someones house and then be found gazing at a bookshelf, hell, I could spend all day staring at someone’s book collection. It’s somewhat unhealthy.
I have been to homes where there are no books and I grieve for the children. I was a teacher for 10 years and had to leave for health reasons. I read all the books in the childrens section of my classroom. It was new to me. I was amazed how interesting the books were. Now back to the subject. I wrote a book. That can get you off of reading for a long long while. Now I am back and my collection is growing. I like the idea of books near stairs. I have stairs. I have books. aloha Maya
Thanks for stopping by. I grabbed the photo off the internet, wishful thinking, I suppose. Books in the hands of children is so important, I agree.
Happy Pages,
CricketMuse
You sound like a Book Booster–would you like me to sign you up?
Yes, I am. Thank you and aloha
Done! I found your Japanese poem powerful. I am promoting poetry with students in readiness for April being National Poetry Month.
Happy Pages,
CricketMuse
Thank you, I taught middle school in Hawaii for four years and we did a Haiku contest where my class of English Speakers of foreign languages won 4 spots of 300 state wide. I was so proud and they gained so much confidence. Good luck with your poetry promotion. I started writing poetry and it is a wonderful lesson in writing a book. I am a book booster for sure. Books saved my life aloha
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love this post – can totally identify (great little video too)!
I loved reading this post again! You are so right, it’s much more acceptable to peer at people’s bookshelves than to peer into their souls 🙂
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