Friday, August 27, 2010

soul food friday ~ loving books

I knew today's post had to be about books when two of my favourite bloggers wrote about their love for them this week. Ann scored old Penguins at the second hand bookstore and vowed she would never own a Kindle (or an iPad Ann?). There's nothing quite like the feel of a book in your hands is there? Or are we just old fashioned? 
Jeanne has a linky thing going on over here where you can share your book posts which is what I'll be doing. Jeanne spoke about her nostalgia over certain books and I completely agree. Some books are keepers.
Books have always been part of my life. It is perhaps the greatest gift my dad ever gave me...this love of books. We used to head up to the library every week and take out six books each...the maximum allowed. It was a ritual. Thanks Dad.
So I thought I'd show you what's on my shelves, because if you're like me, when you go into someone's house one of the first things you want to do is look at their books. 
Excuse the dodgy photos (the light in my study which is where my books are is not so great). And then of course there's the lack of dusting...too busy blogging, reading, crafting to bother with that nonsense!
Tell me...are you horrified that there's a fair bit of categorisation going on here? Should I be ashamed to tell you that I did colour code my books several years ago (ahead of my time??) but a certain friend used to come around and move them around to disrupt the pattern. Yes, T, you know who you are!! Some of these kids books are almost as old as me. Quite a few were given to me as awards at school or Sunday school (where I'm sure my parents sent me to get me out of the house on a Sunday morning!)
There might still be a touch of colour coding going on if I'm honest!
I wonder what happened to novels, shelf 2?? Perhaps that was the crime shelf...mystery solved!! Groan...sorry :)

I'm very fond of books about places I've been to or long to visit. I especially love reading books about people living in foreign countries...maybe one day. And I keep travel diaries..and they get filled :)

The old self help books hey...needing them less these days, but you never know when you might have to dip into one. Most of my business books (and there are lots) live at the office.

Despite the fact that I still have lots of books to read, I can't stop acquiring them...
I think it may be because I gave away over 200 books to Lifeline when I moved to the townhouse. I hope lots of people are enjoying them while I go on a replacement quest of sorts.
...and then there's the coffee table of course...two of the three piles.
And let's not mention all the magazines. Not hard to see where my disposable income goes!!
So yes Jeanne, I do get very nostalgic about my books. I do believe it's possible to have a relationship of sorts with a book; not like a real flesh and blood relationship of course. But a fabulous one nonetheless. Tell me you've never been sorry to say goodbye to a character in a book! And if a good book is not 'food for the soul' please tell me what is?
I'll be spending this weekend reading The Catcher in the Rye for wine book club on Monday night. Book clubs...another great invention!

Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments this week; your support and advice are so very much appreciated. Really. 



p.s. I so wish I'd bought white bookshelves....where's the paint!

35 comments:

  1. Dear Kerry, Now, this is very brave of you for the books on a person's shelves say so much about that person. And, believe me, when they are arranged under categories, or even colour coded, it is the biggest give away of all. As yet I have had insufficient time, but by the time Monday comes round, and I have had your post permanently up on my screen and a magnifying glass in my hand, I shall know everything there is to tell. And what I do not know, I shall of course, make up!!

    Enjoy the book club and drink plenty.

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  2. What an admirable and beautifully arranged collection, especially the 'hard to categorise' category. And I particularly like the children's shelf. I had a shot at colour-coding, but the height discrepancies annoyed me, so that didn't last long. And I was impressed once to see a cream-coloured peaceful vista of books all turned spine-in in the name of décor.

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  3. I love books as well. I can't wait to unpack min e when my room is finished but know I will realistically have to cull a few.
    I see a few on your shelves I really love. The Tricia Guild one is amazing!
    ps wondering what Lunch in Paris doing on the crime shelf? He he :)

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  4. When we moved last year, I did a very severe cull of my books. I regret that. Your bookshelf seems very well rounded. I love looking at other people's books!

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  5. How I miss books...I just can't find time to read many at the moment. It takes me a long time just to get through one and I find myself reading 4 or 5 at once! You have a lovely collection - very wholistic! Rachaelxx

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  6. Books have always been a constant throught my life, and I can't imagine a day going by without either a book or magazine to read. My mum used to buy me a new book every week from the time I was tiny, and I've loved them ever since - I can't even go to bed without reading first! Love the peek into your book collection - let's just hope there are no psychologists amongst your readers!!!

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  7. lovely. loved the look of your books. I checked out jeanne's, too. such fun. I did a (different sort) of book post today, too!

    enjoyed yours!

    Donna

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  8. Good grief - you mean you actually put books on your bookshelves and not just decorative objects? Nice to see the variety of books you read. Much as it is hard to donate books, last move we had saw us donate tons of them because this time we packed ourselves! Thought it was pretty funny that your friend would rearrange them when you had them colour coded. Your categories look very similar to ours (although we do have just 1 shelf of military books - thank goodness he doesn't collect military history ones). My decorating, sewing and gardening books are on a shelf in our bedroom, his art books in the art room so the study has the rest (including an entire bookshelf with 1/2 of an empty shelf devoted to photo albums. Even with digital cameras, we still print a lot of photos and go through the books. Glad that you have a wine (sorry, book) club to go to. Last one I was in had a few rules with the main ones being that you had to be within walking distance because lots of wine would be served. Have a great weekend! Still only Thursday here! xx mary

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  9. Such a cool post Kerry, I loved seeing all your books. You've got a lot!!! I gave away lots of books to the book exchange before Will was born to make room and it's sad... they do take up lots of room though don't they. I saw your have the 5 love languages book in your 'to read' pile. I found that book relationship changingly good. I love old books like your children's books! Have a great day Kerry!
    Jxx

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  10. I love books too and am constantly rearranging the shelves to make room for more. I love how you have organised them into categories, your own little library! I have my to read pile too. I get edgy if I don't have a book lined up ready to go :) Thanks for sharing , great post xx

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  11. Wow, categories, colour-coding... I'm determined to get some order into my bookshelves one day. But no matter the level of disarray, seeing books en-masse is such a delight. I'm soooo jealous of your 'to read' pile. I need to go on a buying spree - I've read everything in every single one of my shelves...

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  12. Oh I love it - what a treat for a rainy Friday morning to have a browse through your books - I have been sitting here with my head going this way and that to read all the titles! Love to have a morning at the Townhouse picking out your favourites. I'll just settle instead for your bog reading list!
    I have the very same Winnie the Pooh and rather a lot of your novel and I have shelf envy - we had a very considered cull when we left London and again in Sydney - only favourites are allowed to stay in our house but there are still a LOT. My parents are just the same and I thank them for it too! x

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  13. Hi Kerry
    This made me laugh.. I've tend to colour code my bookshelves and my nieces and nephews find it very strange indeed... a little worrying for them. hahaha..

    But I agree books should be a physical thing... and I gain so much pleasure from knowing I have all those lovely stories and adventures at my fingertips.. They are true family members for me..

    Hope you have a great weekend.. xxx Julie

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  14. Oh such a gorgeous post! I LOVE books too:) Most of ours are packed away in trunks etc...as our house is so small, but I want to install one of those fabulous wall libraries with a movable ladder one day...I also LOVE the smell of old books and libraries, is that weird? Your collection is fabulous and arranged so beautifully. Enjoy Catcher in the Rye, one of my all time faves along with To Kill A Mockingbird and anything by Charles Dickens:) Happy reading. ~ Txx

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  15. I love bookshelves crammed with books. I must admit there's not too much categorising or colour coding going on with mine though. And you're right, they are hard to dust and blogging is more fun anyway!
    Kris
    xx

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  16. Oh, Kerry, how you've gladdened my morning by sharing your treasures! Ann started me and now you've really got me all wistful, remembering the countless hours spent reading as a small child and discovering imaginary worlds. I am a passionate reader but since I moved to Planet Baby five years ago, I've had very little time to read. Our books are in the shed whilst the pixies' bookcases are filled to bursting (how does that work?). One day I will find my friends again - having a proper library with a sliding ladder (oh, Tina, you're a girl after my own heart) is one of my fantasies! Now I'm going back to your shelves in more detail...J x

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  17. Wow - I love your book shelves and so organised! Currently I have 14 boxes of books waiting to be shelved and will have to wait until the house is done. Will have to take some book cataloguing ideas from you, I think!

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  18. Dear Kerry,
    what a beautiful post, thank you! On Saturday you'll find a post on a garden book I found at the wayside on my blog. We have to do with so many books, that we use one flat with 3 rooms only for books and (mind: we are not booksellers - we work with them in form of writing/commenting). My husband gave 7000 books of German crime novels (often very, very old ones - nobody collected 'that trash' in the good old days starting at 1890) to the Schiller Literatur Archiv in Marbach, and I thought: well, that's a fine thing: others can write about those rare books too - and we have more place on the shelves. Well - as soon as I turned round (actually that lasted a year) - there they were, other ones, sitting on the shelves, and humming...

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  19. I am addicted to books Kerry. My living room is full of them.

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  20. Oh Kerry your selection is much more sophisticated and tidy than mine! I find it very difficult to get rid of a book as the characters become like friends and I return again and again to revisit! It just has to be a real live book, a kindle doesn't have the smell the weight the feel of the paper...no, just not right at all!

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  21. Love this post Kerry and loved seeing your wonderful collection - I love how you've organized them so well :) I take Grace to the library every Tuesday afternoon and hope it will become a little ritual for us as it was with you and your Dad. Have a wonderful weekend x

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  22. Wow Kerry! thank you for your welcome back message and thank you for this beautiful post!!! You know I LOVE books and in September I will have another Books Cafè link party! Hope you can join in!!!
    Many hugs!
    Mara

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  23. I've read two on your 'waiting to be read' shelf; How To Be Good and Elegance. They're both great!

    Only finally beginning to read The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo.... love it already!

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  24. I'm sooo slack Kerry - I'm still only half way through a book I started in April! Give me a rummage through your crime novel shelf & I'd be one happy chappy.
    Millie ^_^

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  25. oh, head hanging in shame now. i wish i read as much as it seems you do! i buy and stack, and around xmas, sometimes, i read :)

    hope you're having a lovely weekend darl, jx

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  26. I'm with you - I love my books! Every year I give away stacks, but there are some that will be on my shelves (uncategorised, I might add) forever. Thanks for letting us browse through your books!

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  27. So nice to meet you through Collage of Life. Loved the tour of your shelves. My link was about living in a tiny house with tiny book shelves ~ sigh!

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  28. Hi,
    I love this post and also to see all your books. The way you've taking the photos is so good !!

    xo
    Anci

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  29. When I was growing up in Sydney we had a Mobile Library which came every Thursday - we all took out the maximum, then read each others as well, those were the days! My mother was always exasperated that we read her pile before she was able to.
    When I moved from the UK to California I pared my books back to the bone (I have regrets). I go often to the library. I have gone off novels. I re-read children's books I have loved.
    My great joy is used books on Amazon - I have found rare books I had previously seen only in the British Library!

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  30. Hi Kerry, just found your lovely blog, and I love how you have categorised all of your books! Think I might have to do a bit of rearranging on my shelves now I look at yours so neat and organised!!! I love your little felt pillows too; i actually have purchased some of the very same purpley floral fabric - but have yet to use it for anything.... just cant decide.
    Hope you had a gorgeous weekend,
    Laura currie,
    summerhouselc.blogspot.com

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  31. Hi Kerry, I love the way you've sorted all your books, I'm made a note to do this at my new place! I love the white bamboo basket/boat thing on top of your bookshelves, I've only ever seen these in a chocolate brown colour.

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  32. I love your book shelves Kerry, and see quite a few I'd like to borrow! I know what you mean about reading an actual book. My husband is fixated with his kindle, but although I have an iPad I don't imagine that I'll be reading many books on it any time soon. Give me a real book anyday!

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  33. Oooooo. What a great collection. And I LOVE the colour coded. I don't care how much time it took. And that friend of yours, I'd say, has a lot to answer for. :D {would totally do the same. Ha.}

    :: visiting from the rewind ::

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  34. I can't believI e how tidy your bookshelf is. Categories, colour coding, size order... that is love right there! The only book on your 'want to read' list that I also covert is Wally Lamb's. Have you read it yet? Do tell. Thanks for Rewinding this Weekend. Nice to meet a fellow book worm x

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