Wednesday, July 18, 2007

My library

I've heard the call from Booklust to "show us yer library", and so I will. Here's mine. Though I envisage one day having a library unto itself, right now it's embedded right into the household with the TV in its midst. Which is not such a terrible thing, really, to get to look at our books all the livelong day. I can gaze up at the colours on those shelves the way I might lie under the Christmas tree just to see the lights sparkle-- the effect is as good. My library is arranged in alphabetical order by author's surname, the one exception being biographies which use subject's. 'A' starts at the bottom of the tall shelf and the alphabet continues up and over to the shorter shelf. I start at the bottom so I don't look as obsessive-compulsive at first glance. The pile of books to the right of the tall shelf are my discards-- for the Victoria Collge Book Sale or for friends to pick through when they come over. Though it hurts me, I make a point of only keeping books I love, and pruning my shelves periodically gives me an enormous sense of well-being. But even still, the collection is spreading rapidly. We have another tall shelf on reserve, currently housing photos, knick-knack paddywhacks, photo albums, and my collection of children's books but I suspect it will be exclusively books before long. I am looking forward to moving out of our apartment and into a house, so that I can collect away with less compunction.