Following up on yesterday's post...what does your big pile of books say about you? Pay attention to not only how they are ordered or displayed, but how many do you have? What are the titles? Which titles do you read and which do you buy (maybe guiltily) with the best of intentions but somehow never manage to crack open?
These are the questions that can reveal what your books have to say about you.
I took a brief look around, and this is what I discovered: My books, once arranged by broad subject (nonfiction, history, biography, writing and reference, fiction, short stories) are a bit more in disarray since I moved five years ago. I never quite recovered! I didn't really think about that until now. Five years, and I only moved from the bottom floor to the top floor, but I just haven't regained my footing - guess I need to devote a few solid vacation days to serious household organization.
Judging from the sheer number and how much space I devote to them, my books say that reading is very important to me. Not only "reading" in general, but literature in particular: My fiction titles include many classics, a wide breadth of short stories, great geographical representations from Russia and Spain to America and England, and a smattering of contemporary fiction of generally the highest caliber. Combined with my series of "how-to-write" books, I'd say this makes me a writer, dammit.
I also am a person very interested in current events and history. I may be reincarnated from Tudor England or Revolutionary Russia. I dip in and out of the spiritual realm (particulary Buddhism) and have shunted the few relationship books (even a Dr. Phil book, heaven help me) into the darkest recesses of my closets. (I don't think I like what my books have to say about me in THAT regard.)
Generally, I like what my books have to say about me. I'm endlessly curious and a perpetual student. And that's okay in my book.
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7 comments:
"My library is an archive of my longings"
~ Susan Sontag
Your post reminded me of this little quote.
This is a great series of questions. I think I might ponder the same questions and do a similar post.
I love the Sontag quote above!
My books change from decade to decade-- as a child I loved collecting poetry books for example and unusual words, then I collected travel books, now I have a lot on Buddhism and always always had a good collection of women authors.
I agree with Verbivore -- a great series of questions, and I'll have to answer them one day myself!
Hmm--I wonder what my books say about me. Probably that my intentions are better than my abilities!! I'll never get them all read.
Great question! I answered it over on my site
I found your blog from Musings of a Bookish Kitty. Great post!
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