She asks for our favourite books, but that's just too long a list to even think about.
I get to commute at least seven hours a day, so I get a lot of reading done. And when I get home I put on Radio 3 and read myself to sleep.
I have a few books in odd corners of the house, so I just wandered round with the camera and snapped some of them (not all, by a long way; plus there's hundreds more in boxes).
Now I am disgusted at the mess in my upstairs spare rooms and will spend the rest of the day tidying, dusting and polishing. What a filthy slut I am.
I need more shelves. Lots more shelves. If anyone out there is demolishing a public library, please let me know and I'll hire a truck and come on over.
And yes, Kate: That's the Big Box Of Buffy on top of one of the shelves.
Apropos of nothing in particular, I have Garrison Keillor on iTunes at the moment, giving me the news from Lake Wobegon. He just said "Instead of getting married again I think I'll just find a woman I don't like and buy her a house", which made me snort coffee out of my nose.
19 comments:
Holy mackerel, Dive! Have you really read all of these? Your house is a fire hazard. Oh, and is that a picture of us on the steps of the Tate? That was a lovely visit--say hello to Mum.
I've read most of them many times over, Robyn. And the postman has just brought me two more boxes; one from Amazon and one from Folio. One can NEVER have enough books.
And yes, that's us. Mum sends her love. Now when are you coming back again?
Holy Toledo, Dive, you should BUY a library and just move in. Have you thought of putting a couple of extra storeys on the joint.; or a cellar or two ?
Heavens to betsy, mate; heck !
But, I must say that you live in the tidiest house I've ever clapped eyes on.
Hope your birthday week is a ripper.
I plan on extending the house to make a decent library, Monsieur B. I just don't seem to be able to find the time to get round to it.
Perhaps in the spring.
And the house is a mess. I'm about to go apeshit with cleaning products.
That's the only trouble with books, Rich. They take over the house.
You know I completely missed the buffy as I was head sideways scanning the shelves.
And your house is not a mess. My bookcase looks like something from the little shop of horrors.
I'm in the process of deciding which books get to go in my new room and which will stay in the guest room. Somehow I don't think my forensic collection will match the girlie decor.
Sighs - I too am in need of a new wing on the house to store my books. Although its kind of charming when you discover an old favourite that you've kicked under the bed as the read and need to return to the other room stack gets higher.
I'm rambling aren't I. But I haven't slept in four days and my diet now consists of coke and red bull and peanut m&m's. My herat specialist is going to kick my arse.
I miss my personal library back in Manila! I've always prided myself with the fact that I have a book on every subject you can think of :-) My collection may not be as extensive as yours, but it's pretty diverse.
You should get a library built. And make sure you specify in your will who gets your books.
joy
The Goddess In You
I did wonder what you were doing awake at this unearthly hour, Kate.
Yikes! I hope you manage some decent sleep soon.
And if you line your lovely new room with floor to ceiling books, it will act as insulation, so you'll have less heating bills and not be able to hear all the crap outside.
I'm so glad you are a book fan, Joy. I find a room without books is soul-less … and kinda scary.
In my current will, my cousin Elizabeth (a teacher) is going to get stuck with all of this crap, poor girl. Everything has a future home; all the instruments, too, except for my beloved old Les Paul which is coming to Hell with me.
Hi Dive! I probably would have found it challenging if I didn't like books while taking up those literature degrees :-) I just love to read, get lost in the pages of stories untold, or some philosophical dialog, or sweet poetry. Do you like the old man Shakespeare or perhaps Pablo Neruda?
They say hell is much more fun than heaven anyway. You know that good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere - which probably includes hell. Hee hee.
joy
The Goddess In You
Hee hee, Joy.
And yes, I'm a Shakespeare man. The red books on the top shelf in the first photo are his plays and the big red book down to the left is a facsimile of the first folio of his works.
I still love to get stuck in to the Greek and Latin classics, plus Dante, Milton and Gœthe. As for poetry, my current favourite is probably Gary Geddes, a Canadian poet.
But if we were to go into favourite books, I would be typing here all night. I'll have to stop as I'm off to Japanese class in a few minutes.
Holy hernia if you ever had to move, Dive! I am impressed and jealous. I have three measly book shelves and boxes upon boxes filled with books. It is not very tidy in my little corner of the world.
Holy hernia if you ever had to move, Dive! I am impressed and jealous. I have three measly book shelves and boxes upon boxes filled with books. It is not very tidy in my little corner of the world.
Ok, I read through all your comments does that count? Those pictures speak volumes ( ha ha ha ha)
That's it - I'm coming to your place! I've run out of bookshelves too and am looking to buy some more. I agree, one can never have enough books but I like the idea of having one wall just completely books, floor to ceiling, with one of those wooden ladders that slides across.
And I suppose you have a copy of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead"? You must have, you're an architect!
xxx Mme xxx
Hi Darl - gosh good looking and well-read how could a girl go wrong!!!
Noticed the bottle of wine on the shelf - glad you have your priorities right!!!
PS I saw the BRYSON on your shelf - God I adore that man!! He makes me snort coffee thru my nose - terrible feeling isn't it - yuk!!!!
Fresh; I have moved this lot several times and have the bad back to prove it. And I also have boxes and boxes of books with no shelves to put them on.
Prudence Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee!
Mme: Oooh … Proper library shelving. That gets me all shivery with desire.
No, I've not got The Fountainhead. I'm afraid that (like books about musicians) books about architects just get me all pedantic and nitpicking about the things the author gets wrong. Plus, The Fountainhead is a love story and I'm a bloke! Strewth! Hee hee.
Jules: Mmmmm … wine …
And I'm afraid most girls go very wrong.
Oh, and good old Bill Bryson lives just down the road. Of all the places in the world he has been, he chooses to settle just south of Norwich. Which is kinda nice.
And coffee through the nose is startlingly refreshing. They say a coffee enema is even more so, but that's not quite so tempting.
Okay.Am I the ONLY one who noticed that most of those bookshelves are shining and gleaming like Mrs. Cleaver's bathroom?
If you ever visit Nebraska, Dive, you will be repulsed by the untidiness of my home. I was so impressed with the gleaming shelves that I showed it to Bing. "Remember what it looks like when we dust?" I asked her. She nodded solemnly and then slowly turned her head sideways to read your book titles. I laughed because I did the same damn thing.
And I thought I saw some Bryson in there...
I ADORE Garrison Keillor and recently MET him. He is very droll, Dive. I was tongue tied. He was gallant about that. I think you would like each other.
You met Garrison Keillor?
Wow! I am so jealous, Maria!
Though I'm not sure how I'd react if I met him as my dentist looks so much like him it's scary.
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