# Show us your bookshelf! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803 "2013-05-08T15:40:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/1 "2013-05-08T15:40:45Z")
While testing out my mobile phone today I took a photo of my bookshelf, I then thought it might be interesting to see what books people have as pride of place on their bookshelves. So to start off: [http://www.use.com/showoriginal.pl?set=a4e8112bf07dcc666b12&p=1](http://www.use.com/showoriginal.pl?set=a4e8112bf07dcc666b12&p=1) Apologies for the size of the pic, any smaller and the titles would be illegible. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/2 "2013-05-08T15:41:40Z")
It would be an exterior shot of my house, which I don’t care to share here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/3 "2013-05-08T15:54:32Z")
There are 29 shelves of books in this room, and I’m at work! Home is much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/4 "2013-05-08T15:55:50Z")
Well I have more than one bookshelf myself, this is the one I have in the main room where the hoi polloi can see. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/5 "2013-05-08T15:59:38Z")
How weird! I’ve been thinking of starting this thread. I have to go take the pictures, though. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/6 "2013-05-08T16:13:51Z")
I have two libraries in my house. A “library” means a room with walls lined with books and aisles of bookcases down the center. But there are no bookcases on the first floor. In our starter house, the walls of the dining were lined floor to ceiling and my wife made me promise when we moved not to have any books in the living sections. So pride of place? Beats me. What section of a library has pride of place? All books are equal. I mean, they’re _books_. That’s special enough. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/7 "2013-05-08T16:19:31Z")
Here’s one of several: [http://www.use.com/883912dbdf7a10fd5e45](http://www.use.com/883912dbdf7a10fd5e45) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/8 "2013-05-08T16:20:33Z")
Books in the bedroom; books in the kids’ bedroom; books in the grandson’s bedrooms; the living room is lined with book-filled shelves; books in Madame Pepperwinkle’s studio; books in storage in the garage; books in the kitchen; books in the bathrooms. And everbody has Kindles or Nooks as well, except for the grandson, and he’s getting one next month for his birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/9 "2013-05-08T16:21:04Z")
I have books all over. Some [stacked on tables](https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/935662_10201218645011919_1779448825_n.jpg), some [in boxes](https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942191_10201218646171948_1258387355_n.jpg), others on the [bookshelf](https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942834_10201218647011969_215286698_n.jpg). I keep telling myself I will put them in order again like they were in my last apartment, but for now, they’re mostly just [placed randomly](https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936191_10201218648532007_810172846_n.jpg) and [in piles](https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/923287_10201218647811989_986499895_n.jpg) in there. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/10 "2013-05-08T16:41:54Z")
Here’s mine: [http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home\_office\_library.jpg](http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home_office_library.jpg) [not really, but it’s such a cool idea I had to share it. I really wonder what that part of the house looks like from the outside. I don’t think I’d intentionally build a library into my home office this way unless I were forced to by the limitations of the structure.] ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/11 "2013-05-08T16:44:05Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Here’s mine: [http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home\_office\_library.jpg](http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home_office_library.jpg) > > [not really, but it’s such a cool idea I had to share it. I really wonder what that part of the house looks like from the outside. I don’t think I’d intentionally build a library into my home office this way unless I were forced to by the limitations of the structure.] Isn’t that what hell looks like? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/12 "2013-05-08T16:52:12Z")
Yeah, but in hell the ladder’s greased. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/13 "2013-05-08T17:04:55Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Here’s mine: [http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home\_office\_library.jpg](http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/home_office_library.jpg) > > [not really, but it’s such a cool idea I had to share it. I really wonder what that part of the house looks like from the outside. I don’t think I’d intentionally build a library into my home office this way unless I were forced to by the limitations of the structure.] There is an article about it here: > **[Innovative Home Office with an Overhead Library](https://mymodernmet.com/travis-price-architects-wade-davis-writing-studio)** > > Who needs an office at work when you've got a home office like this? National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis called on architect ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/14 "2013-05-08T17:09:50Z")
A small [portion](https://dumpyourphoto.com/photo/vGdgPGuZ9r) competing with rocks, etc, … books are pretty much scattered all over the house. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/15 "2013-05-08T17:19:29Z")
> [@TheFaerie](#): > > There is an article about it here: > > [Innovative Home Office with an Overhead Library](http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/travis-price-architects-wade-davis-writing-studio) All fun and games until a poorly placed “Complete Works of William Shakespeare” falls off the shelf and brains someone. ---
**Author:** ![kcor1953](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kcor1953/32/3221_2.png) [@kcor1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kcor1953)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/16 "2013-05-08T17:21:33Z")
reference books, main room > **[ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](https://imageshack.com/)** > > Unlimited space to host images, easy to use image uploader, albums, photo hosting, sharing, dynamic image resizing on web and mobile. taken with a $79 pos camera–also, set on Enc Brit on bottom row ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/17 "2013-05-09T11:23:57Z")
Here’s a picture of [one shelf](http://www.flickr.com/photos/17270214@N05/2470093939/in/set-72157606453261963) I took a while back… needs updating, I suppose. The other shelves aren’t as neat. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/18 "2013-05-09T13:46:45Z")
My library is in a closet. [This](http://www.flickr.com/photos/45215582@N06/8723462658/) is the main bookshelf, which also serves as overflow towel storage. We built it ourselves, despite not knowing how. (First lesson for novice furniture makers: don’t buy warped planks). The books on top are my library books, bookended with the bronzed baby shoes of my husband and his brother. Here’s a clearer picture: [bookshelf3 | vamdpa42 | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/45215582@N06/8723465922/) [This](http://www.flickr.com/photos/45215582@N06/8723464478/) bookcase is dedicated to my Stephen King books, shelved in order of publication. This is not a “nice” collection, just what I picked up along the way. (I particularly remember the joy of scoring The Dead Zone for two bucks at a flea market, and getting Misery as a gift on my seventeenth birthday). I have most of his books, though not that recent one about the Red Sox. This bookcase is nearly full…can he publish enough to finish it up? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/19 "2013-05-09T14:35:45Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Yeah, but in hell the ladder’s greased. And when you scale it, regardless of what the dust jacket says, the books are all by Stephanie Meyer, Danielle Steele, or Dan Brown. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803/20 "2013-05-09T14:48:57Z")
For her birthday, I bought my wife a custom painting at [Ideal Bookshelf](http://www.idealbookshelf.com/). The 10 books in her painting are: The Journey of Man, by Spencer Wells The Holy Bible (with Apocrypha) Albion’s Seed, by David Fischer Strange Brains and Geniuses, by Clifford Pickover Henry V, by William Shakespeare How the Other Half Lives, by Jacob A. Riis Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond The Consolation of Philosophy, by Boethius Luck: The Brilliant Randomness of Life, by Nicholas Rescher Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-us-your-bookshelf/657803.md?page=2)