There are a random flotsam and jetsam of books on this shelf as probably expected from me now, haha but this is probably the most organised of my bookshelves. It’s certainly the least “busy” and one day I hope to get all my bookshelves like this! This shelf plays host to some of the hardbacks I still have to read and are a mixture of genres, including some nonfiction. I think the only hardbacks that I’ve read on this shelf are More Than This by Patrick Ness and Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
There is a sneaky little book of poetry you probably won’t be able to see on this shelf and it’s The Black Riders And Other Lines by Stephen Crane. I’m not a great expert on poetry but there’s a particular poem in this collection that my partner and I share a special connection with. We originally saw the poem online and both loved the darkness and simplicity of it and then when Mr B was out one day and saw this collection in a shop he first of all made sure “our” poem was inside it and then promptly bought it for me!
I’m torn between two here but I’m going to go with House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I do understand it’s somewhat of a cult classic but every time I leaf through it and see the structure of the narrative and the odd things that the author has done with the text, I have to say I feel slightly intimidated and that’s one of the reasons why I haven’t got to it before now. If you’ve read it and can convince me otherwise I’m happy to change my mind?
Apologies for duplicating my answers here but it would have to be the Stephen Crane poetry collection for sentimental reasons!
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I adore this particular edition and although it’s actually Mr B’s, I’ve kind of claimed it for my own. Ssssh. Don’t tell him.
Bedtime Stories For Grown-Ups by Ben Holden. I walked past this in Waterstones late last year and although I’m really trying not to buy any more hardbacks at the moment, I couldn’t resist this title. Here’s the Goodreads synopsis:
“There are few more precious routines than that of the bedtime story. So why do we discard this invaluable ritual as grown-ups to the detriment of our well-being and good health?
Fold away your laptop and shut down your mobile phone. Curl up and crash out with the ultimate bedside book, one you’ll return to again and again. Full of laughter and tears, moonlight and magic, Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups joyfully provides the dream way to end the day – and begin the night . . .”
Without a doubt that would have to be the Judy Blume – In The Unlikely Event. If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you might be aware of the fact that Judy Blume is my goddess and I’ve been horribly scared to read her latest adult fiction in case it doesn’t live up to the hype going on in my head right now. However, it will happen. Er….eventually!
I’ve got quite a few objects on this shelf and I couldn’t choose just one to tell you about so I’m going to mention all three. The first was a gift from a very dear friend who I’ve known since we were in primary school together. We recently made contact again after many years of lost contact and were delighted to discover that we’re just as close now as we were back then!
The second object(s) are two candles from the Etsy shop William & Joseph. They do some wonderful literary themed candles and these are two I’ve been saving as they have quite a spring/summery scent and I’d like to burn them at the appropriate season. There’s nothing I love more than lighting a candle, getting all snuggly in my pink fluffy blanket with a cup of tea and reading in my little library!
The third item(s) is most of my bookmark collection (excluding the ones currently in use). I’ve got some really precious bookmarks in here including one given to me by my Gran, one given to me by my sister (Chrissi Reads), one especially made for me which arrived in a book swap package and a couple from Persephone Books that are really pretty.
It perhaps gives the false impression that I’m quite organised?! This is the reader I would like to be and in the next few weeks, I’m planning to do a major overhaul of my first bookshelf (already featured in my Shelfie by Shelfie tag) and be really brutal with myself. If I’m never going to read it or can’t say WHEN I’m going to get round to it, off it goes to the charity shop. The problem is I feel like I’m missing out on some great books that I already own as I can’t see them on my shelves!!
Thank you so much to Chrissi, Sarah, Dee, Jacquie, Stuart, Jennifer, Paula, Gretchen, Kathy, Jenn, Eden, Caitlynn, Nicki and CJ for participating in Shelfie by Shelfie, it really means the world to me. Hugs!
Anyway – on with the tag, it’s time for the first shelf of my second bookshelf and we’re looking at the bottom part of the image i.e. not the top shelf with the monkey bookends (which was covered in Shelfie by Shelfie 11!).
Like the top shelf, some of these books are mine but most of them are Mr B’s. He’s read through a lot of these titles but is determined to keep them even if there’s no chance he’ll read them again in the future. Well, with my book collection I can’t really complain, can I?! 😀
Ahhh, I do have a special book on this shelf. It’s one of the very first books I bought Mr B when our relationship had just started and it’s because he’s a big fan of the Perry Bible Fellowship cartoons by Nicholas Gurewitch. The book is called The Trial Of Colonel Sweeto And Other Stories and is a collection of some of his best comic strips. I actually emailed the author to ask if there was a collection available so I could buy it for Mr B and he sent me the loveliest email back. For this reason I’ll always treasure this book a little bit. I’ll just slot in an example of one of my favourite cartoons – beware, they’re slightly mature so perhaps not appropriate for very young readers!
Sadly, that would have to be NW by Zadie Smith. I’ve tried a few of Zadie Smith’s books now and I don’t know what it is but I just don’t get on with her writing style. I can appreciate she’s a good writer of course but something just doesn’t gel with me. Mr B is a bit more of a fan so the only reason this is still on my shelves is that he still has to read it.
It would be Lord Of The Flies by William Golding. It’s one of my favourite classics and I need to save it from this shelf anyway as it should be on my favourites shelf – oopsie!
Hmmm. *goes off to take a closer look.* Okay, I think that would be Teach Yourself Complete Italian (part of the Teach Yourself range). Mr B bought it for me just before we visited Rome (and Italy) for the very first time. I had all good intentions of starting to teach myself as I’m slightly obsessed with Italy but for some reason, have just never got around to it!
I think that would be Waiting For Doggo by Mark Mills. I believe I won this one in a Goodreads giveaway and still haven’t had the chance to get round to reading it yet. I’d love to know your thoughts if you’ve read it yourself?
In The Light Of What We See by Sarah Painter. I keep looking at this book and meaning to put it on my TBR and…you’ve guessed it, it keeps getting pushed further and further back.
There’s a few objects on this shelf that I’ve removed so you can see the books a bit better but the item I’ll talk to you about is this little creature here:
Mr B and I picked up this strange, grinning skull as a souvenir from a well needed holiday to Mexico in April. We don’t normally buy souvenirs on holiday but there was something about this skull that we both loved and we were both determined to have it!
I know you’re probably a bit worried now you’ve seen the skull and the cartoon book…… BUT hopefully it says that I’m a reader of many tastes, even if they venture to the odd and quirky.
Posted in: Challenges, Classics, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Miscellaneous, Mystery, Romance, Shelfie By Shelfie
Anyway – on with the tag, here is the sixth shelf of my first bookshelf (I’ve chosen to split it up into two separate shelfies because of the sheer number of books, oops!). Here is the back shelf and we’re looking at the middle part of this image.
Like my last shelfie, this one kind of has some organisation. Kind of. I’ve got some authors grouped together like all my Persephone books (that’s the grey ones in the middle of the image there). I’ve also got all my Irvine Welsh books together, a couple of Stuart MacBride’s and a series by Ariana Franklin.
I think I’m going to mention Irvine Welsh’s Porno. I had never read any Irvine Welsh before his most famous book, Trainspotting and Porno is the sequel to that. I think it was when I read Porno and probably Irvine’s book Filth, (which I think I’ve loaned to someone but I can’t think who – bookworm panic!!) that I realised I might not EVER be shocked by anything in a book ever again!
Difficult. I haven’t read many of the books on this shelf apart from a couple of Irvine Welsh’s but if I had to choose I’d have to go with the one I’m least excited about reading sadly, which would be Ghost by Robert Harris. I’ve read a couple of Harris books now and really enjoyed the last one I read, Conclave but am not super excited to pick this one up. I stand ready to be convinced though if anyone else has read and loved it?
Can I cheat and say all of the Persephone books? They are a specialist bookshop in London literally minutes from where I’m working at the moment at Great Ormond Street and they publish mainly books from forgotten women authors. Their books have the classic sign of being grey and quite plain on the outside and on the inside they have very individual, beautiful endpapers and a matching bookmark. Like so –
I think that would be the series by Ariana Franklin that begins with Mistress Of The Art Of Death. Same old story, just haven’t got round to starting it yet!
Newest addition would be Hot Milk by Deborah Levy. It was on a 3 for 2 offer in Waterstones near where I live and as I wanted to pick up another two books whilst I was there, it would be silly not to go for it. The bookseller really sold it to me as well and I’ve only heard good things.
I think I’m most excited to read Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler. It’s part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series and is Tyler’s modern re-telling of Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew. I love the cover and am intrigued to give it a shot.
Like other shelfies I think it says that I enjoy a variety of genres like thrillers, historical and literary fiction and also have an appreciation for beautiful books like the Persephone collection!
Thank you so much to Chrissi, Sarah, Dee, Jacquie, Stuart and Jennifer for participating in Shelfie by Shelfie, it really means the world to me. Hugs!
This is so very hard. I think I would choose The Apothecary’s Daughter by Patricia Schonstein. I haven’t read it yet so I can’t comment on the story but it’s probably the book on this shelf I’m the least excited about. 😦