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Thread: What your bookshelves say about you...

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Question What your bookshelves say about you...

    Well we've had cut and paste quizzes, top X music & films lists , Lyrical Moments, Person below me etc etc all of which prove insightful into the minds and personalities of the assorted forumites who post within.

    so to gleam some insight into the deep dark recesses of the human ID.. .. tell the forum what books are on your bookshelves

    I'll start with the bookcase right behind me..

    MANY MANY books on Photography, the entire chronicles of narnia, MANY self help and NLP books, Watchmen V for vendetta and Preacher comic books, A plethora of Computer books, Simon Singh's Code book, Applied Cryptography, Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, And a whole row of Philip K. Dick Books, and a random assortment of Terry Pratchett books , the Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy omnibus and finally... Danny Wallace's Random Acts of Kindness

    Fairly random.. but then I've not got round to sorting them out since I moved in.

    don't know what it says about me though.. apart from perhaps my total lack or respect for the dewey decimal system

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    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Ummm, too many books, really!

    Let's see..... There's the complete works of William Shakespeare, the complete (leather bound and leaf gold trimmed) works of Hans Christian Andersen, lots of old classics (like T. Mann, Dostojewski, Dickens, Tolstoj, Victor Hugo etc etc), Norwegian classics (complete works of Ibsen, Bjornson, Lie and Kielland, plus some Hamsund), all the Harry Potter books, quite a few Terry Pratchett, lots of Dictionaries (Norwegian - English, Norwegian - French, English - French, Latin (!!?) etc etc etc), some cookery books, some arty books, Hitchhikers Guide, Mein Kampf, Lord of the Rings (not read... ), a fair few 'true' life stories, all the 'Earth's Children' books by Jean M. Auel, plus lots and lots of contemporary novels, from historical novels to humorous and crime!

    I need more bookshelves.... The three I've got (plus the ickle one above my bed) are all over-flowing!

    It probably sais a lot about me that I prefer reading a book to watching TV....

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    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Oh yeah, and I read at least 50 books per year, I think!

    Favourite ever is 'A tree grows in Brooklyn' by Betty Smith. Can read that again and again. First read it when I was about 10, in Norwegian, and now have it in English, too.

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by Little Monkey View Post
    ,the complete (leather bound and leaf gold trimmed) works of Hans Christian Andersen,...
    I have too many books, and many bookshelves but not nearly enough. I'm a bit of a bookworm too.. probably because I come from HERE

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    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf1970 View Post
    I have too many books, and many bookshelves but not nearly enough. I'm a bit of a bookworm too.. probably because I come from HERE
    I love those books..... A very much valued present from my Grandfather. A bit hard going to read at times, as they're written in old Danish! But after a page or so, I get into the language, and it's fine.

    I've been a bookworm from my mum used to read me stories when I was a kiddie. As soon as I could read myself, I consumed books, and remember getting really fed up with the children's and 'teenage' section of the library, and quickly moving onto, umm, everything else! I used to go to the library and get at least 5-6 books out in one go, and still read most days, unless I'm too knackered to keep my eyes open.

    Reading is the ultimate way of escaping from the world, when the world is not a place you want to be....

    Must go, Wyrd Sisters is waiting.....

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    Registered User quiet_flame's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    hmmm... Okay,
    what I have here in Sydney is about a quarter of my entire library, unfortunately my parents haven't got around to sending me the rest of my library from storage at their place.
    But from what I've bought since I've got to Sydney... in a year...
    This is bought mind, not read (i've read much more, Nessa (my flat mate) has got lot's of great books!)

    I've bought the entire Ancient Future Series, and Celstial Triad series by Tracy Harding.
    The secrets of Shamanism.
    I've managed to keep most of my uni books. All of which are awsome literature. Jack Maggs by Peter Carey is my favorite from list of required reading back then.

    Mao's last dancer. My favorite to read over and over again.

    A single Pratchett book, "Going postal",
    A couple of Uni cook books. I.e. The maggi guide to cooking.
    Then quite a lot of my own writing in different notebooks and stuff.
    I never can stick to the one book, because I'll write whenever inspired, usually meaning I don't have my book with me
    Means I end up buying a new note book to write in... and a pen.

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    Registered User David Franklin's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    The room I'm typing from has about 300 books; to a large extent this room is the "science fiction library", so it's not exactly representative of the other 12 or so bookcases in the house. Embarrassingly, the biggest single influence has to be Niven/Pournelle - there are nearly two complete shelves filled with their works (about 50 books including sharecroppings). There are also lots of books by David Gemmell, RAH, Asimov, EE Doc Smith, Elizabeth Moon, Lois Bujold, Jonathon Kellerman, Tom Clancy and Stephen King.

    There are also about 40 technical maths and computing books. Judging by the bowing of the shelves, they are much heavier than the fiction. I will need to reinforce those shelves soon!

    I do have pretty much all the Pratchetts, but they're in a different room. As are the Harry Potter and the Jean Auel books.

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    Registered User quiet_flame's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin View Post
    There are also about 40 technical maths and computing books. Judging by the bowing of the shelves, they are much heavier than the fiction. I will need to reinforce those shelves soon!
    Technical book usually are heavier,
    mainly because their Thick... and sometimes the readers are too, so their written very simply. *sigh*
    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin
    I do have pretty much all the Pratchetts, but they're in a different room. As are the Harry Potter and the Jean Auel books.
    Ooo er, aren't we just the organised one.
    With lot's of books...
    I'd love to visit one day... I could get lost for months just reading.
    Who knows, I'll eventually get my aussie/welsh butt out of Sydney and over there sometime.

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf1970 View Post
    ...the Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy omnibus...
    Really? You surprise me.

    I have several bookcases - a rather diverse selection also - everything from heavy theological tomes to a range of Pratchett (with the odd chick lit in there too ).

    I get through a fair few books and re-read books a lot. Eg I bought a book at the airport on Mon morning and had finished it by Wed night. I've always loved books and when I was a student spent a lot of time in the library.

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    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    I have so many books that it would take all day to list them. The study I'm in right now has three bookcases in it, while our spare room has another three and the living room has one. I've got non-fiction from J.R.R. Tolkien to J.K Rowling, from Herman Wouk to Andy MacNab. I'm currently reading Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and I've just been given a copy of the intriguingly-titled Zombie Survival Guide by my sister.

    As a typical man, I also have lots of non-fiction, though for me it's mostly made up of books on Christian theology, other religions, history, shooting and biographies.

    I'm the sort of person who can read for hours if I find a book interesting. I finished the last Harry Potter book the same day I got it. Given the choice between the TV or my books, the TV would have to go.

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by Baruch View Post
    I've got non-fiction from J.R.R. Tolkien to J.K Rowling...
    I hate to be the one to break it to you - but Bilbo, Frodo and Harry Potter aren't real...
    Quote Originally Posted by Baruch View Post
    As a typical man, I also have lots of non-fiction, though for me it's mostly made up of books on Christian theology, other religions, history, shooting and biographies.
    Those commentaries take up a lot of shelf space don't they!

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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    My reading tastes are more diverse than my husband's, but there is some overlap. For example, we share ownership of the Terry Pratchett collection (I think we have most of them, including Nanny Ogg's Cookbook and The Carpet People) and Rober Jordan's Wheel of Time series. We also have most of David Eddings' books, and lots of David Gemmel. The Heinlen, Orson Scott Card and Asimov are his, the Dick Francis, PD James, Ruth Rendell, Patrica Cornwell and Minette Walters are mine.
    We also have Ben Elton, Bill Bryson, Michael Crichton, James Follet, Jack Higgins, Douglas Adams, Mary Stewart, Georgette Heyer, three versions of the Bible, a couple of Bible commentaries, reference books, cook books, some classics...

    When we had money we had a tendancy to collect series: find an author we liked, then go out and buy everything we could find by that author. We don't read non-fiction books very often (apart from Bill Bryson).

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    Registered User Chicklet's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    My father and I are trying to amass a complete collection of (mostly a bit tatty) green Penguins from charity and second hand shops and e-bay. Have never paid more than £10, most come in for £1 or so. Great to read and look fab all together. Also have an almost complete set of Francis Durbridge between us, but there ain't many of them around for £1 !
    Complete set of Chalet School now (are you getting that there's an old fashioned kind of theme here?) and loads of stuff (some of it just photocopies from the 'riginals in the British Library shhh) on Imperial Airways.
    Shelves and shelves of travellers' tales and guide books, a big pile of curly Giles cartoon annuals and books on tape of all kinds, mostly things I know I should read but can't be bothered to. Books on tape are soo good for multitasking. Just about to go downstairs and pick up "Tales of Raffles" for the road/skies home.

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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by David Franklin View Post
    The room I'm typing from has about 300 books; to a large extent this room is the "science fiction library", so it's not exactly representative of the other 12 or so bookcases in the house. Embarrassingly, the biggest single influence has to be Niven/Pournelle - there are nearly two complete shelves filled with their works (about 50 books including sharecroppings). There are also lots of books by David Gemmell, RAH, Asimov, EE Doc Smith, Elizabeth Moon, Lois Bujold, Jonathon Kellerman, Tom Clancy and Stephen King.

    There are also about 40 technical maths and computing books. Judging by the bowing of the shelves, they are much heavier than the fiction. I will need to reinforce those shelves soon!

    I do have pretty much all the Pratchetts, but they're in a different room. As are the Harry Potter and the Jean Auel books.
    EE Doc Smith? O dear.

    OOTH, I'd so love to see a film version of Footfall - it would be the best invasion movie other. The mote in God's eye would make a pretty good film too. Heavy CGI costs in both, I fear...

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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by quiet_flame View Post
    Technical book usually are heavier,
    mainly because their Thick...
    ...because their thick what?

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    My books are organised into the following categories..

    Travel: country/city guide books and pocket maps etc.,

    Dictionary's, Encyclopaedia's and world history, etc.

    Cookery,

    Gardening and DIY

    Art and photography,

    Boxing, Gangster/ Gang land, fact based history novels (not mine),

    Frivolous 'chick lit' (all mine )
    MODERATOR AT YOUR SERVICE
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Most of the books in my bookcase, and the pile next to them consist of three main categories:

    1) History Books of some sort;
    2) Travel Books, including guide books to various attractions that I've visited; and
    3) Biographies, mostly of Sportsmen and Women and most of which are signed by the author. The one I'm most pleased to have found was Leonard Nimoy's autobiography. He did a book signing in Reading several years ago for which the bookshop had to hire the local theatre to accomodate all the Trekies. I however found mine in the remainder bin at the bookshop about six months later and only paid £1 for it!

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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Most of my books are a) in the garage or b) in my sister's garage, but here's a selection of what I have here.

    Fiction:
    James Lee Burke, Robert Crais, Elmore Leonard, Robert Block, Jack Vance, George Eliot, John Varley, Paul Scott, Gene Wolfe, Lee Child, Bernard Cornwell, William Golding, Carl Hiaasen, George V. Higgins, Micheal Connelly, Stephen King, Patrick O'Brian, Rober Silverberg, Charles Dickens, Tom Robbins.

    Non-fiction:
    Roland Huntford, Richard Dawkins, FT World Desk Reference, Accounting theory and practice, Simon's Tax guide, A history of London, Alan Clark's Diaries, Gibbons Decline and fall, The best democracy money can buy, Spark of life, E=mc², The shock of the new, Psychology, Cell and molecular biology, The Pythons autobiography, A history of art, The fabric of the cosmos, The elegant universe, How mumbo-jumbo conquered the world, The chemistry of life, In search of Schrodinger's cat

    Others:
    Shakespear complete, WB Yeats, law books, Green guide to Languedoc-Roussillon, cook books, photography books, Photoshop books.

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    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    I hate to be the one to break it to you - but Bilbo, Frodo and Harry Potter aren't real...
    They're not? My life will never be the same! (And I'd better re-check what I type when I've had a drink and it's late!)


    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    Those commentaries take up a lot of shelf space don't they!
    You're not wrong. If I ever got rid of them I'd need a fork lift, I think.

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: What your bookshelves say about you...

    well.. on the OTHER shelf (behind me and to my right I have ....)

    The Dilbert Principle, Marguerite Pattens 1000 favourite recipe's , a swathe of Stephen Baxter books, Bruel and Kjaer's "Frequency Analysis", Mathematics for engineers and scientists, the Dune Encyclopedia , entire works of William Shakespeare, The gormenghast trilogy, lots of "so you want to be a writer" style books a shelf of Iain M Banks books, a pile of Robert Rankin books, even more photography books, books about Linux, Perl, php and security, The K-PAX trilogy and the compendium of Roger Zelazney Chronicles of Amber , Chaos and Non Linear Dynamics, Stability Instability and Chaos ( an introduction to the theory of nonlinear differential equations) , an Introduction to Linear analysis (kreider, Kuller, Ostberg and Perkins).. and a few books on ecological living (The passive solar house, Wind turbine basics etc etc)

    an Eclectic mix I would say .. I have a few other book shelves.. but they're all equally random.

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