Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are

[abecedarian]

When I go to someone's house for the first time and I see books, I almost always ask them about them. Ditto for CDs.

Me too. If they have something I've read or want to read or know someone who has read....life's good. And with all your history titles, there's years of conversation in the making right there...

 

[Wells83]

I'm impressed when I go to someone's house and they actually have books. I'm shocked by the amount of people that have maybe one or two books in their house--or none!

ETA: If I came to your house, sparkchaser, I'd be digging through your books. I love when people just have bookshelves and bookshelves that are crammed with books. I used to baby-sit for a family that had an entire room just filled with bookcases. It was unbelievable--my dream.

 

[sparkchaser]

ETA: If I came to your house, sparkchaser, I'd be digging through your books. I love when people just have bookshelves and bookshelves that are crammed with books. I used to baby-sit for a family that had an entire room just filled with bookcases. It was unbelievable--my dream.

I'll keep you in mind if I need a pet sitter.

 

[Occlith]

OK, tell me who I am:

I believe you are a person with a very fast internet connection. I left the room and had a snack while waiting for my dial-up to load your f-ing pics.

After that unearthly wait I checked your fuzzy bookshelves and concluded that:

Your fiction book covers seem to be mostly black and orange.
You like Halloween, black liquorice, and circus peanuts.

Your non-fiction colors are tans, earth tones, and white.
You have an earthy sense of humor, you like the great outdoors, and snow or milk or coconut or ghosts.

 

[blurricus]

My son was impressed by the HP collection...he can't read them yet but he's seen enough of them around here...

I really wish you meant "H.P. Lovecraft." I have an H.P. Lovecraft collection.

I'm a bit of an elitist. When I see a lot of classics, I'm pleased. When I see a lot New York Times Bestsellers, I am a bit annoyed. I don't like it when people don't delve into a lot of other things. For example, I saw that Sparkchaser only had "The Catcher in the Rye" on his shelf. This annoyed me a bit, since the entire rest of Salinger's work is glorious and unbelievably intellectual and mind-blowing.
Then I noticed later on that H.P. Lovecraft resided on his shelf, and pleasure was brought to my soul. Redeemed by my love for Lovecraft.

I am a bit judgemental. Especially when people tell me things from books by Dan Brown and act as if it's fact. Or when people tell me that Bill Bryson is a genius.

My books...They're not really on a shelf. They're more in boxes and such. They're more sporatic. Perhaps I'll take some photos of my bookshelf. Let you people interpret as you will. I've always wanted to buy a bunch of romance novels so that I can cover an entire bookshelf with them. That way, when people come and see my books, I can amuse myself with their reactions.

 

[mehdirza]

I'm reading I, Robot by Asimov and it's the second time I'm reading it after I read it the same book and I think I'm gonna read it again. Okay, follow your astrological cards, you know, look at the stars when it gets night and figurate who I'm.

 

[mehdirza]

There is a big book missing on the top 5th shelve?

I like that.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

If you could see my shelves you'd know I'm either suffering from multiple personality disorder or have too many interests, and lots of people of various agesto intice into the reading life.

Same here.

 

[sparkchaser]

I really wish you meant "H.P. Lovecraft." I have an H.P. Lovecraft collection.

I'm a bit of an elitist. When I see a lot of classics, I'm pleased. When I see a lot New York Times Bestsellers, I am a bit annoyed. I don't like it when people don't delve into a lot of other things. For example, I saw that Sparkchaser only had "The Catcher in the Rye" on his shelf. This annoyed me a bit, since the entire rest of Salinger's work is glorious and unbelievably intellectual and mind-blowing.
Then I noticed later on that H.P. Lovecraft resided on his shelf, and pleasure was brought to my soul. Redeemed by my love for Lovecraft.

I am a bit judgemental. Especially when people tell me things from books by Dan Brown and act as if it's fact. Or when people tell me that Bill Bryson is a genius.

My books...They're not really on a shelf. They're more in boxes and such. They're more sporatic. Perhaps I'll take some photos of my bookshelf. Let you people interpret as you will. I've always wanted to buy a bunch of romance novels so that I can cover an entire bookshelf with them. That way, when people come and see my books, I can amuse myself with their reactions.

I used to have more HP Lovecraft but they got lost somewhere along the way. I'd love to own a set of the old hardcover Arkham House Lovecraft books.

As for the Salinger, I buy in whims and that was part of my "modern classics" buying spree. Right now I am attempting (and failing miserably) to bring my TBR pile down to 4-6 books then go from there.

As for the out of focus-ness of the pics. I used my POS HP instead of my Rebel XT.

I want other people to post up their books so we can judge you too! Who's next? I think this would be a great idea for a dedicated series of threads: Judge blurricus by the covers of his books or Judge Jez by the covers of her books. Yes. A good time to be had by all.

 

[Wells83]

I used to have more HP Lovecraft but they got lost somewhere along the way. I'd love to own a set of the old hardcover Arkham House Lovecraft books.

As for the Salinger, I buy in whims and that was part of my "modern classics" buying spree. Right now I am attempting (and failing miserably) to bring my TBR pile down to 4-6 books then go from there.

As for the out of focus-ness of the pics. I used my POS HP instead of my Rebel XT.

I want other people to post up their books so we can judge you too! Who's next? I think this would be a great idea for a dedicated series of threads: Judge blurricus by the covers of his books or Judge Jez by the covers of her books. Yes. A good time to be had by all.

I just took pics of my shelves but I can't find the cord for my camera. I'll keep searching.

 

[Sybarite]

When visiting someone's home for the first time, I always clock whether they've got books visible (and music and DVDs). It's probably less a question of what books they've got and more – initially at least – that they've got books. I've visited some houses that look as thought the rooms should be in Ikea catalogues, but there are no books. And I cannot imagine living without books.

I haven't got any close-up photos of my own bookshelves (too many anyway), but in the last 12 months, I've bought quite a lot of history, literary fiction, poetry and photography, together with some philosophy, architecture and popular fiction (crime fiction).

 

[ewomack]

I try very hard not to judge people by the number or the type of books they have displayed. Though it's a difficult thing to hold back on, especially if they proudly showcase loads of books from politics that I consider "extremist." Nonetheless, I try to read from all sides of the spectrum. Plus, I try not to have too many books around at once. I sell most of the books I read, and check even more out from libraries. So my current shelves only represent a microcosm of what I've read or what "I'm like." To give one example, on politics I try to read both Jimmy Carter and Newt Gingrich. Certain people, depending upon their proclivities, have very violent reactions to either one of these authors. Many of these same people would jump directly to baseless conclusions about my politics upon glancing at either one. Another example: I have volume 1 of the "Left Behind" series on my shelf. People who know me have asked "what the $%!#@ is that doing there?" People who don't know me would likely make assumptions, likely false ones.

Based on my own erratic reading behavior, I really try not to judge other people by their book choices. But, as I said, sometimes good old human nature, fired with fervency towards split-second presumption, remains hard to fend off.

 

[SFG75]

Like Sybarite, I too scope out whether or not books are present. To me, it's the quality, not necessarily the quantity of books that are around. As we have friends who are likeminded in being passionate bookworms, we don't have to long around too long. I would form dismissive opinions if all I saw was romance or contemporary fiction, but that's just the ego running wild.

 

[abecedarian]

Based on my own erratic reading behavior, I really try not to judge other people by their book choices. But, as I said, sometimes good old human nature, fired with fervency towards split-second presumption, remains hard to fend off.

True, but if I 'read' your shelves, I'd think, "Ah, here's someone who is curious about life and wants to hear more than one voice." We'd have plenty to talk about, I'm sure.

 

[erin1980]

I judge how much a person and I will be compatable based on what books they read.

From the picture of the bookshelfs above, I see Palahniuk and Vonnegut and then a bunch of other books I dont care about. I know about them, but would never read them.

I find it interesting that this person has 6 palahniuk's but never persued authors with similar styles and subjects. It makes me think this person reads what people say are good books, but doesn't do much research on their own.

After I read my first palahniuk I went to his website and have been making my way through his favorite books. Then I go to amazon to their "people who bought this also bought" section and the listmania's. I do this when I like a book - and am then led to similar books.

 

[saliotthomas]

Seen you got plenty of book on civil war,and that you like O'brian(not been on the shelves they are on the bedside table?).I would sugest the Starbuck cronicle by Cornwell(sorry stewart) i loved them.
I see abecedarian is reading Winter king ,hope you like it.i though it was great,very original version of Arthur.
Fantastic fiction is a good site for reference ;as related stuff

 

[sparkchaser]

I find it interesting that this person has 6 palahniuk's but never persued authors with similar styles and subjects. It makes me think this person reads what people say are good books, but doesn't do much research on their own.

After I read my first palahniuk I went to his website and have been making my way through his favorite books. Then I go to amazon to their "people who bought this also bought" section and the listmania's. I do this when I like a book - and am then led to similar books.

That's a fair judgment I suppose. I saw Fight Club then decided to read the book. I enjoyed his style and have been working through his books. I go through less than 2 books a month so while eventually I'd like to read the authors that Palahniuk likes or are inspired by (as well as Neal Stephenson, Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, David Sedaris, Dave Eggers, etc.), given the size of my ever increasing TBR pile as well as the length of my recommended must reads from folks here and elsewhere I just don't see it happening in the near future.

 

[cmbroom]

I'm always slightly afraid to let people look at my shelves. The hubby (we sort of have seperate bookcases) always takes people in there, and they end up borrowing a book or two. He's going to have to set up a library card system or something.
Not trying to sound stingy, but it's more that I will forget who has borrowed what.

 

[Wells83]

Ok, here are my bookshelves. I try not to buy too many books because I don't have the money. I rent books from bookswim.com but if I can't find what I'm looking for there, then sometimes I'm forced to buy.

 

[Wells83]