52% intelligent. 9% modest. More monkey than bear.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

sat on their park bench like bookends

What you read says masses about who you are. What you read may also be different from the books you have on your bookcase.....

I have been somewhat inspired by Lord B's recent post of Ka's front room, and thought I might give you all a glimpse of what "Hello!" magazine might call "my lovely home". It's a fairly limited view, it's true, but hopefully it's an interesting one.

I've always loved books, and I have hundreds of them. I'm afraid to say that, although there are quite a few on display in these photos, I still have books stored at my mum and dad's house and in boxes in this house.... not to mention the library steps my grandad left me and which my mum is desperate for me to take off her hands (I just never seem to have room in the car...)

These ones are in the front room. Shelves courtesy of C's dad:



It's an uncensored view, I might add.... I haven't moved a single book, so you're going to see the Terry Pratchetts and Wisdens as well as the Shakespeares and Malorys.



These ones are in my 'cave'.



Mmmmm. Cricket stats.



and my personal favourite:



Not all the books are mine, of course. All the really good ones probably belong to C - certainly all the french ones.

Whilst I'm posting photos though, you might enjoy this one I took at my mum & dad's house a couple of weeks ago:



Awww.

24 Comments:

  • At 10:44 am, Blogger Flash said…

    Oh I am such a sad man!

     
  • At 10:48 am, Blogger Flash said…

    I meant to elaborate on that but just went and pressed enter! Ooops.

    For a start, Blur's "Think tank" shouldn't be before "Parklife"!
    The Manics albums are all over the place! And if I'm not mistaken do I spy the first 2 Stereophonics albums?

     
  • At 11:27 am, Blogger Damo said…

    They're in alphabetical order! I don't think I've ever been that organised in my life. And I own a ridiculous amount of CDs... let's just say four figures...

     
  • At 11:29 am, Blogger swisslet said…

    Jesus mate - I thought I was anal to have it alphabetised (-ish) in the first place.

    And yeah - the 1st 2 stereophonics albums are there... I've actually bought the first one twice, once to replace one I left with an old girlfriend. They used to be quite good, I thought.

    I told you it was an unncensored view. You've been kind not to highlight some of the other tat that's in there - Get a Grip by Aerosmith anyone? (the true test, I suppose is not so much if I have it on the shelf, as if I have uploaded them onto my iPod. In the case of the stereophonics, the first album is on, the second album is not. I downloaded 'Dakota' too).

    ST

     
  • At 11:30 am, Blogger swisslet said…

    and I should also (sadly) stress that this is just the biggest pile of CDs in one place. I also have 2 CD towers, and overspill on the bookcase, loads in the car, piles on my desk etc.etc.etc.

    Thank god for the iPod.

     
  • At 12:49 pm, Blogger Crucifer said…

    Well done there Sir!

    Pratchett (along with Good Omens co-authored by Neil Gaiman), the Watchmen Graphic Novel (along with a bunch of Marvel titles) and lo and behold, Empire Earth. Sitting there right next to Theme Hospital. Very good choice of RTS there...

    Just wanted to ask - Do you like the Wizards, Witches or Guards?

     
  • At 12:55 pm, Blogger Ali said…

    First of all, I want to come to your place and rummage through your books.

    Second; I think we have the same edition of Don Quixote: Have you read it and what did you think of it?

    Third, I can't see what they are but I fancy the look of the three dusty little chaps to the left of Porno by Irvine Welsh. What are they?

    Lastly, call yourself a Bookcrosser? Tish tosh bah rumpf!

     
  • At 12:57 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    My favourite TP characters?

    Hm. Tough one. My favourite of his books is "Small Gods" - a more razor sharp assessment of religion and the religious you will not find.

    I like the Patrician, but of the ones you mention, the Guards. I think Sam Vimes is a fantastic creation, and one that has grown and rounded over time.

    I now sound like a geek (which of course I am, as all my daredevil comics probably reveal). Pratchett is a genius though, and once I have finished re-reading "Garp", I'm moving onto "Going Postal" before launching into Irving's latest opus.

    Few authors skewer human nature than TP.

    ST

     
  • At 12:58 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    ^^^ better than TP ^^^

     
  • At 1:07 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    "call yourself a bookcrosser?"

    Actually, Mt TBR isn't even pictured here - that's the stack of about 100 books I have received through the post from other bookcrossers, and are waiting to be read... including several on loan from Yoko's personal collection. I will get to them, I promise!

    Have I read 'Don Quixote' - about a chapter of it, so far. On the "to read" list.

    The three dusty books: I can't remember, but one of them is "three men in a boat" by Jerome K Jerome. I'll have a look when I get home.

    And can you come and have a rummage? Anytime!

    ST

     
  • At 1:13 pm, Blogger Ali said…

    >I will get to them, I promise!

    No rush, I was teasing, you knew that, didn't you.

    >about a chapter of it

    I know it's tough to begin with, but do persevere. It's rewarding, honest guv.

    >I'll have a look when I get home.

    You are kind. :)

    >And can you come and have a rummage? Anytime!

    You're very very kind. On an unrelated note, have you been following the hi-jinx with BBC Radio Shropshire's coverage of Bookcrossing every Friday at 11-12? They're having a meet-up in Shrewsbury end of the month...

    That's nearish to you, innit?

     
  • At 2:48 pm, Blogger red one said…

    Hmm. Interesting. I thought one of your books had been written by a kid I was at school with in the juniors. But I've looked it up, and the boy I'm thinking of definitely wasn't alive in the 19th century.

    I might have known you'd have your music in alphabetical order - although I'm relying on Damo being right about this, because I can't actually read the CD titles even when I click the pic to enlarge.

    This is a good game. If I had a digital camera I might be tempted to reply in kind. It may be just as well that I haven't got one...

    red

     
  • At 3:25 pm, Blogger HistoryGeek said…

    Yep, I'll be stealing another of ST's ideas...

    Actually, I had written out a post about my books ages ago, and I realized it was getting too long. This was is so much quicker.

    And your parents' pets are very sweet.

     
  • At 3:27 pm, Blogger Damo said…

    "Get A Grip" is no "Pump" or "Toys In The Attic" but it's still fun...

     
  • At 3:38 pm, Blogger LB said…

    have you got no cuddly octopus on the mantelpiece?

    dear oh dear.

     
  • At 3:46 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    Red - you went to school with Alexandre Dumas? *gasps*

    Damo - yup. Both there. "rocks" is good too.

    ST

     
  • At 6:55 pm, Blogger Flash said…

    It's more recognition than reading in my case.

    And, though my Cds are now just a collection of expensive ornaments, they are still in strict alphabetical & chronological order.
    If not how do find what you want?

     
  • At 7:50 pm, Blogger red one said…

    Alphabetical and chronological?

    *feels faint*

    red

     
  • At 8:11 pm, Blogger Aravis said…

    My house looked like this until recently. I've just sold or given away half my books so I have room for new ones! *G*

    I really love the last picture in this series. :0)

     
  • At 8:25 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    Yoko - you have excellent taste, even from a distance. Those three dusty little books next to "Porno" are (right to left): "Moby Dick", "Crime & Punishment" and "Three Men in a Boat". Next along is the battered Italian dictionary I took to Venice with me for a term in the final year of my undergraduate degree.

    Fox - C. says that you are welcome to her father's shelving services, but that her and her mum have a long line of tasks awaiting his wandering attention, and they take first dibs and you may well be waiting for some time!

    Aravis - They're called (right to left) Crumble and Sadie. They're both getting on a bit now, but they seem to be able to tolerate each other well enough (although Crumble has a mischievous streak that will see her calmly absorb the attentions of the dog, waiting for the moment when the dog gets bored and turns away and then *ping* a quick application of claw to hamstring. Poor dog is no match for her.

    ST

     
  • At 9:14 pm, Blogger -L said…

    ST!! Awesome post! I am in awe...I bow before thee. Mega-impressive collection. I would have to say that my ongoing dream to have my own place with shelves and shelves of books...

     
  • At 10:17 pm, Blogger Michael said…

    My CD collection is what I am truly anal about. The total is around 500, and they are just a display/dust attractor. I have them all neatly alphabetized by artist, with each artist's albums grouped chronologically. Only way to go.

    The actual listening of the CD's is only done via computer and burned disc. That way in case of scratch or being lost, I still have a pristine original.

    Book collection... not counting my school textbooks I could snap a picture of both of them. Yeah, pitiful am I.

     
  • At 5:47 am, Blogger Michael said…

    in addition...

    that cat looks just like my brother's cat, the 18 years old and still kicking foo fighter.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/mrtoolbox/foofighter.jpg

     
  • At 10:38 pm, Blogger Ali said…

    Well thanks for telling me which books I homed in on! :)

    You will be happy to know that I tried to emulate you by posting pictures of my shelves in my blog. It has degenerated in mere minutes into a 'dare' contest to post snapshots from (my) dirty books.

    I think you get a better class of blogger over here LOL!

     

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