“A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by the foot.”
Alan Bennett
I smiled to myself as I looked at this bookshelf in our office today. It certainly tells a story about us - at least we can tell one story when we look at it, yet I am sure others would see or tell quite another.
I look and see the piles of books to be read or books which have been loaned to us. I see the art hanging around, standing on and above and also within the bookshelf. I see the little arty blank diary books that are always lurking, waiting to be picked up when we need something to take with us to jot something down. I also see a few netball trophies and some family history books.
I see our novels in all their many hues - some fast paced crime thrillers, some beautiful, poignant and moving stories, some non-fiction that has a political or Australian bent. Across the way I see a well developed library on Indigenous Australia as well community development, early childhood, and family violence all of which form part of our work-work.
In its mad, somewhat chaotic and tumble-down way this bookshelf is a pretty good indicator of who we are, what we do and what we enjoy.
I know I always gaze along other folk's bookshelves to see if we have a common place to converse about a book...they definitely tell a story, or two or three.
Alan Bennett
I smiled to myself as I looked at this bookshelf in our office today. It certainly tells a story about us - at least we can tell one story when we look at it, yet I am sure others would see or tell quite another.
I look and see the piles of books to be read or books which have been loaned to us. I see the art hanging around, standing on and above and also within the bookshelf. I see the little arty blank diary books that are always lurking, waiting to be picked up when we need something to take with us to jot something down. I also see a few netball trophies and some family history books.
I see our novels in all their many hues - some fast paced crime thrillers, some beautiful, poignant and moving stories, some non-fiction that has a political or Australian bent. Across the way I see a well developed library on Indigenous Australia as well community development, early childhood, and family violence all of which form part of our work-work.
In its mad, somewhat chaotic and tumble-down way this bookshelf is a pretty good indicator of who we are, what we do and what we enjoy.
I know I always gaze along other folk's bookshelves to see if we have a common place to converse about a book...they definitely tell a story, or two or three.
love all the little paintings
ReplyDeleteHi N - yes we have a plan to make the office a place of little treasures...just haven't gotten around to hanging them yet, so they perch here and there in a friendly way!
DeleteI love looking at bookshelves almost as much as peeking into someone's house or better yet, studio. Now you have me curious as to what kind of work-work you do...
ReplyDeleteHi Valerianna - yes studios are an equally good place to take a sticky beak in aren't they? Bookshelves tell all sorts of tales...
DeleteOur work -work is mostly social research, review, evaluations and policy development and we cover quite a few areas. Interesting and challenging and demanding at times.
Fascinating... I really don't know much - if anything - about your work-work! Other that one of my majors in college was Anthropology/Sociology, until art took over.
DeleteBookshelves! My favourite things, after books, of course. My house is almost wall to wall bookshelves and there are still piles and heaps of books hopefully waiting for a more respectable home. My shelves tell my story - or is that stories? Children's literature, natural history, book arts, illustration, Australian literature, detective novels... And the huge pile of books waiting to be read. Alan Bennett is so right. Love your quotations, Fiona, always good to mull over.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol - I have a great image of your house in my mind now! We have piles of books on coffee tables - really there is no room for coffee! And by the bed, and on the chairs and...quite shambolic but full of interest and things that await. Sometimes its the lure of the unknown isn't it; the treasure that lies within, waiting to be uncovered. The variety also says a lot too - we seem to be quite eclectic in our choice of reading matter - different types of things for different reasons or different times
DeleteYes, I think bookshelves - or, more accurately, the multiple places where we may keep our books! - are authentic expressions of who we are: a self-portrait that we (un?)consciously assemble, whether through interest, necessity or even as reflections of how others see us, i.e. what they may choose for us - I have a friend who invariably gives me books I already own because she knows so well what I like). Thank you for offering such a glimpse into your own lives - very rich indeed!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa - I like your appreciation of surfaces for books not simply shelves. They are in fact a kind of self-portrait aren't they? And yes it is lovely to be so well known by friends or understood, that books you already have are gifted to you again - perfect.
Deletei always check out bookshelves, and totally appreciate it when their owners "get" how important this is to me! your work work sounds akin to mine.
ReplyDeleteHi v - 'tis nice when folk get what you are up to isn't it? When you wander off from the conversation to run your eyes along a shelf or two...I imagine there are some cross-overs between our fields of work-work as you suggest too!
DeleteI once went to someone's home where all the books were arranged in colour sequences. It was hard to resist the temptation to move a book with a red spine into the yellow section when no-one was looking. Guess my reaction says as much about me as all that organising did about the other person! I always like to see what else gets to sit on our bookshelves with the books.
ReplyDeleteOh my - the temptation Annie the temptation! I bet you sat there constantly thinking about it, your mind always wondering if it would be possible, if a moment would present itself! Our book shelves have no hope of just holding books I must admit - there is also a pile of bookmarks there I just realised.
ReplyDelete