How do you arrange your bookshelf?

[rainbells]

I put authors together, but I don't group fiction genres, just reference books. All my botany books are together, my spiritual books are together, etc. And I have everything from stuffed animals to pictures decorating my shelves. My favorite shelf sitters are a wooden labyrinth, a drum, and the Angry Beavers my son gave me.

[ruthiekb72]

Rainbells, I'm with you. I put authors together too. Everything else is just there. I just went through them not long ago to make room for new ones & donated a few of the older, uninteresting ones but even they were hard to part with. I recently read where a decorator suggested to put books with the pages facing out & the spines to the back to create a clean white space on the bookshelf! Hmmm, Not!

[Taylor]

Although it is my hand that has placed the books I read on the shelves of my home, It appears they themselves have chosen their place, Its as if they have their own power structure, The seeming more important to have positioned themselves at eye level and by virtue radiating out from there.The newest acquisitions as satellites arranged of their own importance around the various rooms of the house, Marshalled to positions of readiness to be engaged at a moments notice to serve at the pleasure of Me, they understand how it is that I am the books I read. They vie for positions of prominence by merit alone, cleaving off banality to the dusty obscure corners along with unused sporting goods,dust bunnies,dog hair and an occasional run-a-way sock as their as their new soul mates.My world is their world as well. At times they can be overwhelming in their need of succor. But Oh what a trip they are, equal to any course of self-medication one can proscribe. They are narcotic and they know it. The gift of their being and the by product of their knowledge makes us equals to the challenges of all.What is the ascetic of arrangement? Its simply the beauty in the mind of the beholder.

[bleachededen]

Although it is my hand that has placed the books I read on the shelves of my home, It appears they themselves have chosen their place, Its as if they have their own power structure, The seeming more important to have positioned themselves at eye level and by virtue radiating out from there.The newest acquisitions as satellites arranged of their own importance around the various rooms of the house, Marshalled to positions of readiness to be engaged at a moments notice to serve at the pleasure of Me, they understand how it is that I am the books I read. They vie for positions of prominence by merit alone, cleaving off banality to the dusty obscure corners along with unused sporting goods,dust bunnies,dog hair and an occasional run-a-way sock as their as their new soul mates.My world is their world as well. At times they can be overwhelming in their need of succor. But Oh what a trip they are, equal to any course of self-medication one can proscribe. They are narcotic and they know it. The gift of their being and the by product of their knowledge makes us equals to the challenges of all.What is the ascetic of arrangement? Its simply the beauty in the mind of the beholder.

I love your descriptive tone and the personality you've given your books. It's a refreshing way to hear about someone's love of reading. Kudos.

[SarahIG]

I keep my paperback and hardback separate, but for the most part I try to keep authors and series together in chronological order.

[GaryG48]

My bookshelves are generally arranged by subject: Philosophy, History, Writing, Science. But there is a subset of books recommended by books. So following From Dawn to Decadence are the books Barzun recommends. The fiction is arranged chronologically by author. Then there is the professional stuff (no fun) that is arranged by topic.

[Murasaki]

When I am organized I also group by genre. I tend to keep all my important things on my bookshelves though. I have everything from tea pots to an ornament my mother in law gave me on there in front of my books. I also have books stacked on their sides in front of the books that are arranged neatly. Basically, if its special, it's on my bookshelf.

[Kayta]

The bottom shelf, however, is for library books only. Yep, I need an entire shelf.

Between me and 4 kids we actually have a small "library" bookcase. At approx. 10 books each, it's full. Kinda weird to see adult sci-fi, next to factual science texts, next to juv. fiction, next to research books for next assignment (currently Vietnam War), next to princess/fairy/giggly girl books, next to Dr. Suess. I have occasionally read and enjoyed kid's books when I finish my own. Actually, currently reading Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier (Young Adult section) and thrilled. Waiting for teenage daughter to borrow next book in series so I can read it too. Don't tell anyone.

[Kayta]

I think the follow on question is how do you arrange your bookcases?

Bookcase:
- in dining room with the reference stuff, dictionaries, atlas, street directories
- in lounge room with (lots of) kids books ranging from Sesame Street's ABC to Harry Potter
- in study with gardening, animal, pedagogy, family genealogy (and Britannica only because it's too heavy for any other bookcase)
- in bedroom with books currently reading and books I'll re-read again and again, most of the fiction
- in hallway with just library books
- in kids' room with what they're currently reading/studying

I keep promising myself I'll catalog ALL the books one day but the couple of times I've tried they seem to migrate from one room to another all by themselves. So some books are skipped while Wee Free Men, Pratchett got indexed twice! I spent the next week looking for my second copy only to realise I didn't have one!

Then of course there's the book that I know I bought once but can't find and no-one admits to borrowing so must be hiding somewhere in the mess I call a house. I'll track it down, eventually. Probably after I buy another copy.

[rainbells]

"I have occasionally read and enjoyed kid's books when I finish my own. Actually, currently reading Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier (Young Adult section) and thrilled. Waiting for teenage daughter to borrow next book in series so I can read it too. Don't tell anyone." lol, don't feel funny about this, Kayta. I collect out of print young adult books because I am trying to re-create the library that I had as a child. Now, almost a senior citizen, I still love to read the books I loved to read when I was a kid. And during my search for my old books, I have often come across newer YA books that I am reading for the first time, and loving.