Wednesday, April 24, 2013

An Introduction to My Library


As my first post as a book blogger, I thought it would be fitting to introduce to my library. I have been collecting books since I was a little girl, and my collection is the result of years of voracious reading. I love discovering and adopting books, wherever I may find them: tame and shiny books waiting in Barnes & Noble, books that have wandered into used bookstores, books lost in dusty thrift shops, forgotten in attics, left on buses, or wondering what they're doing on display in furniture stores.


most of my fiction section


Of course, the content of my library is based on what I read. I have literary tastes for intelligent, well written books. My top genres would be Historical Fiction, Classics, and Literary Fiction. From there, my reading branches out to many other topics. HF (historical fiction) leads to history, history leads to biographies, and biographies may take me to the rainforests of Brazil or to a medical research lab. You never know.

Basically, I read anything worth reading.

more fiction

  I own 2,817 books. I make lots of lists about my library, and keep meticulous track of things... So you can expect more thrilling numbers and statistics  to follow. Don't worry, I'll keep them brief.


I buy books that I am interested in, of course, and keep books that I've enjoyed. I like having knowledge close at hand - so, I try to collect a variety of non-fiction books on a wide array of subjects. I weed out fiction that I read and dislike, but I'm more lenient with my non-fiction. Even if, say, a particular biography didn't win me over, I'll probably still keep it. Same with classics.
I'm a fan of neglected, obscure books. Worn, scribbled in, pre-ISBN copies that I've never heard of are treasure.




Non-Fiction section. Double shelved and crowded

More double shelved non-fiction

 I dabble in antiquarian, collectible books, too. I have quite a lot of first editions and books from the 1800's, some from the 1700's, and one from the 1500's. Some of my older books are quite valuable, others are worth something only to me.

The name for my blog is in honor of Jorge Luis Borges, and can be used as a nod to Umberto Eco as well. I used to say that I would never find an absolute favorite book or author, but that was before I read Borges. Thanks to him, my world of reading is forever changed.

Living in Miami (not exactly a go-to place for intellectuals and readers) hasn't provided me with many any book-friends. I love when fellow book-lovers explore and appreciate my shelves, but those instances are few and far between. I want to be able to discuss what books I'm reading, buying, thinking about, and coveting with other book lovers who actually know what I'm talking about, not people in coffee shops who glance at me askance and edge away as I share my impassioned book-ramblings.

I am hoping to find book-friends, bring to light under-appreciated books, give my take on some books everyone is talking about, discover new reads, learn new things, and enjoy myself in book-blogging.


Still more fiction. It will inevitably always be under invasion from my boyfriend's computers / current project




2 comments:

  1. Books, bullets and helicopters. Looks like home.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wish I had that many books! your librarys very pretty

    ReplyDelete