I think that our shelves show some insight into who we are.
Our priorities, our interests, etc.
Our tolerance for clutter, piles, and dust.
Plus, it gives me another excuse to practice taking pictures and experimenting with lighting. Here’s the shelf of my corner lamp:
From top to bottom:
This cute picture frame has a shot of Aly (three at the time) sitting in the crotch of a tree in our front yard. Here’s the original picture:
The lower shelf, from top to bottom:
A Beautiful Anarchy, by David DuChemin (Amazon)
The subtitle of this book is “When the Life Creative Becomes the Life Created”, so you can probably figure that this book is about finding, and harnessing, creativity. If you’ve been following this series, you’ve no doubt noticed that I own a lot of DuChemin’s books. I think he’s the best photography author and his books are a great mix of cerebral stuff, creative advice, and technical advice.
Scenic Driving South Carolina, by John F. Clark & Patricia A. Pierce (Amazon)
I bought this book shortly after I moved to South Carolina and was looking for places to explore. It’s divided into sections of the state, so I’ve only read the parts that cover the Upstate, but I like what I’ve read so far.
The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield (Amazon)
I read this book shortly after moving down here, and found it an interesting tale. Its messages of awareness, appreciation and intentionality are things I agree with.
A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (Amazon)
I’ve owned this book for a long time, and I read it this summer for the third or fourth time. Bryson is a fantastic travel writer, and this tale of his attempts at completing the Appalachian Trail is full of laughs. It inspires me to go out and hike, but I think it has the opposite effect on me wanting to hike the A.T.
Detroit City is the Place To Be, by Mark Binelli (Amazon)
This is a full-circle book – gave it to my Dad as a present and it has made its way back to me. I read it this summer and really enjoyed this look at “The Afterlife of an American Metropolis.” Even though I grew up well into the safety of the northern suburbs, I still identify with Detroit from our many trips into the city. It’s a well-written story of the decline of this once-great city, sprinkled with historical information, and the author’s experience of living in Detroit for one year while writing the book.
The Sun Also Rises, by Papa Bear (Amazon)
This is another of my “classic books bought at an airport while on business travel” and I love it. I’ve read it 4 or 5 times, with the latest coming this past summer. The characters who pop in and out of the book are wildly entertaining, possibly because they’re usually drunk (“tight”). I’ve always read it sober, but perhaps my next read through will be a bit tighter – Jake Barnes would be proud.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan (Amazon)
As you can tell by the creasing on the spine, this book has been read a lot – by me, and by people it’s been loaned to. Pollan is a great writer who explores the American industrial food complex, and the various food movements happening around our country. A great book.
Who Cut The Cheese? A Cultural History of the Fart, by Jim Dawson (Amazon)
Hemingway. Omnivore. Fart book? Of course.
It’s a surprisingly well-written book about the joy of farts (it has 4.4 stars on Amazon). It’s definitely light reading, but it’s quite entertaining. As one reviewer describes it: “Hilarious and Historically Significant.”
Look Homeward, Angel, by Thomas Wolfe (Amazon)
I read this a long time ago and remember almost nothing of the story. I must’ve liked it, though, because I kept it. I’m the same way with movies, and it’s both a blessing and curse. The curse part is probably obvious, but the blessing is that I get to discover great books and movies over and over.
The Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving (Amazon)
“Hope floats.” Need I say more?
I remember my parents watching this movie with my brother, and I couldn’t sleep because they were laughing so loud, but they said I couldn’t watch it because I was too young for the material. When I did eventually read it, I understood both why I couldn’t read it so young, and why they were laughing so hard. Excellent tale.
Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson (Amazon)
Man I love this book. And the movie. A wild tale of excess. The character (?) of Hunter Thompson was always very interesting to me.
“As your attorney…“
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho (Amazon)
Way back in the day, I worked at Barnes & Noble, first in Rivertown, then I helped open the Holland store. I can’t remember who told me that I had to read this book, but it was a coworker at B&N. It’s an interesting tale that I haven’t read in a long time.
An Introduction to The Buddha and His Teachings, by Samuel Bercholz (Amazon)
I can’t remember where I picked up this book, but I like it. There are many things about Eastern religions that I like, including meditation. Meditation, mindfulness, and yoga have helped me deal with fibromyalgia. There’s another great book that is currently not on my shelves (it’s on loan in Michigan) called Peace Is Every Step, which is a great introduction to meditation and mindfulness.
The Windward Shore: A Winter on the Great Lakes, by Jerry Dennis (Amazon)
This is another book that I swiped from my parents but haven’t read yet.
Customers.com, by Patricia Seybold (Amazon)
This is another book that I bought earlier this year, around the same time as Crossing The Chasm and was having a moment of needing to buy business books. I haven’t read it yet.
