Friday 16 November 2012

My Book Collection

Back in early October blogging friend Miss Imogen Smith started a new tag, inviting her readers to share what's on their bookshelves. I've finally got round to showing you mine! Brace yourselves and please excuse some of the photos being slighty fuzzy - I've been having a few camera problems this week and this one wasn't my usual.








I think my book collection is getting near the six hundred mark now. Like many book collectors I didn't actually set out to collect them at all; I just love reading. As a child I owned only a few much-loved books, but used to borrow and devour six books from my local library each week. When I moved to Sheffield aged nine and joined a new library I couldn't believe I was only allowed to borrow three, and had to get more on my mum's ticket!

My book collection only started to really grow when I won a writing competition at the age of sixteen. Part of the prize was a £100 Waterstones voucher. That, followed by a growing fascination with literature gained while studying for a degree in English... and well, the collection just kept on growing...










Reading and writing have always been my 'things'. I love stories of all shapes and sizes and think this is reflected in the variety of genres I own. Everything from historical fiction to classics to children's books live on my shelves. 







I'm not fussy about collecting certain editions, though the nicest editions I own have been birthday and Christmas gifts. I buy from second hand bookshops, Amazon, The Book People, charity shops, car boot sales and independent bookshops. Some books have been passed onto me by relatives.












I own a lot of fiction, but this is interspersed with non-fiction on all sorts of subjects, from social history to crafts, business to poetry. Although I hate the desperate term 'self-help books' I do own several and have always found them inspiring, especially because they allow me to look at life's problems and possible solutions from a different perspective. The only genre I own very little of is biographies - I'm not sure why but I'm irritated by the way celebrities start to churn them out around Christmas time!














As Anthony Powell said, 'books do a furnish a room' and I love how cosy mine make my living space look. I have two large bookcases - one in my sitting room and one in my office. They don't match, and I have plans to back at least one of them with vintage wallpaper at some stage. 



These days my books have to live more or less in alphabetical order otherwise they'd be a mess. It's funny though, that even if I'm looking for a book and can't remember the author I can usually put my hand on it without thinking, which just shows how the colours and shapes of a book collection can settle in the subconscious so I know it better than I think. I don't think I've ever been in a bookshop and been unable to remember whether I already have a title - each book I own is treasured.








People tend to assume that I never get rid of a book, and though it's true that there are plenty of books I would like to keep forever, if I read a book and don't think I'll read it again I have no qualms about moving it on to a grateful new owner. I think books are for sharing and enjoying. 

That said, I hope I've built a book collection that future generations of my family will love to explore, that I might inspire a young reader one day... and what a gift to pass on books are!



(And yes, they are hoovered regularly. It's a mammoth job each time!)


If you fancy taking part in the book tag please send a link to Imogen and me, and I hope you've enjoyed noseying around my collection.

Have a bookish Friday,



14 comments:

  1. YAY!! I'm so happy you decided to do this tag Anna! You weren't joking about the amount of books you own either! Gosh you could open your own library!! I love that you've kept your childhood favourites too :) most of mine are hidden away under my bed! Can't wait to see if anyone else does this tag xx

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    1. Yes there are a few of them, eh! Really enjoyed writing this post, thanks for the idea! x

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  2. Are you a book addict by any chance!!! :)

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    1. It's when they burst out of the bookcases and start having to be stacked up the stairs and used as furniture that I'll start to worry Ada! x

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  3. Phew! I thought I had a lot of books but I can't compete with your collection Anna!! :)
    Victoria xx

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    1. I don't think I can compete with my collection, either! x

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  4. Wow! That's a lot of books. I love the fact that you have Atwood + Austen. Two of my 'desert island' books too :)

    x Elena @ Randomly Happy

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    1. Ah, Austen can be read over and over. If all my other books burned in a fire tomorrow I would hope Austen would survive :) x

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  5. That's an impressive and eclectic collection! We have way too many books in this house - an english degree then a masters then years working in a bookshop fuelled my obsession. I just wish I had more space. x

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    1. Yes I've decided to blame the English degree too! I would love to work in a bookshop :) x

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  6. What a collection, I really am impressed! One particular book caught my attention though- Olga Da Polga! I had completely forgotten about it. Every year we used to take that book camping and we'd read it in the evenings when I was little. Our holidays only ever being a week long we never made much of an impression on it before I fell asleep every night. I think that's definately one for the Christmas wish list this year - thanks for remembering it to me!

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    1. Oh I'm so glad to have finally found someone else who has heard of Olga da Polga! I'm a huge Paddington fan but so few people know about Michael Bond's other loveable character. Your childhood holidays sound amazing! I love Olga because I've owned guinea pigs since I was ten years old, and I think Bond captures their personalities brilliantly - Olga reminds me so much of my now ex-guinea pig called Whisky. I have a new Olga edition and one from 1976 - well worth tracking down again! x

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  7. I loved going through your book shelves, Anna! (Didn't know I was that curious a person lol) Your collection is very impressive - lots of classics and even some of my beloved children's books such as Beatrix Potter and InkDeath (coincidentally, I'm writing a post about Inkheart this week) Also, can't believe you have over 600 books, that's incredible. Keep up! xx

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    1. Thank you Paula, can't wait to read your post on Inkheart! I love the books but need to re-watch the film as I didn't think much of it but everyone tells me I'm wrong! Though I think it's telling that the other films weren't made. x

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