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Member: omniart

Library39 books — see library

ReviewedNone so far

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

Tags1001 (16), 1001 ? (1) — see all tags

GroupsNone

About me I have a personal quest, here on LibraryThing, but it takes a few moments to explain.

I often daydream about owning a small coffee-house with a bookstore. Now no small bookstore can possibly compete with the likes of Barnes & Nobles or Amazon for selection, so most simply offer the more popular reads with the usual selection of classics. On the one hand, infinite choice; on the other, lowest common denominator. Personally, I find that each type works if I have a particular book in mind. When I am browsing, well, I find both types of bookstore to be rather unrewarding: either I confusedly try to judge among thousands of books by reviewing their covers or I blankly stare at the same predictable titles.

Besides which, where is the fun, the style, the soul in all of this?

I imagine my bookstore zagging while they zig and offer the prime numbers: a careful selection of books, each offering the strong possibility of becoming a browsing customer's "surprise discovery." The rub, of course, is that I would actually have to discover such a selection for myself--but that's the fun of it!

So I am on a quest, here at LibraryThing, for "One Thousand Books and A Book" (the name I fancy for my daydreamed bookstore). I am trying to create a list of 1001 unique books selected from the full range of the bibliographic spectrum.* There is no strict criteria (where would be the surprise in that?) but obviously best-seller or classic status is a strong point against inclusion. (Sorry, Dante; I still believe that "The Divine Comedy" is the best thing ever written.)

I welcome all suggestions! Indeed, I request them! (A main challenge for me will be to expand beyond my own biases--and that will certainly require help.) Perhaps my daydream is simply an unattainable Holy Grail, but even if it is, I look forward to meeting new people, having some good conversations, and discovering new books!

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* Alas, yes, I realize that there is a large group dedicated to the reading of books on the "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list. I had never heard of this before joining LibraryThing, and, frankly, I feel chagrined. I've been daydreaming about this for years! Anyway, I suspect that that list will have some good suggestions, but simply copying it whole would spoil my fun.

About my library Books on my list for "One Thousand Books and A Book" have the 1001 tag. Let me know if you agree or disagree with my selections: nothing's beyond reappraisal.

The 1001 alt. tag is for alternates, used when one author has two books of nearly equal merit (for example, Flann O'Brien's "At-Swim-Two-Birds" is 1001 while "The Third Policeman" is 1001 alt.).

The 1001 ser. tag is for other volumes in a series, especially useful for some graphic novels. (I consider something like Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" to be 10 volumes of a single work.)

And finally, the 1001 ? tag is for books I am strongly considering for inclusion on the list. Your opinion welcome!

LocationLaramie, WY

Emailcarl.omniartgmail.com

Favorite authorsNone specified

Account typepublic, free

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/omniart (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/omniart (library)

Member sinceApr 7, 2008