Collections

I promised photos of my book-shelves...

The first set of 3 bookcases of paperbacks:

More paperbacks (plus some space and aviation books):

Hardbacks and collectibles...

There's even stuff (games, mostly) piled on top of the bookcases of hardbacks...

My inlaws have moved in with us for the next six months. I had to dismantle my library, move the bookcases out to the hallway and the den and stack all my books two deep. That was a sad, sad day.

Which was sadder? The in-laws moving in? Or dismantling your library?

Dismantling my library. Even when I accepted they were moving in (believe me, that took a while), I put off moving my books until the weekend before they arrived. Then it was a mad scramble to move the books and move the cases.

Six months... six months...

My in-laws would be stuffed in sleeping bags in the garage before I'd touch my books. You poor bugger.

Ian, those pictures are GORGEOUS. I think there are bibliophiles all over the internet clicking on them and their drool is shorting out their keyboards.

Can't match you in terms of number of books, presentation or neatness but I posted an article w/pics of my office/womb:

http://cliffjburns.wordpress.com/2008/01/12/in-my-room/

I'm going to try to zoom in and spot individual titles in your collection. I think I see a row of Kevin J. Anderson and Timothy Zahn books.

You hypocrite...

...those Banks hardcovers must have cost a freakin' fortune...

No Timothy Zahn, but sadly I do have KJA books - the new Dune ones. They're completely shite, but I'm enough of a completist to have copies.

The Bankses I mostly bought as they were published. I bought the copy Against A Dark Background on eBay. The seller said it was signed and dedicated. When I received it, I discovered it was dedicated "To Ian..."

The expensive ones are the Durrells, which you can just about make out under the shelf of Fantasy Masterworks in the last photo.

I wish I could keep my books nicely displayed like that, but I have to keep most of mine two high two deep - four rows to a single shelf it's hard to get to the ones at the back on the bottom.

This is the Master Bedroom bookshelf with notes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28706302@N00/2401619590/

To see the title, go to the Large size image. Just signed hardcovers here. Other hardcovers and paperbacks on another shelf.

I tried to post a picture here, but couldn't. How did you do it, Ian?

kd9:

What a beautiful wall unit. I'm rubbing my hands together in greed and envy, just looking at it. Man, some people know how to present their books. Love the little box around the "to be read" stack. Nice touch.

That great quote of Borges' I cited:

“To arrange a library is to practice, in a quiet and modest way, the art of criticism.” You folks really take that to heart.

First edition Baum and Ransome? Do you have to get stuff like that insured? Ian, what about with your Durrells et all?

I'm really impressed with you folks...

Mmmm, we have the usual house insurance, with extras for art and tech. The Baum and Ransome's are all from my grandfather who worked for MacMillan book company in the 20s and 30s. If we just left it for our inheritors, they would probably throw them all away, but we have designated an professional appraiser (mostly for the art).

kd9: use HTML img tags.

That's a very neat bookcase. I wish I mine were that neat. I've also arranged my books by author, so the signed ones are in with the all other - signed Banks, Burgess, Baxter, Brown, Cherryh, Durrell, Fowles, Frank Herbert, Gwyneth jones, Ian Watson, Monsarrat, etc.

The books/cases look nice and inviting. :-)

My SF books are mostly all paperback and are shelved on Billy Bookcases from Ikea set at 90 degrees to the wall with their backs off and two extra shelves each. Perfect for paperbacks on each side. The shortcoming is that I have to anchor the bookcases as they are a bit less stable without their backs on.

Currently my library is in transit from one room to another as I input them into my LibraryThing database. Pictures promised as soon as the transit is complete. If you don't hear from me for awhile, consider that I might have become buried in an unfortunate paperback bookcase collapse.

Gwen

Gwen: Dying under a pile of books would be, to me, a perfect and appropriate end for a bibliophile.

"He died with his books on..."

Re: "He died with his books on..."

Oh that's good. I can just picture the t-shirt!

#17 lol

#16, I've got the Billys too, but don't have the space to be able to have them with the backs off like you do, and my dad bought the end of the silver line, so I can't buy the extra shelves to stop putting the book 2 rows high to a shelf. One day, when I move out (again) maybe I'll have a place with a room just for them. Untill then I can only dream.

A pair of legs sticking out from a mammoth pile of books with that tag line. Yeah, I'd pay a couple of bucks for that. Let's suggest it to the LT people, maybe as a fund raiser or something.

...meanwhile, let's see more pictures!

#4

At last I see someone else has the Starship Troopers game. Cool. Thirty years ago I was really looking for an opponent.

I can't help but think one day I would like to be like that...

I didn't see the games! Ian, that's great!

How often have we talked about SF fans as eternal fourteen year olds? Glad you're not immune (neither am I).

I have not only the Starship troopers game, but also John Carter, Warlord of Mars, Dune (plus expansion kits), Captain Scarlet, plus a whole bunch of sf games by SPI and GDW (including all the ones for Traveller RPG, 2300AD and Space: 1889). Oh and I also have this.

I can't see any of the pictures! I feel terribly left out...

You should be able to. Is the flickr web site blocked for you?