My Bookshelf

A couple of weeks ago I saw a post on The Quest for T in which she shared some pictures of her bookshelf, with the idea that you can learn a lot about a person by the books they read.

I’ve always been a reader.  Right now there are 3 books on the night stand and between Veronica and I there are 4 mostly full, wall-height bookcases in the house.  Some shelves have kids books, others have Veronica’s books, and some I going to show you here and mention a few favorite books.  FYI, click on each of the pictures to see larger versions in a new window.

Obviously, I’m a fan of biographies.  Some I’ve read because I was curious about the person (Howard Hughes, Winston Churchill), others because on current events (John McCains two autobiographies, as well as Ricardo Sanchez’).  Other books I have because of the author- David Halberstam and Stephan Ambrose are two favorite historians.  The small, old prayer book laying on top of the pile on the right was given to my great-grandfather by his pastor and the inscription is dated 1908.  Just behind that is “Moby Dick”, which I’ve never read and have no idea where I got it from.  You ever wonder why there is a left/liberal bias in academia and science?  Just read “The Republican War on Science”. See the two books laying down in the upper left?  “The Threesome Handbook” and “The Straight Girls Guide to Sleeping with Chicks”.  As if you needed any more proof that Veronica and I are geeks who read up on something before trying it.  I think they were helpful

I’m also a big sports fan, as this shelf will attest to.  Some of these will not make it if/when we move again, while others are great reads- Lance Armstrong’s autobiography and “Game of Shadows” come to mind.  I’m fascinated by exploration, especially to geographic extremes and “Last Climb”, “Ghosts of Everest” and “Detectives on Everest” are all about George Mallory’s failed attempt to summit Mt. Everest in 1923.  Just to the left of those 3 is “The Endurance” which is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew’s attempt to reach the South Pole in 1913.  They were stranded in Antartica for over a year and their story is perhaps the most amazing tale of survival I’ve ever read.  Part of the story is that the expedition photographer insisted on carrying all of his lead photographic plates for posterity- many of his pictures are reproduced in this book.  His pictures are stunning.

I do have a light side too, you know!  Notice the Bloom County, Calvin and Hobbes, Dilbert, and The Far Side books?  Also on this shelf is my high school yearbook, a history of my undergraduate alma mater, and a set of National Geographic books that my parents bought for me that I saved for my kids.  “The Big Dig” I totally forgot to show Southern Vixen when she was here, after we returned from showing her around Boston last Sunday.  Oops…

Speaking of SoVix, did you see her HNT yesterday?  There was someone with her you might recognize

Have a great weekend everyone!  Veronica is taking PP to New York for my sister’s baby shower and DB and I are staying home.  So if you see me online late at night, won’t you keep me company and say hi?  Thanks!

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