"When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does."
~ Kathleen Kelly, You've Got Mail
I believe this. I believe this, because it's me. Except, almost every book I read (for pleasure, that is) becomes a part of who I am, even now. I can't help it, really. I don't know what it is... Maybe it's because I have an overly active imagination... Maybe it's because I'm overly sensitive... Maybe it's because I'm still very much trying to figure out who I am... Maybe it's all of these things. All I know, is that I can't bear to part with a good book after I've read it. I don't borrow books from the library (and it's not even because the thought of it kind of grosses me out... because it does), but because I'd much rather have the book in my home, like it's a part of my life once I've read it.
This is why my bookcase is one of the most prized possessions in my home, and a window to my soul. Each one of the books on it has had a huge impact on my life in one way or another. Whether it was a book that made me laugh, a book that I could completely relate to, a book that made me sad, a book that made me think, or a book that kept me on the edge of my seat, they are all important to me in some way, and I won't bore you with specifics of each title. (I will admit that I have yet to read some of these titles.)
This is just "my" bookcase. James and I have a lot of books (he has far more than I do), and we don't have room for all of them in the apartment, so they're mostly in storage. Right now, the bookcases in our living room hold a collection of books and knick-knacks that have meaning to us (like candles, shells, picture frames, pretty capiz shell boxes, etc.) Hopefully one day, we'll have floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall bookshelves...
*photos by me.
Oh, and I'm the type of person who buys picture frames because I love them but never puts a real picture in them... need to work on that...
