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Cicero said that (I read a good book about him the other day, actually.) But bear in mind that his books were scrolls, so it doesn't really matter what they look like if all you want to do is read them!
"This paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace a hardcover book - it makes a very poor doorstop." That one from Alfred Hitchcock is more about books in interiors - and I'm afraid that's all that's happening with my books today!
There are a few people I could blame. Check out George's Mum, whose blog is lined with the most wonderful books. Then Sarah Jane Down the Lane has some superb books, old and new, on this post.
On Flickr, an indulgent search for favourites whilst ill has turned up the most wonderful photos using books. I suspect it would be against copyright to use the illustrations from Selina Lake's forthcoming book 'Romantic Style' here, but click on this link for her Flickr page and here and here for some of the photos which drove me to pull out all my most decorative books. Go on, click the links, they're wonderful!
For now, Wallace is guarding my piles of books:
"This paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace a hardcover book - it makes a very poor doorstop." That one from Alfred Hitchcock is more about books in interiors - and I'm afraid that's all that's happening with my books today!
There are a few people I could blame. Check out George's Mum, whose blog is lined with the most wonderful books. Then Sarah Jane Down the Lane has some superb books, old and new, on this post.
On Flickr, an indulgent search for favourites whilst ill has turned up the most wonderful photos using books. I suspect it would be against copyright to use the illustrations from Selina Lake's forthcoming book 'Romantic Style' here, but click on this link for her Flickr page and here and here for some of the photos which drove me to pull out all my most decorative books. Go on, click the links, they're wonderful!
For now, Wallace is guarding my piles of books:"Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. "
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. "
Arnold Lobel
PS There are some great posts about books being written in response to this one!
Check out Temps Perdu in Helsinki and Just Plain and Simple Me in Oregon.
26 comments:
I think books are one of the best things you can have.
Hugs RosieP x
Well your links have given me an early start for my Christmas wish list! I will never get any housework done now with so much book browsing to do!
What a great display!
The terrible dilemma of arranging books artistically is that you're inclined to stop amid the mess you've created and read them. 'All that Katy Did' looks very tempting.
Yep, that's one of the few I KNOW I've read cover-to-cover!
Oh lovely you can't beat an old book, I'm forever saving them from book sales.
Yvonne x
Old, new--it doesn't matter; I must have books around me! Cicero was right.
I have had a thing about books ever since I was a little girl and my grandmother bought me little " Pixie " books before I even went to school. I am never without a book to read, and I can't bear to get rid of any either, so by now I could fill a small village library, lol. Old books appeal to me more for their looks than their literary contents, I have to admit, but the illustrations are often so charming. And the covers, aahh, they are just beautiful, and tactile.
I can't imagine a home without books...the problem does lie with suitable storage though...not all books are as easy on the eyeballs as those lovely old one's you show :)
we actually know a family who have no books in the house...not even the children..the only one's they have are the one's that come from school..I'm not judging..just observing as it seems so alien to us...
Absolutely lovely pictures. You have beauriful books in your home. And the links, what a treat! I enjoyed this post so much I made my own little post about books. I was so inpired, then suddenly the battery for my camera run out! So I´ll do another post of books another time, maybe when my ladder has settled in;)
I just bought my first Persephone book yesterday, if only this snow would stop, maybe the mailman could get it here quicker!!
Love the beautiful paper they use and love the titles even more...
http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/
I am crazy for books and so is my husband, only problem is we can't seem to part with any of them. My very favorite are my cookbooks..I have lost count long ago and continue to add to every chance I get.
I can't imagine a home without books - we've 100's here.
Like Claire I know families who have no books in their houses and think that is such a shame.
Both my boys loved books from an early age and still do.
My husband and I just had a "book" conversation this morning! He has so many books, you'd be in heaven lol. He's sold whole collections a couple times, for astounding amounts of money, and he still has books! I bring home bookshelves, he asks why, then proceeds to fill them up! You've inspired me to blog about some of his books lol! Karen
Oh...my! Those old books are fantastic!
I have a soft spot for old books...especially botanical ones.
I will be away for more than a week....visiting my parents in Holland. Looking forward to read all your posts when I come back.
A big hug, Jeannette
I can't help it...I always distrust a house without books... It makes you wonder what life will be like in a few hundred years when kindles and illiads and iphones have thoroughly taken over...and it also makes you think about the loss of handwriting too with all our modern day devices... xxx
these old books are treasures in a house,I like to put them in each room of the house,ant to put old pictures inside!
val
We just love books as well and have them in every room of the house, even the loft! One day I'm going to have a library - well one can hope!
I might do a post about some of mine sometime. Glad to see Wallace is keeping a good eye on them...wise old owl.
The Arnold Lobel quote is on a poster in my small daughter's school, but without the part about the beard!
Books are beautiful objects. I love them, too and agree with Cicero wholeheartedly. I hope I never have to read one off an iphone!
wow you mentioned me on your blog!! Thank you so much. I love books so much, you know those questions 'what would you take to a desert island?' 'what would you save in a fire?' I have a pile of my most favourite and special books next to my bed and they would always get taken and rescued!!
Have just discovered you and loved this post. Books are such good friends! Your pictures are wonderful!
Awesome links...thanks x
Apart from annuals and football books, I was the only one in our house (five people) who read books. I've always had books around me. I love looking at other people's bookshelves (even using a magnifying glass on photos of bookshelves) to see what they have in their collection. Some books I read and then pass on - either to friends or charity shops, but some are for keeps. Lovely post. Thanks. xx
What a great assortment of books. I once had a nice little collection of antique books, they were stored for awhile and then detroyed by a basement flood unfortunately. I love your book vignettes.
Hello Floss,
Thankyou so much for your lovely comments, and also your advice on the book - Will get a copy & let you know what I think/feel.... The what Katy did stories are up there with Enid Blytons wishing chair/faraway tree books as my all time favourites....
Hope you start to feel better soon too.
Love Lydia xx
Hello. I can see, you love old books. Many years ago, I had learn books binding ( ? ). As a hobby.
As a décoratrice I allways like artisanat activités.
A little hello from Switzerland.
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