(no subject)

[beachlass]

[Poll #1126657]

I've already separated out the children's books, because I found Riding Desire shelved beside some kids' books this morning when my son was looking for something to read.

Comments

[kilerkki.livejournal.com]

Non-fiction by category, definitely. But fiction should be separated by author category--i.e., C.J. Cherryh and Lois McMaster Bujold both write science fiction, so they go next to each other with their books in intra-series chronological order, but Diana Wynne Jones writes YA fantasy so her books go on the end in alphabetical order...

Can you tell I'm a little neurotic with my books?

[eshala.livejournal.com]

Is it cheating to
a) choose a number of options
b) know what the shelves look like anyway
c) want to make up other options

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

Is it cheating? - I'm stuck between "No" and "Even if it was, would we care?"

What other options would you make up?

Order of acquistion/ or When First Read?

On a continuum from Least Influential to Most Influential?

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

Appallingly, my books have been in a disorganised jumble on the shelves since I moved in six months ago.

[eshala.livejournal.com]

True, true...

Other options...

a) according to word association (cause it would make me laugh so much to see other folks try to figure it out)
b) autobiographically - which would work with either when first read or time of acquisition, but would also work with what was going on in your life at that time
c) order of duress -- "I felt like I had to read this book because my best friend was going on and on" "This was for school" "I felt compelled to read this book because it mentioned both pirates and scientists in the title"

I am sure that I could come up with others if needed...

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

*dies laughing*

So I could start with Timothy Findley in the centre of the bookshelf and word associate outwards?

Music theory books adjacent to the Piano Man's Daughter... History books next to The Wars... Books that made me cry next to The Wars... Books with unchecked colour imagery and also rabbits and/or bonfires next to the Wars... hmmm...

Option (c) - Does White Teeth count in the section of "books my best friend was going on and on about" if I read it before you advocated it as a celebrity panelist? At least if I organized my shelves that way you'd be able to find all the books I've borrowed, 'cause the Sherman Alexie and Reginald Hill would be shelved together.

How about alphabetical by first line?

[eshala.livejournal.com]

Oh! OH!!!!!!

You could organize them so that if you read the first word of each title, you would read a story, kind of like Italo Calvino's 'If on a winter's night a traveller'...

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

Ok.. but then we need to write the story on the opposite wall.

Wait. If we're writing stories on walls... we're back to Timothy Findley... the one with Walis Simpson in WWII.

*looks at bookshelves... looks some more... PANIC*

I can't find my copy of that!!!



WHERE IS MY COPY OF FAMOUS LAST WORDS???

*flails in dismay*

[eshala.livejournal.com]

So - I looked at your list again, and laughed, because I suddenly panicked - if the most people vote for the most 'normal' way to organize, will you feel compelled to do so???
What are your intentions anyway??? HUH????

I collect the Findley people because they are easier to dust than tea cups.

Relax, breathe and look in that pile over there. I am sure you will find the book somewhere.

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

Pfft.

Yes, I'm going to organize my books according to the majority decision, just like I do withthe rest of my life.

I'm just heading over to Facebook for a moment to change my status.

[eshala.livejournal.com]

Well, that certainly explains a lot!

I'll just have to keep monitoring the results, and start lobbying for changes if need be : )

I almost fell off of my little chair when I read your status.

Have I mentioned how much I love you?

Maybe that's how you can sort the books -- based on how much you are loved by/love the folks you associate with said books...

Now, come over here, I think I missed some dust behind your...

[scribblesitm.livejournal.com]

OK I vote for non fiction by some system, take your pick of whatever one. personally I prefer library of congress cause it confuses everyone.

For fiction though. I recomend by catagory with ANYTHING you do no want little hands to find up high. Because, if there is something, say a Yaoi doujinshi, and it happens to be in a room that a child has never gone in before, he or she will talk in and get it and walk out with it when people are over.

Not saying it happened, OK, yeah I am ,... it's like my cat's tendency to drag out a bra like a cheetah dragging a dead gazelle.

So NON Fiction, a system, and fiction, by catagoty with smut up high.

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

*laughs and laughs*

Oh man. The illustrated smut that People Who Shall Remain Unnamed rhymes with McFlagon and DressyLeeches sent me is LOCKED AWAY upstairs.

Because yeah... little eyes do NOT need to see Kakashi doing that.

[messypeaches.livejournal.com]

Oh noes, you totally guessed my superhero name! I attack with summoned blood suckers in formal evening wear...

Damn, I'll never be safe at home now- *launching into peter parker levels of teen angst and WOE*

I'd think you'd be more worried about the furry porn, personally. But that's just me.

I recommend keeping series together, then accepting that as you acquire more books, your system will get shot to hell anyway.

[doire]

By size, because that way you you can fit more in. And then by date of acquisition, because that's the only way the new ones fit in easily.

Or in piles on the floor, because you ran out of shelf space years ago.

Guess which I use.

[beachlass.livejournal.com]

Heh. Those are the ancillary storage options.

If I organize the shelves, hopefully I'll end up with a box to go to the used bookstore.

[sailin-girl.livejournal.com]

Mmmm sorting books is just about the most soothing thing to do...
I have mine all by size and by genre and school books and magazines separate!!