Book Collection

I'd be lost without a good read. I've always been an avid reader, going right back to my early teens. I go through phases of reading different types of books, sometimes turning to escapist thrillers, at others preferring 20th Century classics or whatever the urge of the moment may be.

Apart from the wonder of becoming immersed in a book, I'm also fascinated by the sheer physical act of reading -- the thrill of opening that first page, the page-turning journey towards the finite goal of the final word. I enjoy the feel of a nicely printed and bound book, and pride myself on leaving a book I've finished in as close as possible to the condition it began in. Because of this I am reluctant to loan my books to others. My friends have got to know this and no longer even bother asking because of the fallout which would follow a book's return in a less than pristine condition. Also because of this, I tend to hold on to the books I've read, never knowing when I may want to return for another fix.

This is just a tiny cross-section of the pile of paperbacks which are 'arranged' against the wall in the room which serves as my office. They jostled with one another for prime position when they learned of their upcoming few moments of Blip fame, but I was firm and insisted that they arrange themselves in some sort of neat size-based system. Some of the odd-sized ones didn't quite manage to sort themselves out properly despite all my efforts to whip them into line. I warned them they'd suffer the consequences but they wouldn't listen. Now look at them, partly cut off in their prime. That'll teach them!

I'd like to point out a few items: Pride of place goes to some of the reading recommendations of my internet buddy Nancy who died last week. She's the one who pointed me to Larry McMurtry, beginning with his remarkable Lonesome Dove series and including the wonderful Terms of Endearment. Alexander McCall Smith is another writer I would be ignorant of without Nancy, and I avidly devoured his complete No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series as a result. Thanks also to Nancy for A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Recommendable non-Nancy books shown include Beryl Bainbridge's Every Man for Himself, M.M. Kaye's The Far Pavilions, Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song, Paul Auster's The Brooklyn Follies, and in non-fiction the magnificent Peacemakers by Margaret Macmillan.