Sunday 12 April 2015

The Bookshelf Tag

This really fun tag, hosted by Natalie at Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens has been going around my blogging friends. I finally found time to take some pictures and type this up!

Describe your bookshelf (or wherever it is you keep your books-it doesn't actually have to be a shelf!) and where you got it from:
I've got two bookcases since I moved in January. I think they're both from IKEA, I bought the second one from the girl who lived in my appartment before me, but it looks IKEA to me. The main one (left) is in the living room and holds all of my fiction and the historical/general interest non-fiction. The other one is in my bedroom and holds my spiritual/theological books, my studybooks and some nature related references.

 

Do you have any special or different way of organizing your books?
Apart from the split I just described between both of my bookcases, in my main bookcase, the top shelf is reserved for classics (spilling over a little bit on the second shelf). Then comes my Christian fiction, followed by the secular fiction. And on the lowest shelf some children's books and non-fiction. In this categories I don't really organize them, only keeping books of the same author together.

What's the thickest (most amount of pages) book on your shelf?
Discounting my study books, this would be the Jane Austen collection of Emma, Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey. For single books though, it's The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens (747 pages)



What's the thinnest (least amount of pages) book on your shelf?
I've got two sweet storybooks by Max Lucado from his Wemmick's series, which have less than 50 pages.



Is there a book you received as a birthday gift?
Oh many, though I get more gift certificates for books and then buy them myself then get the actual books. My mom used to give me the newest Lynn Austin as a December/Sinterklaas gift for three years in a row.



What's the smallest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?This little booklet with quotes from Martin Luther. It's not higher than a finger.



What's the biggest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?
I guess one of my study books, but I'll discount those (because that's a boring answer ;-) ) So, from the other books, it's this work about architecture of churches and cathedrals.



Is there a book from a friend on your shelf?
No, I usually keep these on top of the bookcase or read them immediately.

Most expensive book?
I guess this will be one of my study books, some cost over 100 euros. I buy many of my books at book markets, from reduced price shops or secondhand.

The last book you read on your shelf?
I read Lynn Austin's All things new in February

Of all the books on your shelf, which was the first you read?I think that was The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. I believe this was the first adult book I owned!

Do you have more than one copy of a book?
Besides the Bible, no.

Do you have the complete series of any book series?
Startlingly little, now that I think about it. The Lord of the Rings counts I hope and Catrin Collier's Swansea Trilogy. And I have all the books by Jane Austen.



What's the newest addition to your shelf?
Last week I bought E. Nesbitt's The railway children and Jenny Colgan's Rosie Hopkins Sweet shop of dreams.



What's the most recently published book on your shelf?
Joanna Trollope's contemporary version of Sense & Sensibility was published in October 2013. I bought it last month, but I haven't read it yet.



The oldest book on your shelf (as in, the actual copy is old)?
This copy of Alexandre Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask. I don't know how old it is precisely, because it doesn't have a publishing date, but I expect at least 80-100 years old from how it looks. It has this really thin 'bible-paper'.



A book you won?Nope, unfortunately that hasn't happened to me yet....

A book you'd hate to let out of your sight (aka a book you never let someone borrow)?No, I don't mind borrowing out my books.

Most beat up book?
At my previous place, I used my copy of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens to hold open the door when it was warm. It just fit perfectly under my door. I'm so sorry...

A book from your childhood?
Most of my childhood books are actually still in boxes on my mother's attic. But this one from the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (who also wrote the Pippi Longstocking series) is at my own home, though I don't really remember why I ever brought it there....



A book that's not actually your book?Well, maybe you have to count the above, but actually all the books on my shelves are mine.

A book with a special/different cover (e.g. leather bound, soft fuzzy cover etc.)?

My version of Lord of the Rings consists of 7 parts and together their backs form the Lord of the Rings movie 'logo'. Which is quite funny if you take one book out to read or borrow out, it immediately looks 'off'.



Book that's been on your shelf the longest that you STILL haven't read?
This book by Mireille Calmel which I got for my birthday maybe 10-12 years ago. I don't even know why I haven't read it, it's a medieval story with what sounds like an amazing heroine, but I just never got to it.



Any signed books?
My copy of The maid of Fairborne Hall was signed by Julie Klassen!

9 comments:

  1. Awww, that's a cool meme!

    I absolutely love your Lord of the Rings set, and that's neat about your signed Julie Klassen book.

    My family keeps bookcases in many rooms in our house, but I only have one that is specifically mine, although some of my books are sprinkled in other bookcases. I may have to do this meme just for fun.

    It's neat how many of your books are, I'm assuming, in Dutch. That's pretty cool!

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    1. I hope you do this meme, I like 'looking' in other people's bookcases!

      About half my books are Dutch and half are English I think. I prefer to read the classics in English to have the original language, but for contemporary reads, I also buy Dutch if these happen to be available easier.

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  2. You have a signed copy of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall?! Does that mean you MET Julie Klassen!?!!???? How cool! :-)

    It's interesting to see all your Lynn Austin books with the Dutch titles! I have some of the same ones you do, only they look much different.

    Isn't this tag just the best? It was fun getting a peek of your book collection! :-)

    ~Emma

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    1. Yes, I met Julie Klassen a few years ago when she was visiting The Netherlands. It was so much fun, she's a really nice and interested person.

      Thanks, glad you liked it!

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  3. This is really fun! I enjoyed seeing your books and bookcases; might have to do this on mine.

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  4. Your LOTR books are awesome! And that tiny book of Luther quotes -- I want one. In English, though.

    I've read all the Pippi Longstocking books many times, and read them to my kids too, but I've never read anything else by Lindgren. Any recommendations?

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    1. I don't remember that much other Lindgren books that I read as a kid, but the one on my picture is called Emil of Lönneberga in English and I remember finding it laugh-out-loud funny!

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  5. Thank you for doing the tag! :) I enjoyed seeing all your books and reading your answers. That's so neat that your mother used to give you the newest Lynn Austin books. I have only read Wonderland Creek, but it was so good and can't wait to read more from her!

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