When I walk into someone's home the first thing I look for are the bookshelves. It may seem like a strange thing to do, but books say a lot about a person. It's rather like people that have never had a pet (dog, cat, hamster, bird, guinea pig, or fish) I simply don't trust them. It seems to me that something is lacking or missing, like a salad with no dressing. If I find no books I begin to wonder about that person. How can a person not like books!
Bookshelves tell me a story, what a persons interests are, do they like fiction or nonfiction. Narrowing it down even further, do they read romance, gothic tales, westerns, detective novels, mysteries or science fiction/fantasy. Perhaps the shelves are loaded with history, biographies, do it yourself, crafts, farming, art, religion, travel and photography. Drilling down further, do they have niche collections of pulp fiction, old books, books only on one subject or genre, LGBT material, medical texts, autographed 1st editions, esoteric and conspiratorial.
Without fail it is a predicable method for deciding if they become acquaintances or friends. It's not being judgmental it's simply a matter of deciphering whether or not we have anything in common. Wasting time getting to know someone who has no shared interests is like mixing oil and vinegar, it simply won't gel. What conversation could you possibly have besides smalltalk! Small talk is being polite and usually very brief.
Chances are people who enjoy graphic novels are not going to be entertained by someone who enjoys reading the "The Encylopedia of Natural Medicine" or The Foxfire series of books.
Bibliophiles are not easily lured into activities which serve no obivious purpose. We may be obsessive collectors, voracious readers, practical dreamers, and even aspiring authors. Casual readers don't usually keep their books on shelves, and it's even more likely they donate their books to Goodwill or give them away to friends. Book lovers would never do such a thing, we hang onto our books like alcoholics cling to the bottle. We agonize if space on the shelves is running low and we must rearrange a section to make room for just one more.
Are you a Bibliophile and if you are what's on your bookshelves?
