Whats on your odd shelf?

[[deleted user]]

The concept of the odd shelf was introduced to me by Anne Fadimans excellent book Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, basically it's a collection of books that bears no relation to the rest of your library - George Orwell's odd shelf apparently contained a "collection of bound sets of ladies' magazines from the 1860s, which he liked to read in his bathtub" !
What's on your odd shelf?

[[deleted user]]

I have 2 odd shelves- one (like Anne Fadiman's coincidently) contains books about the heroic age of Antartic Exploration - particularly Captain Scott (my hero), my other odd shelf contains books about WW1 (particularly about Wilfred Owen another hero).

[Ellie]

I have a feeling my entire house could be classed as an 'odd shelf'.....

[Joy]

LOL me too Ellie. I've never organised my bookshelves (or the ones in pile son the floor). The drawback is it can take some while to hunt books down, but on the plus side I get some nice surprises when I dip in randomly.

[[deleted user]]

My books are totally unorganized too - the odd shelf is more of a concept (she said pretentiously)- a collection of books on a particular theme that has nothing to do with the kind of books you usually read :0)

[Laurel]

Everytime I organise my books it doesn't last long cos I end up buying more! Have run out of shelf space and am having to use the floor now - everyone in my house calls my room 'the library'. I try to do it thematically if I can but cos of the lack of space it doesn't really work.

[[deleted user]]

Wouldn't it be great if you could have your own stately home style library- a huge room, covered floor to ceiling with shelves. With comfy chairs galore, the odd chaise long, open fires etc, etc

[Shirley]

Lee, I would love that!

[Laurel]

That would be amazing wouldn't it? I'm definitely having a room dedicated just to books when I buy my own house

[Ellie]

If I won the lottery, I would buy a house where I could have a large room with floor-to-ceiling book shelves, and big comfy chairs. And maybe a wine rack ;)

[Ellie]

Lee wrote: "My books are totally unorganized too - the odd shelf is more of a concept (she said pretentiously)- a collection of books on a particular theme that has nothing to do with the kind of books you usu..."

I meant my comment conceptually - I have such a variety of books, on such a wide range of subjects, that nothing seems out of place.

[[deleted user]]

Oh I see - I think you could probably sort my books (if you had the time) in to 5 or 6 over lapping groups - but the stuff on my odd shelf just doesn't belong.

Definitely a wine rack - and perhaps a chocolate fountain?

[Ellie]

I'm not a huge fan of chocolate fountains. Think I'd prefer a large, never-ending Galaxy Minstrels dispenser :)

[[deleted user]]

perfect