For Janice - Books Part 16

The study, middle shelves

Happy February 2nd and the beginning of a new weekend. The puppies have had their mid morning walk and are now looking forward to 11sies (aka lunch). They can wait a bit. I'll continue with my look at the bookshelves in the Den / Study. Today I'll  do the middle group of shelves as they aren't overloaded with books. Let's start from the left top and work down to the right bottom.

1. Left side middle, top. These are mostly interior design books that Jo brought with her from England, along with a couple she found here. You've got a Laura Ashley - Home Decoration and Weekend Projects from House and Home. The book partly hidden on the left is a table top book on Leading Men. The rest of the shelf has some of Jo's perfume bottles (she has a really lovely collection) and some vases.

2. Left side middle right. This shelf has more of Jo's perfume bottle collection and a lovely glass dish. I think she may have brought that with her, but I'm not sure. There are a variety of books; Michael Chabon - The Final Solution, Dr Bonnie Henry - Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe, a Ken Bruen mystery, Amanda Gorman's poetry, a lovely collection and a Joseph Kanon spy story.

3. Left side, bottom left. Besides a few perfume bottles in the middle, this side has mostly Jo's design books, one by Joanna Gaines (we used to watch their design show, Fixer Upper. The remainder are a few of her Country Homes & Interiors magazines. We have a number located throughout the house.

4. Left side, bottom right. You can see one of Jo's lovely perfume bottles there, holding up one of my Xmas presents to her; The Wombles books. If you're not familiar with it, The Wombles was a kid's TV show in Britain. The bottom book is one of Bill Bryson's travel books. Jo really liked his writing and I bought that as a Xmas present for her. I read him more now I think. The blue book is a character study of the Prince of Wales, one of the earlier ones I think. We bought it in an antiquey shop I believe. The final book is an Australian mystery featuring Aboriginal police inspector, Napoleon Bonaparte. I've enjoyed one of the books so far.

5. Right side, top. Jo organized this shelf for the colors of the books and the various sizes. Over the years, it might have been adjusted somewhat but it's been pretty well established. From left to right - an autobiography from English comic Dawn French (of French & Saunders fame), the thin book is a mystery from Baroness Orczy, The Old Man in the Corner, Gregory Maguire's Wicked, a design book, Judi Dench's autobiography, TCM's Leading Men, White Hot (design book), the 1st book in one of my favorite mystery series, Bruno Chief of Police (bought in Munro's Books in Victoria), another autobiography, this one of Martha Stewart and two more design books.

6. Right side, middle left. There used to be a store on 5th street in Courtenay called A Gentler Time, right next to another of my favorite book stores, ABC Books (both long since closed down). Anyway, A Gentler Time had lovely collectibles, tea cups, paintings, and some neat books. Most of the books on this shelf came from there. The three George Eliot books marbled covers and inside at least one, it says it was given as a give in 1894. The John Dryden poetical works were thought to have been published in 1893. The small book on the right is one of my mothers school books published in 1936; Words, Their Spelling Pronunciation Definition and Application. There is one book you can't see on the left as it's fairly thin; A Collection of Player's tobacco cards of Military Uniforms of the British Empire Overseas (I'm not sure what year but it's very nicely done and cost 3 pence. The final book is an Atlas of the World from 1931. 

7. Right side, middle right. Firstly, I bought that cricket ball in Dubai when I was stationed there. 🏏 Now more collectible books, some bought at A Gentler Time and other places and some I got from my parents. The top book is our family Bible. It's definitely seen better days but it's my folks had it for as long as I can remember and I'm sure longer that that. The bottom book is my mother's family Lutheran Bible that they brought with them from Germany.. and yes, it's in German (published 1911). Working my way up from the bottom book, the next is The Poems of Elizabeth Browning (from A Gentler Time) given as a gift to someone in 1899. Then a lovely leather bound collection of Shakespeare's works from at least 1914 that Jo and I bought at a craft / antique fair in Chemainus. Then 14 Great Detective Stories from Poe, Doyle, Chesterton, etc that Jo and I found in our wanderings (1928), Then a leather bound book of Cranford by Mrs. Gaskell (once again, A Gentler Time) published in the late 1800s). Finally another of my mother's books, an Evangelical Lutheran Hymn Book from 1927. I have to say I do like old books. They have a texture and smell to them.

8. Right side, bottom. There are three collections of poetry on this shelf from Dorothy Parker. I discovered her ... not sure how actually but I like the humor in her poetry' Sunset Gun (1939), Not Much Fun (1999) and Enough Rope (1940). French Alley was a collectible book (1954) that I bought in a used book store that used to be in Victoria on Fort Street. I liked to go there when I was stationed down in Victoria. It was just up the road from the apartment Jo and I lived in. Then you've got another collection of poetry from Ursula K. Le Guin, Final Poems 2014 - 2018), Walkabout from James Vance Marshall. I remember watching the movie as a kid and had to try the book. Finally one of Jo's books. She really likes the stories of Cathy Kelly and I used to try and get her one for Xmas.

So there you go. A variety of books, ages, genres for you to check out. Enjoy and also enjoy your weekend.