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Show us your bookshelves
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We’re collecting readers’ photos showing how they keep their volumes. Any special sorting systems? Vertical or stacked? Send your pictures to eds@tucson.com. Include the photographer’s name and a description of what we’re seeing.
Bookshelves
Writers Judy Ray (“From Place to Place,” “To Fly Without Wings”) and David Ray (“Hemingway: A Desperate Life”) surround themselves with volumes of poetry, fiction, art and biographies. Poetry collections are alphabetized by author. Photo by Mike Nicksic.
Bookshelves
Writers Judy Ray (“From Place to Place,” “To Fly Without Wings”) and David Ray (“Hemingway: A Desperate Life”) surround themselves with volumes of poetry, fiction, art and biographies, many inscribed by their authors. Poetry collections are alphabetized by author, and many of their books are kept in glass-fronted shelves. Photo by Mike Nicksic.
Bookshelves
Writers Judy Ray (“From Place to Place,” “To Fly Without Wings”) and David Ray (“Hemingway: A Desperate Life”) surround themselves with volumes of poetry, fiction, art and biographies, many inscribed by their authors. Poetry collections are alphabetized by author. Photo by Mike Nicksic.
Bookshelves
Writers Judy Ray (“From Place to Place,” “To Fly Without Wings”) and David Ray (“Hemingway: A Desperate Life”) surround themselves with volumes of poetry, fiction, art and biographies, many inscribed by their authors. Poetry collections are alphabetized by author, and many of their books are kept in glass-fronted shelves. Photo by Judy Ray.
Bookshelves
An 80-year-old quilt colorfully frames these shelves at the home of Gerry Murano, who brings an idiosyncratic approach to organization. "I like arranging my bookcases somewhat categorically but mostly artistically. This bookcase houses some of my favorites and most referred to: my reference library for my job as an editorial proofreader, my books about words, and my books about books."
The quilt "complements my preference to stack books both vertically and horizontally, depending how they fit best on the shelf and how they look. The other books in this case include a stack of novels I want to read, rows of favorites I like to recommend to others, art books, and some favorite vintage books about Arizona and Mexico."
Bookshelves
Do-it-yourselfer Kurt Schlaefer of Picture Rocks keeps it simple. "From my early days of living on my own I've always built my bookshelves out of blocks and boards, which is true to this day! I love all kinds of books. Some of my favorites come from my family dating back to the 1800s."
Bookshelves
Literature never dies, but it can pile up. Tucsonan Andrew Rutter knows the feeling: "We hate them; we love them. We trip over them, we sit on them. They gather dust; they fall over. They cause interruptions to our interrupting. They are a nuisance and a pleasure to hold and behold. Science, art, music, government, poetry, religion, war; all commingled, fighting for space. A complete set of Jack London, a 100-year-old 14 volume set of Dickens. Above all, they are read."
Bookshelves
Literature never dies, but it can pile up. Tucsonan Andrew Rutter knows the feeling: "We hate them; we love them. We trip over them, we sit on them. They gather dust; they fall over. They cause interruptions to our interrupting. They are a nuisance and a pleasure to hold and behold. Science, art, music, government, poetry, religion, war; all commingled, fighting for space. A complete set of Jack London, a 100-year-old 14 volume set of Dickens. Above all, they are read."
Bookshelves
Literature never dies, but it can pile up. Tucsonan Andrew Rutter knows the feeling: "We hate them; we love them. We trip over them, we sit on them. They gather dust; they fall over. They cause interruptions to our interrupting. They are a nuisance and a pleasure to hold and behold. Science, art, music, government, poetry, religion, war; all commingled, fighting for space. A complete set of Jack London, a 100-year-old 14 volume set of Dickens. Above all, they are read."
Bookshelves
Literature never dies, but it can pile up. Tucsonan Andrew Rutter knows the feeling: "We hate them; we love them. We trip over them, we sit on them. They gather dust; they fall over. They cause interruptions to our interrupting. They are a nuisance and a pleasure to hold and behold. Science, art, music, government, poetry, religion, war; all commingled, fighting for space. A complete set of Jack London, a 100-year-old 14 volume set of Dickens. Above all, they are read."
Bookshelves
In this book corner, Neil and Joline Albaugh of Three Points incorporated a North African motif. "We do love our library," they say. "About 12 years ago, we turned our dining room/living room into a library. They were stock bookcases, which the builder customized with trim. Neil designed the Egyptian carvings that went into the bottom portions of the cases."
Bookshelves
Sturdy shelving and natural light — what more could a bibliophile want? This sitting area is in the home of Jeanie Lichty.
Bookshelves
"I have exactly 3,166 books," says Tucsonan Andrew Cox, who claims one of the biggest occult book collections in Arizona. He said he also collects nonfiction books on "mythology/folklore, ancient history, ufology, cryptozoology, paranormal research, alternative history, religion, witchcraft, magick (yes magick with a K), archaeology, secret societies, conspiracy theory, and more."
"I also collect oddities."
Bookshelves
"I have exactly 3,166 books," says Tucsonan Andrew Cox, who claims one of the biggest occult book collections in Arizona. He said he also collects nonfiction books on "mythology/folklore, ancient history, ufology, cryptozoology, paranormal research, alternative history, religion, witchcraft, magick (yes magick with a K), archaeology, secret societies, conspiracy theory, and more."
"I also collect oddities."
Bookshelves
"I have exactly 3,166 books," says Tucsonan Andrew Cox, who claims one of the biggest occult book collections in Arizona. He said he also collects nonfiction books on "mythology/folklore, ancient history, ufology, cryptozoology, paranormal research, alternative history, religion, witchcraft, magick (yes magick with a K), archaeology, secret societies, conspiracy theory, and more."
"I also collect oddities."
Bookshelves
"I have exactly 3,166 books," says Tucsonan Andrew Cox, who claims one of the biggest occult book collections in Arizona. He said he also collects nonfiction books on "mythology/folklore, ancient history, ufology, cryptozoology, paranormal research, alternative history, religion, witchcraft, magick (yes magick with a K), archaeology, secret societies, conspiracy theory, and more."
"I also collect oddities."
Bookshelves
Joseph and Toni Kane, who moved to Oro Valley in 2005 from Chicago, turned an unused dining room into a library. "The room currently provides space for a camera collection, fiction and nonfiction books and various art and pottery items."
Bookshelves
Janice Molina is one of J.A. Jance's biggest fans, owning all the mystery novelist's books. "I have had the privilege of meeting her and I try to attend a book signing event for each new book," Molina says.
"This little home library ... was a closet in a bedroom, but is now a library in a den," Molina says of a corner set aside for Jance's works. "My favorite is "Tombstone Courage." It's her Joanna Brady series, which takes place in Cochise County. My husband was born and raised in Tombstone, so that title automatically caught my attention. From reading that first book, I was hooked on J.A. Jance."
Bookshelves
One of Emily Morrison's half-dozen bookcases, this one tucked behind a bedroom door. "The larger end of each shelf allows for photo albums," she says. "I have one for every year we've been married (33!)."
Bookshelves
Wendi Solinger maximizes her space. "Here are the bookshelves in my office/library," she writes. "I have others all around my house, but these have the most. I keep all the fine arts books in the first bookshelf, history & biography in the second. Novels in the others, all one author's books together. Many of the shelves are two-books deeps and if you look closely, they're also stacked in the corner between."
Bookshelves
Wendi Solinger maximizes her space. "Here are the bookshelves in my office/library," she writes. "I have others all around my house, but these have the most. I keep all the fine arts books in the first bookshelf, history & biography in the second. Novels in the others, all one author's books together. Many of the shelves are two-books deeps and if you look closely, they're also stacked in the corner between."
Bookshelves
A clean, well-lighted place: "We built this on moving into our Sam Hughes home in 1967," says Larry McIntyre.
Bookshelves
"We have too many books, frankly," says David Slutes, who explains how he and Faitha Lowe-Bailey keep them. Short story: Color-coding works.
"My wife’s curatorial eye immediately saw the opportunity to do something interesting with them. Voila! Sort by color. We employed several Ikea Expedit bookshelves on the other side of the room for the black and white bound books. Black books in the white shelves, white books in the black shelves. We swear it’s not difficult to find books, either. Turns out our memory of books extends to what color their binding is. We go right to them…!
"We still have some breakout collections not pictured – my wife’s sorted by author – Anthony Trollope, Muriel Sparks and Edith Wharton collections, etc. and mine sorted by theme - Tucson history and travel collections, for example."
Bookshelves
"We have too many books, frankly," says David Slutes, who explains how he and Faitha Lowe-Bailey keep them.
"My wife’s curatorial eye immediately saw the oportunity to do something interesting with them. Voila! Sort by color. We employed several Ikea Expedit bookshelves on the other side of the room for the black and white bound books. Black books in the white shelves, white books in the black shelves. We swear it’s not difficult to find books, either. Turns out our memory of books extends to what color their binding is. We go right to them…!
"We still have some breakout collections not pictured – my wife’s sorted by author – Anthony Trollope, Muriel Sparks and Edith Wharton collections, etc. and mine sorted by theme - Tucson history and travel collections, for example."
Bookshelves
"We have too many books, frankly," says David Slutes, who explains how he and Faitha Lowe-Bailey keep them.
"My wife’s curatorial eye immediately saw the oportunity to do something interesting with them. Voila! Sort by color. We employed several Ikea Expedit bookshelves on the other side of the room for the black and white bound books. Black books in the white shelves, white books in the black shelves. We swear it’s not difficult to find books, either. Turns out our memory of books extends to what color their binding is. We go right to them…!
"We still have some breakout collections not pictured – my wife’s sorted by author – Anthony Trollope, Muriel Sparks and Edith Wharton collections, etc. and mine sorted by theme - Tucson history and travel collections, for example."
Berlin and Donham
Three bookshelves stacked together creates a book-covered wall at the home of Andi Berlin and Housten Donham.
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