I have what builders call a “plant shelf” in my master bedroom. When my husband and I first moved into our home thirteen years ago (today!), I had no idea what to put on that shelf. I tried some leftover wedding flowers and random plants, but it didn’t look good at all. As I began collecting books, because I finally had a place to store them, I realized that they would look good on this plant shelf.
For the next few months, I’m going to share with you the titles of the books that are on this plant shelf, ten at a time. On it, I keep books that I’ve read and liked more than other books. (You could even say that most of these are favorites.) I find their presence there comforting. I recognize them, even without being able to see the type, from their colors and heights and placement. They are my friends. And sometimes, when I’m feeling particularly lonely or self-pitying, I look up and remember that I have many friends, and all of them wait for me within the books of this shelf.
I have previously posted about my many bookshelves here and here.
Today’s first ten books, on this particular shelf, are the following.
Our Sister Killjoy (1977) by Ama Ata Aidoo
Watership Down (1972) by Richard Adams
The Inferno (1555) by Dante Alighieri
Two or Three Things I Know for Sure (1995) by Dorothy Allison
A Simplified Map of the Real World (2013) by Stevan Allred
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (1991) by Julia Alvarez
The Blind Assassin (2000) by Margaret Atwood
The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing (1999) by Melissa Bank
The View from Pompey’s Head (1954) by Hamilton Basso
A Place Where the Sea Remembers (1993) by Sandra Benitez
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
That’s a very nice bookshelf!
Thank you!
Great photo! Love it!
Thanks!
I have two bookcases. One is full and the other one is getting there. Sometimes I buy books just for how the book cover looks on the shelf.
Book covers are beautiful and perfect for decorating. I do that too!
Oo what a lovely shelf! Perfect for books!
It is perfect. 🙂
A plant shelf…hmmmm….
It’s a bookshelf now!
I know. 🙂 I wonder if I could create one for my bedroom…
Cool use. When we ran out of space, we took a trip to IKEA for more shelves. So, many to read, so little time. I have not thought of “Watership Down” in years.
IKEA is a great place for shelves! We have many of those too. 🙂
Even I can put them together. Happy reading.
Emily, I have shared my guilt of starting and not finishing books. I saw something that applies to people like me. It said “every book is a mystery novel, if you don’t finish it.” Guilty as charged. BTG
Wow! It’s not often I see a list that I haven’t read very many of. I’ve only read two of yours! I’ll have to look into some of these.
I hoped this might highlight some great books and give people ideas of what to read next. Glad it worked!
Which 2 have you read?
Watership Down (years and years ago) and The Blind Assassin.
I love seeing what other people have on their shelves. And, I feel the same way about my shelves of books. I just like to look at them, and be reminded of the books I’ve read and the ones I have yet to read. 🙂
It is such an expansive and comforting feeling. Hard to describe!
What a great way to share your books! There are a few I’ve never heard of before but seem quite interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading! If you end up reading any of these, let me know how it goes.
Love this. Can’t think of better decor. And I agree that books make great friends.
The BEST decor, and the BEST friends!
Blind Assassin is a favorite, but not as much as Alias Grace ;-). And, having read Cavedweller and Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison, I somehow missed this one. So now I know what I shall be borrowing from the digital library next. Result. Thanks!
Enjoy more Allison! And yes, The Blind Assassin is a pretty darn awesome book. I think I may need to reread it soon.
I have that same Watership Down book in front of me in my study – it immediately jumped out at me.
I guess that speaks to the old friend status of books. You immediately recognized it!
You inspired this: http://norberthaupt.com/2015/02/09/books-our-old-friends/
Awesome! Everybody go and read this!
Love the concept and the post. Years ago I tried to write a short story about books on a bookshelf. Alas, it was abandoned. I think the unfinished manuscript is also lost. 😦
Emily, thanks for your post. We eagerly await the next chapter! 🙂
Thank you, Simon! You are always kind. Your lost manuscript sounds interesting. Maybe you could recreate it?
I love this. I have a book room in my house, and my goal is to have my large shelving unit containing the fiction books become filled with author-signed and favorite books. I am almost on the third shelf at this time. (I also have a large barrister that contains books like my Easton Presses, vintage Laura Ingalls Wilder collection and my antique geography texts.)
You have a vintage Laura Ingalls Wilder collection? I am SO jealous! Did you see the Google homepage on Saturday, for her birthday? It was adorable. (If you didn’t, I took a screen shot of it and I can email it to you.) And I love your idea to have signed books on one shelf. Very very cool!
Hello there! I have nominated you for the Liebster Award! You can check it out here:
https://autumnbyrd001.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/leibster-award/
I hope this allows you to connect with other fellow bloggers! *hugs*
Thank you! This is a kind gesture and I appreciate it. 🙂
No problem! I really enjoy your blog 🙂
Your bookshelves are so wonderful! I simply have cheap box-store “bookcases” and piles upon piles of neatly stacked tomes.
What version of Dante do you prefer? Personally, I enjoy Ciardi.
You are waaaay ahead of me with Dante. I just enjoyed being exposed to it as a undergrad!
if you want to read my story go to heroyal.wordpress.com and keep up with the chapters. :-p
Thanks for sharing.
Oh wow! How amazing to see a book I published in such illustrious company. Stevan will be thrilled, Emily. Thanks for sharing your lovely bookshelf; I’m working on making a Northwest authors’ one but it might have to be a whole bookcase because I keep running out of room.
A northwest authors’ bookshelf would be fitting and perfect! I love that idea.
A friend of mine made a Northwest one and shared photos, and it was a great resource for me to see who I haven’t read yet. I’m excited about your bookshelf series because it’ll do the same thing, and I know my taste is similar enough to yours that you’ll help me find some gems.
What a lovely little series! I’m glad to see that ‘Watership Down’ is on your favorites shelf. I only read it a couple of years ago and I couldn’t believe how amazing it was (or that with all the violence it was considered a kids’ book)!
It really is a fun read, but I’m not convinced it is for children either. It seems more for adults despite the animal characters. 🙂
I love the idea of having a bookshelf just for favourites.
It is a fun way to organize.
Reblogged this on oshriradhekrishnabole.
Thank you for your wonderful post. I look forward to seeing what books inspire you. We already have several in common. In our home we have a family favorites bookshelf with Harry Potter, Unfortunate Events, Bilbo and Frodo, “Watership Downs”. These are the books we read aloud or and all love. In my office are my favorite books about writing. In an area where visitors can peruse are the books that entertain or help folks remember their first love, adventure, or their youth. This is where Nicholas Sparks, Grisham, and “Where the Red Fern Grows” all live. As much as I love reading from a Kindle, if a book inspires, I want the firm feel of paper and binding; I want to share these friends with visitors; And I want to be able to flip through pages to find the passage that haunts.
I love the feel of real books too. I tried e-books but didn’t like the experience. It sounds like you have some wonderful shelves!