What does your book shelf say about you?

I once heard a suggestion that our bookshelves could be as revealing as the clothes we wear in terms of summing up ones personality.

To be honest, this makes me cringe a little when I think of my bookshelves (and my clothes for that matter).

If dreams were reality, I would have a personal library stacked floor to ceiling with a vast array of subject matter, authors and genres to select from.

I would have old, new and in between and it would be perfectly organised (alphabetically by author of course) and accessible with one of those rickety sliding ladders, whizzing round the walls.

However, in my actual home where I can’t even find a spot for the vacuum cleaner, I have made do with one fourshelved bookcase crammed into a corner of the hallway and another flimsy ensemble for my children’s books, which is so packed that it regularly spills over onto the floor.

Let’s think about it, how are your shelves arranged?

Are they arranged by theme, author or colour?

Or maybe by size as mine were as a child, neatly placed biggest to smallest.

Nowadays my books are certainly not organised, in fact, they aren’t even all standing up properly, with stacks laying on their sides.

I wonder what this says about my personality.

I like to imagine this says ‘you’re kooky, carefree and not locked into societal norms’ in reality perhaps it screams busy mum of two young boys with not enough hours in the day!

But, enough about how your shelves are displayed, what about the content?

Are your shelves lined with Tolkien and the complete Harry Potter series, a dreamer perhaps?

On the other hand, maybe you’re an adrenaline junkie, dosing up on heart pumping Stephen King late at night by candle light.

If you’re constantly on the look-out to learn, a devourer of information, it’s probably non-fiction all the way for you, or how about a racy romance if you’re looking for your happily ever after, or reminiscing over a long lost love.

Just as we can’t judge a book by its cover, I think it’s safe to say we can’t truly sum up a person by their literature choices or the state of their bookcase.

Whether your shelves are crammed with beloved books and want a fresh new read or you have no shelves but enjoy a good book, come down to the library — you’ll be spoilt for choice.

In summary, whatever your book selection and no matter the reason you chose it, it is fantastic . . . END OF STORY!