Get on the case and set about organising books

Alphabetising, browsing, categorising and deliberating... Rab takes a trip down memory lane as he puts this time of being at home to good use and sorts out his extensive book collection

In these peculiar times, many folk have sought ways to amuse themselves at home. This isn’t a problem for a homebody like me. My home is my castle. Is that a moat point? Or is it just that I’ve got Turrets Syndrome? Here’s an idea: Organise your stuff. Many of you may remember how I lectured you recently on the subject of putting CDs, LPs and DVDs in order on your shelves. Some of you, I know, will have cut out that article and now keep it in your pocket for handy reference. At the time, I hadn’t yet started organising my books. After moving into this house, I just put them on the shelves higgledy, and in some cases piggledy, promising myself I’d sort them later.

Well, it’s later now, and I’ve done it – up to a point (all fiction; keeping non-fiction for a sunny day). It’s been a stressful, draining experience. What does Lord Dunsany, author of The King of Elfland’s Daughter and Jorkens Has A Large Whiskey, go under? L or D? What about H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs?

That sort of dilemma can keep me awake at night.

But I persevered, at least with the fiction. I might get a tradesman in to sort the non-fiction. I divided the fiction into several categories, but not too many – children’s, foreign, historical, fruit-based, and so forth. On a previous occasion, I divided my DVDs into too many categories – foreign, old British, children’s, sci-fi and so forth – with the result that I could never find anything.

A confession: Earlier in this homily, I misled you slightly. While it’s true that there were stressful decisions to be made, once I settled into the evening, I had a most enjoyable experience.

I lit candles and put on my wee electric lights that magically change colour. Sound-wise, I chose selections from my favourite genre, prog rock, focusing in particular on the quintessentially English Canterbury Scene, of which I’m very fond. Nothing like a bit of Matching Mole or an aural visit to The Land of Grey and Pink.

As to the books, so many brought back memories, particularly when prompted by inscribed dates and places. In my mind, I pictured the bookshops and their streets many years ago. Often, they were second-hand emporia run by eccentrics. Occasionally, I recalled buying a book when doing so left little over for something to eat.

I’ve always thought of myself as being a bit dense, and so was surprised when I delved into some tomes from my younger days and discovered that they were right sophisticated, all deep philosophy and heavy art. I can’t imagine I understood any of it.

I’m sure I was more at home with my series of Richard Gordon’s “Doctor” books and the many “Saint” stories by Leslie Charteris. I’d forgotten I’d so many novels by HE Bates. As for my PG Wodehouse collection, it’s so vast it has a separate bookcase of its own. I had to laugh at some of the alphabetical juxtapositions: Dostoyevsky next to The Good Life (Esmonde, J., and Larbey, B.). In the end, I stuck Lord Dunsany in between them. Problem solved. When it was all done, dilemmas sorted and everything in its place, I slept like a baby.

Picture: Shutterstock. An organised bookcase not only looks pleasing, it can make finding what you’re looking for much easier.