Between the Wars discussion

I jumped over from another thread where we were talking about books in our stash. I am trying for a more organized house, does anyone organize their book cases in a specific way? Do you group fiction together? Or eras or genres together (like our dear Between the Wars type books)?

I just have never been able to figure out what works for me. I have a few "sections" in my book cases, like Victorian women writers, for example. Does anyone have a way of organizing to recommend?

I do have some vague organization to my shelves - Classics, Biographies, History, Canadian authors, etc. I have one bookcase just for Mysteries. At least that way I know generally where I have to go to find something. Favourites are more prominently displayed, as I have two rows deep for the paperbacks.

Our master bedroom has built-in bookshelves on one entire wall, so when I've read a book and deem it 'worthy' it goes onto these shelves, organized by genre then by author within that genre. I have a few series that go on specific shelves because they are shorter shelves and fit the series nicely, then in order of the series. There are two shelves for non-fiction, organized by subject, and by exact time within that subject (general histories go first, by author).

Unread books go on shelves in a finished attic, and are divided into classics, regular fiction, non-fiction (again by subject) and then I have a separate, just-for-fun section where I put quick reads like mysteries/thrillers that nobody would count as great literature but are great for pure fun.

If they are deemed 'unworthy' of going onto the shelves in the master bedroom, they are stacked indiscrimately on shelves in a different part of the attic and are open for friends/family to take. I periodically box up what's been picked over and donate them to a local non-profit.

Sorry for the long post, but I clearly have an opinion here :)

I should add that friends/family are also welcome to take books off the 'worthy' shelves but they do check them out (a close friend got me a library kit for Xmas one year as a gag gift, but I've put it to some serious use in the last several years!). It's not that I don't trust them not to return the books, it's more that I forget to whom I've loaned the book and sometimes get a little panicky when I can't remember where one of my books ran off to :)

Paula,

Your system sounds great. Sounds like it keeps your favorite books nearby and filters out ones you won't read again. The lending system is nothing to laugh at. I would like to set up something like that. I saw a kit for DVDs also.

All these sound like good ideas. The one that hit me was dividing by genre then alphabetizing within that section. That might work for me -- thanks. I see possibilities ahead!

I think what helped me the most, to be honest, was joining GR; it allowed me to get confirmation about which book belongs in which genre. I didn't realize I had so many Victorian, or modern, etc., until I joined various groups. I'm still torn with tweenies, though, like, which genre does The Forsyte Saga belong in? I need to know because I'm almost done with it and don't know how to shelve it!!

Wow, Paula, you ARE organized!

I gave away several cartons of books to a friend during our recent move, as I realized that I would never have time to read them again, nor want to, since they were fun but not absolute "keepers". That also left shelves free that just cried out for new books, and guess what - there's no more room again!

Wow, you are all making me look bad. :( I have shelves for my books, his books, and the girl has her own shelves. I also have at least two bookcases for homeschool materials and books. Things are grouped together, at least by author when I have several (like all the Christie, Austen, Grimes, etc). I know where a book should be approximately, but that's about it!! Have fun organizing. I'm going to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie, instead. :)

Let me know what you think of the movie, Jeannette. We're planning to see Sherlock this week as well.

Well, not likely I will get this all accomplished today either, Jeannette, without a trip to the movies! ha ha But my books have to find a place of harmony with my art supplies - and now my crochet yarn. You know how it is! And my husband is around for a few days to help me organize, so now's the time.

Have fun and tell us about the Holmes movie, for those who haven't seen it yet!

Okay, but first I'm cleaning off my dresser......

It doesn't have books on it, does it? ha ha Mine does!

Lots of dust on it!!

Just got home from seeing Sherlock Holmes and really enjoyed it!! It is non-stop action, mystery and suspense, comedy and a little romance. BUT you have to put aside any and all ideas of the perfect Holmes and Watson. This Holmes doesn't sit in his room and think! By the end of the movie, I believed that Holmes and Watson could indeed have lived and worked this way. Very enjoyable two hours -- looking forward to seeing it again on dvd.

Thanks for the review, Jeannette. I've seen most versions of Holmes, so this will be interesting!

I am so glad you liked it, J. I hope I get to see it soon and now know it is worth paying for the theater!

Ok, I'm convinced and just talked my future sister-in-law to going and watching this movie this weekend - thanks Jeannette!

I hope everyone likes the movie! At a minimum you get to see Jude Law on the big screen. :)

Jude Law was who I imagined when I created one of my main characters. : )

I have a vague system for my books,Chick lit,favourite modern,favourite classic,historical,Japanese culture,cookery,filmed Books,Never to be lent....But I always seem to remmber exactly where they are in the house to the point of being at a friends and we were discussing a book she had not read but I had and didn`t think it worth her while buying as it hadn`t been much good and I could phone Husband and tell him what room,which Bookcase and shelf and how many Books along it was so that he could bring it when he came to collect me,both parties were most impressed!!!
Husband also said that that is howhe knows I do not have too many books if I still havethat level of recall without a proper system!!I told him I do,my system!!!

Impressive -- even down to the space on the shelf! Books are always floating around too much in my house! lol

Jeannette wrote: "Impressive -- even down to the space on the shelf! Books are always floating around too much in my house! lol"

I know I`m a book geek,but it`s a bit late to change now....

That doesn't surprise me at all about you DJ. It helps too that you simply have a love of books, right? I am pretty good at mentally locating mine too! My organizing is coming along pretty well I will add. You folks have helped me to think out my shelves. I have worked on a better arrangement of some of my genres already -- and some are still waiting for the vacuum cleaner! ha ha

Sarah wrote: "That doesn't surprise me at all about you DJ. It helps too that you simply have a love of books, right? I am pretty good at mentally locating mine too! My organizing is coming along pretty well I..."

Hi Sarah,
Yes I think you are right as I do have a profound love of all my Books.If I do not feel something draw me to a book I will not buy it(thank heavens really...LOL!).

A friend was looking at my shelves and said - "well, I see you have all your books together by author, and that the authors are in alpha order, but at least they aren't in aplha order within the author group." I said - "they are in order of publication date." He said - "oh, no, it's worse than I thought." Oh, well.

Only I understand the randomness amid the weird logic of my bookshelves. : )

I don't have much logic in my bookshelves, except possibly genre and then authors grouped within the genre. I certainly spend a lot of time looking for books, rather than knowing exactly where a book is!