Here’s an article on buying intellectual books for home decorating, giving visitors the impression that the buyer has a formidible mind or at least keeps very good literary company. This reminds me of a story, which I believe Ravi Zacharias tells, of browsing a used bookstore and overhearing a man in overalls ask for a certain length of books, say 35 feet. He didn’t know what books to order. He just wanted to fill a 35′ long shelf so that his union boss would appear to have the intellect to negotiate with management.
A few decades back when I was an electrical apprentice a local millionaire businessman did exactly that for his huge library.
But on his nightstand was Sidney Sheldon’s “Bloodlines” hidden
no doubt from guests. Ego has no bounds.
I decorate with books.
But I love them.
And read them.
Green. I have an entire bookcase of green books.
And, a small book case of black ones.
Oh, and a shelf of red, which looks festive this time of year.
But, I love them more for their content.
The black ones are mostly Bibles and prayer books.
I don’t think my books have fooled anyone, though.
I used to acquire lots & lots of books, mostly very cheaply, partly because I thought I might need them someday, but partly because I love the look & feeling of being in a library and wanted to recreate it at home. But I’ll never get around to reading most of them, & now my wife has many of them up for sale on Amazon. I wouldn’t mind if someone gave her a nice sum for 35′ of my books.
Half-Price Books actually advertises that they sell books by the yard. for decorating.
That’s interest. Reader’s Digest Cond. Books are good ones for filling up shelves.
I have to say that I have purchased books for decor instead of reading, because cool-looking books appeal to me. I think I have only a couple of those though, and I’m not decorating with them so I guess I have failed there.
Currently, I’m looking for books with interesting spines.
Tbose look so great on a book shelf.