Book lust

The other day I was talking with one of my housemates about putting shelves up on the wall outside my room. Now, I had a totally underhanded reason for wanting shelves there - I want the challenge of building them and putting them up. But her arguments were equally out of left field to me: she thought that walls of books were tacky.

I stared at her blankly for a long moment, reduced to an incoherent: “But - but - but books!”

The thing is, she makes a good point. Lots of people who otherwise reject materialism and consumerism find their pulse racing and their mouths curving upwards into a smile at the thought of having lots of books. I know I’ve been dreaming of having my own personal library since I was old enough to to draw late fines at the local one. The experience of moving cross country certainly taught me to be selective with what books I buy, but the urge is still there, deep inside of me, this endless outrageous desire to have ALL the books.

(Which never ends well. Ask the Doctor.)

And you know, I can’t give a good reason why I think closets full of designer clothes are wasteful and luxury cars are ostentatious, but having your own personal library is an admirable life choice. Because knowledge or storytelling is more valuable than art or transportation? Because books are comparatively cheap? I don’t know that I can make those arguments.

So it’s in that spirit of humility and acknowledgement of my own flaws and the desire not to be devoured by angry book aliens that I offer you the following book porn:

1. The Anteneo Grand Splendid: a book store! in a theater! in Buenos Aires! (via)

2. The Book Barge: a book store! on a boat! in the UK! (via)

3. These bookshelves are doors. These doors are bookshelves. (via)

4. The best kids’ bookstore ever (via)

5. Rijkmuseum Library, Amsterdam, Netherlands (via)

6. The Book Tower at the Prague Library (via)

7. Concept design for the Stockholm City Library (via)

Whew. Is it hot in here or is it just me?