It is said that you can tell a lot about someone by the shoes they wear; we believe you can tell a lot about someone by studying their bookshelves. We have broken the owners of bookshelves into three categories depending on the books they own and how they are arranged: which category do you fall into?
The Faker
Colour coordinated, ordered by size, no dog-eared pages: this is the book collection of a Faker. While you may not have a passion for reading, you do have a passion for interior design. If books are “in” this season your newly-built shelves are bound to be filled with pastel coloured books, a collection of leather-bound volumes or a selection of the trendiest titles. You don’t care about the content of the book as much as the aesthetic appeal of the spine and the front cover. While it is not necessarily bad to appreciate the appearance of a book, the book owners of the next two categories would condemn you for not appreciating the words written inside the book as well as its appearance: you are a shallow book owner!
The Learner
If your books shelves are filled with encyclopaedias, atlases and textbooks it’s highly likely that you love to learn. While a thirst for knowledge is necessary in a student or an academic, there are many different types of book owners who love to learn. There are those who scour atlases and travel books, desperate for a taste of adventure and promises for the future. There are those who love anything old and historical and thrive on antiquity. There are those who love everything scientific and to pour over chemical equations and scientific discoveries. Whatever type of Learner you are, it will be apparent through your bookshelves. Whether you have a specific area of interest or are satisfied by any new knowledge, your bookcase will reflect this.
The Story Lover
This type of book owner comes in many forms. As with The Faker, many Story Lovers are also concerned with the book’s appearance. There are many people within this category who own multiple editions of the same book because they prefer one front cover to another or they found a rare edition in a second-hand shop. However, in contrast to The Faker, The Story Lover cares a great deal about the book’s content as well as its exterior. The Story Lover’s book case could, alternatively, appear as a jumble sale. There could be piles and piles of untamed books, well-read paperbacks and scuffed hardbacks scattered around in disarray. While this may not be the most respectful way to present books, it does display love and appreciation of the books and their content.