Thursday, December 16, 2010

Give Me Fever





I'll never forget it. I was 12 years old, and my father had just picked my friends and me up from a birthday party. As we drove past a library, we saw an ambulance out front. Want to know what dear old Dad said? "Uh oh. Looks like someone had a book attack!" Well, you know, I died. Seriously died. Wanted to crawl underneath the front seat of the car. I think that I lost all street cred right then and there. Thanks a lot, Dad! As we say in my family, "It's another one of Dad's jokes."

Well, I'm having a book attack right now. Actually, more like book withdrawals thanks to my One Kings Lane sale a few weeks ago. (And by the way, a big thank you to everyone who bought my books. I just know that they have found very good homes.) The problem is that there are holes in my bookshelves now, and I'm jonesing for more books. As Bruce Dickinson- yes, the Bruce Dickinson- might say, "I gotta fever, and the only prescription is...more books!" (Click here if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.)

So where am I going with this random post? Straight to photos of libraries where it's obvious that the owners gotta fever for books- just like me.




In his Chicago loft, designer Mark Radcliff has created the perfect spot to luxuriate amongst his books. I feel a book attack coming on.




Admit it. You stopped and stared at this photo in the January issue of Architectural Digest. I want to raid Friederike Kemp Biggs' bookshelves.




Booze and books...always a good combination. Gets your mind off of your worries. That and the outrageous number of books in your home.





Manuel Canovas has quite the library, from decoys to design. After all, variety is the spice of life.




The studio apartment of Sam Watters. All of those books and a fur throw on the sofa? I'd never leave.


(Top image: a stack of my books. Image #2 courtesy of Mark Radcliff. #3 from January 2011 issue of Architectural Digest, Derry Moore photographer . #4 from Southern Accents. #6 from Living Well.)

16 comments:

  1. Like the shelving and a library is key. I think a must for my family room redo, too.
    L.

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  2. ah...only a Dad!
    Booze and books what else is there?

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  3. So true-Jennifer, and as LMF says the key is lots of shelves, though I have a library that looks full a day or two of moving and resorting provides lots of room for having book attacks-I like that. My perfect room in my dream space of living in one room is them wall to wall- a library house.

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  4. Talking from the heart!!! I can join in right there with you! T o prove it, I just posted on reading nooks and what I am reading now... Books are my live!
    By the way, I have my first give away today, it's a book(!)
    And a very lovely interview with Eco chic Emily Anderson! Any interest?

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  5. When I saw you selling your treasure trove, I thought - she'll regret that! haha. I don't know what I'd do without my books -they're like friends. I'm sure someday I'll be the crazy man who is crushed to death by piles of books!

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  6. After falling in love with an etagere posted by AD, it started an avalanche...of books! The bookcase was too tall for my living room and I had to move it to my 9' dining room. Future plans had me turning that room more like a library where one could eat by the fire. I got a head start, and I love the way the books look, especially in the firelight. I call books on display: living with friends with spines. Love them.

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  7. J --

    This made me laugh out loud. The dad part, that is. Those moments always seemed to happen when it was time to be picked up from a slumber party or from the Food Court at Lenox.

    Love the shelves here of course too!

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  8. This photo of New York decorator Russel Bush’s apartment from Rooms to Inspire in the City (Rizzoli) is what might happen to both of us if we don't get our problem under control. Is there a 12-step program for people like us?
    http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/library-an-embarrassment-of-riches/

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  9. Libations in the library! I love it.

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  10. Chris- I meant to use that photo from Rooms to Inspire and completely forgot! How stupid! I completely think that we need to embark on a 12-step program :)

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  11. I love your father's joke but I can imagine as I teenage daughter,ihow mortifying it might have been! I am a total book junkie as well but unlike lucky you, I have NO bookshelf space left. I was in heaven when I found a photo of a bathroom with bookshelves the other day!!

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  12. Oh all those books!!! love the post..xx peggybraswelldesign.com

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  13. Yes, I did stop and stare.

    As to your withdrawal---I sold off a huge part of my very serious design and architecture library a couple or three years ago---a combination of space demands and economic necessity, and of course, the greater availability of research material on the internet. I made thousands, of course, and though the withdrawal was severe, I really and truly miss only a dozen titles, like Richard Pratt's David Adler (although the 1200 dollars I got for it was great)

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  14. My favorite........."friends with spines"!!!

    Divine post......my husband cannot believe when those packages from Amazon arrive........"More books???"

    Oh well.......you guys all understand........and as long as I still have decorating jobs (he does the business side)

    I am safe........for now. There are just so many divine books.........

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  15. please come to baltimore! we can help you.

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  16. I think I might have a book attack as well! So beautiful!

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