On the Bookshelf
Some long time ago in this column I posed the idea of typing a personality, or diagnosing the mental status of someone based on their library. I have since, while standing in line at the local big-box discount store, wondered what our purchases could tell about us, our state of mind, and what we think is important. I looked at the cart of the person ahead of me in line, and saw fruit, vegetables, 100 bottles of water and some meat. Mine boasted some tuna steaks, coffee, tomatoes and a very large bag of candy, among other things. I almost asked the person tending the checkout if she ever got a laugh at what combinations of things people buy. But back to books. The idea of looking at what's on the bookshelves in someone's home as a clue to their ideas, socio-economic status, interests, and even evolution as a thinking being remains intriguing to me. To test my theory, here is a list of 10 books from 10 different bookshelves in my home. And that right there is a clue - there are ...
