A Tour of My Bookshelf

I miss a lot of aspects about my home, but I especially miss my books. Every book I read holds my memories and thoughts, and since I left nearly all of them at home, I feel bookless. It is a strange sort of empty. To combat this, I found a picture of my beloved bookshelf, and I decided to write about all the lovely books and things it holds.

On top:

Various artwork from my friend Ali forms a backdrop for the top of my bookshelf. A few pictures dot the foreground, one of my third grade class in Portland, another of my 8th grade class, an image of my choir singing the national anthem at graduation, and a still of my nine-year-old self. My American Legion award and a Christmas cactus that is almost as old as I am complete the look.

First Shelf:

Home to my four favorite books, as well as a few classics, this shelf contains my jewelry boxes and and an image of my patron saint, St. Therese, from Austria. Recommended reads from this shelf include:

1.  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
3. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
4. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 
5. The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck by Brian Selznik
6. Peak and The Edge by Roland Smith

Second Shelf:

This is the shelf of random reads and a few book series I collected. My favorite Willow Tree Figurines frame the edges of this shelf. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart
2. Chasing Vermeer, The Wright Three, and The Calder Game by Blue Balliett
3. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
4. Chains and Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
5. If You Were Here by Alafair Burke

Third Shelf:

My final shelf has a few more of my favorite series and collections by my favorite authors, as well as all of my yearbooks. An angel from a dear friend along with my Baptism and graduation candles adorn the bottom of my bookshelf. Be sure to check out:

1. Anything by John Green
2. Anything by Heather Hepler
3. Anything by Jerry Spinelli
4. Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
5. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
6. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

My dorm shelf:

Along with my essential literature, my tiny dorm bookshelf boasts pictures of my high school girlfriends, my fellow graduating seniors from my dance studio, and my family in Skagen, Denmark.

A few of my favorite quotes and a dorm-approved battery candle decorate the corner. And I cannot forget my giant bottle of hand sanitizer that is preventing me from catching whatever disease the nearest freshman dorm has.

Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect. JK Rowling

Let your faith be bigger than your fear.

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. EE Cummings

Above my desk and bookshelf hangs my calendar with my favorite monthly quotes.

Even though I miss my bookshelf at home, I have created a miniature version that consumes far less space. Every day, looking at the elements of home and elements of my new college home away from home makes me happy, and so grateful for all the books I read and knowledge I pursue.