Louisa Cornell, ladydawgfan, KateS and Kelly Ryan are the winners of Fun Contest Saturday!
Lori Austin's (aka Lori Handeland) An Outlaw in Wonderland has been named one of Publisher Weekly's Best Summer Books of 2013!!
A big CONGRATULATIONS to Goddesses Lori Austin (Lori Handeland) and Sabrina Jeffries for being named as RITA finalists for their historical romances BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER and A LADY NEVER SURRENDERS!
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Charlotte Bronte
Jane Austen
“I believe it then to be quite simply true that books have their own very personal feeling about their place on the shelves. They like to be close to suitable companions, and I remember once on coming into my library that I was persistently disturbed by my ‘Jane Eyre’. Going up to it, wondering what was the matter with it, restless because of it, I only after a morning’s uneasiness discovered that it had been placed next to my Jane Austens, and anyone who remembers how sharply Charlotte criticized Jane will understand why this would never do.”
Hugh Walpole, ‘These Diversions: Reading’ (1926)
How do you organize your books? Alphabetically? By genre? By size? Do you feel, as Hugh Walpole did, that they have a feeling about where they are placed? And did you hear how Miss Bronte was not overly impressed with Miss Austen?
And how excited are you about all the Goddess releases coming out this month?
33 Comments on “Let’s talk about books”
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I have a couple of ways I organize my books, alphabetically by author and then alphabetically by title. If the books are part of a series I will group them numerically. My reference books are by subject such as history, art, magic and then by author. I realize I am OCD about my books but I am comfortable in my illness; and I can always put my hand on the book I want.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 3:46 am.
I organize my books according to author, their place in a series and if they correspond with any other author’s work. For example, I have my Sherrilyn Kenyon novels normally placed with my Robin D Owens ones because they did an anthology together. My system is not organized properly at the moment because I only have the one book case when I actually need about three but that will have to wait until Gamer Dude and I get our own place (I am looking for one with a sun room so then I can have my books in there along with a comfy chair and small table. I probably would also have my study in the sun room so that I can make use of the tops of the bookcases to place my uni textbooks on.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 4:50 am.
I organize first by genre. We have all manner of books, including a great number of non-fiction. After genre comes alphabetically by author’s last name, or alphabetically by subject matter for non-fiction. Finally, alphabetically by title, if the books are non-fiction. The fiction books for the kids’ books gets put in order by series. Other than that, it’s free form for within an author’s section on my shelves.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:04 am.
for my paperback bookcase, I organize by author
for my living room bookcase, I organize with a non fiction fiction shelf, a travel book shelf and a couple fiction shelves.
that is the intent and vague groupings.
in reality, i shuffle my books around so much, it’s a wonder i can locate one at any given time. right now it seems to be. those I have read with stacks of borrowed books in front, alternating with stacks of owned but have yet to read.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:42 am.
but my paperback bookcase remains intact! ta da! lol
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:42 am.
I organize alphabetically by author. I also put a sticky note on any books by that author that are connected ie. if characters appear in multiple books. Right now most of my books are in boxes because I have ran out of space for them in my bookcase. I really am in need of a clean up.
Squeeee! This is such a great month of new releases! I have promised myself a lot of reading time this month!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:55 am.
I am excited about the releases!
At one time, my books were organized by type, and then alphabetically within. Like all my historical fiction books were together. All my contemps. Sadly, it’s a huge freaking mess now. And let’s not even get started on the kindle
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:02 am.
Have no clue how or if I’d want to organize my kindle.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:24 am.
I did not know I could organize my Nook. I’ll have to look into that sometime.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:11 pm.
Last ? 1st-YES YES YES! Late Feb can’t get here fast enough.
I’m forced to organize by author, then size because my books are in rows stacked up rows.
That Bronte/Austen thing sounds like something’s I knew 20 years ago when did my tour through the Bronte sisters. So my Austen’s are next to my Hardys.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:23 am.
Mine are in a pile, stack, mess. They used to be alphabetical for keepers and oldest to newest for the TBR. No longer.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:29 am.
I put all the book from same author in same place
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 10:35 am.
Stupid computer ate my answer.
I have only one bookshelf in my tiny apartment. It holds some of my mystery books and dvds. J.D. Robb, Kathy Reichs, James Patterson’s Women’s Mystery Club, Richard Castle and Paul Levine’s Soloman vs Lord series. Plus Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth Series are all organized by publication date.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 11:23 am.
Out in my storage shed, books are in plastic tote boxes. Some authors have multiple boxes. The boxes are not organized except the ones I have not added to in years are on the bottom: Piers Anthony’s Xanthe from high school, Arnette Lamb and Elizabeth Peters.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 11:27 am.
I alphabetize by author, oldest to newest. I have 3 book cases and each has something different. Religious & self help in one bookcase, hardbacks in another and paperbacks in the last one.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 11:57 am.
I organize my books alphabetically by author – but as I get in more books, they don’t stay alphabetically for long. LOL.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 11:57 am.
I have my books by author in the few bookcases I have. The rest are in plastic totes and a few boxes. I think I need to make one room just bookcases. I would allow my husband one for his Louis Lamour books but the rest would be filled by me.
My regular kindle you can make folders so I group them by author. I wish the Fire did the same but I can sort by title or author if I need to.
Although time is going by too fast and I hate to hurry another month, I can’t wait till the end of the month for all the new releases.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:39 pm.
I wish my books were organized. I tend to read by theme though.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:02 pm.
My 3 bookcases are organized by author, altho not alphabetically. My husband’s is haphazard. My Kindle is now grouped by authors’ folders (usually more than one & other fun groupings- I put free books in folders monthly so that I can find them easier later- also have groups for holiday stories, westerns, etc). I have over 1000 books on the Kindle and probably 600 or more books around the house! Hope I don’t have to move again soon!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:02 pm.
You can put books in folders in Kindle!?!?! OMG! Now i will get worse!!!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 4:32 pm.
The only logic to our shelves is the clear separation of fiction from nonfiction. The nonfiction does have some general period/country organization, but size of book can affect that. The fiction is sort of all just there. I have no trouble finding fiction books when I look for them—I seem to go right to the spot despite the lack of organization. I must recognize the spines.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:13 pm.
I organize my books by favourite author, and by series, with all the books in the series in order.
I’m VERY excited about the new books coming out! My TBR pile is getting bigger and bigger, but the way I see it, it’s a good thing. That way I’ll have plenty to read once I’m finished writing, and after my twins are born. I figure that I’ll probably be in bed for a while afterward, and what better to do when the babies are sleeping, than read?!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:18 pm.
I try to keep them organized by author. I love each and every one of them and they are my treasures. Seeing them lined up makes me so happy. Books are the best!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 2:56 pm.
Let’s just say I’m lucky if all my books are ON the shelves. I’ve run out of room and have some stored in boxes on top of my armoire. Others are in TBR stacks, while others are in other boxes under my desk. I do have some small stacks of hardcovers on top of my bookshelves. The books in the bookshelves are primarily by author, although some have gotten mixed up. My Kindle Fire is organized by author, but I think my Kindle is dying. The battery keeps emptying out in a very short period of time. The replacement batteries don’t get very high ratings.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 3:48 pm.
I am no longer close to the border on orgnaizing my books.. I have crossed it.. at high speed.. not only do I organize my books by alphabet, & the anthologies have their own shelf.. and I have a note book..it is a thing of wonder. (wondering about my sanity, ha!) – the pages are in alphebetic order, tabbed w/names..written in are the paper versions (+300 i think!), and printed are the ebooks(almost 400!)-and easily moved to allow for new authors. My gem of a husband indulges me with my books- and it does not get in the way of our other hobbies- model rail roading & classic cars!!
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 4:28 pm.
Oh, and I have a smaller book case for my TBR’s…
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 4:46 pm.
Right now, they are a flipping mess… However, once my daughter, her hub and their precious daughter move into their apartment next month, I’m planning my Mama Cave, which will house my library of books, CD’s and DVD’s.
My TBR scares me…it’s ginormous, and it grows monthly. 
They used to be organized by genre, then by author. The series books (my Nora trilogies, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, and Karen Moning books), were by author first, then were all alpha according to the title of the first in the series. My movies are sorted by genre first. I like having the kids flicks within easy reach of Munchkin Girl, so she can choose which one she wants. And trust me, she may only be 17 months old, but she KNOWS which ones she likes and can pick them out by the spine. The books she likes, too. She knows the spines of those, too, the smart little stinker.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 5:28 pm.
I like to organize them by genre but right now they are kind of in a mess, haven’t had time to straighten them out.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 7:05 pm.
I have two bookshelves, one large and one small.
I have them organized by author. In the smaller one,
I keep my favorites authors’s books and the large one,
the books I wish to keep but not necessary my favorites reads. I organize the section for the author’s books that I have read in one direction and in another direction, the ones to be read. I know, it’s complicated but it works perfectly with me. And to identify, the books I win or receive as a gift, I add a small star on the cover. That way
I can see which one are so special to me and signed. If I have 2 books the same, I give them to my granddaughter who is also addicted to books.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 7:07 pm.
On my kindle my books are alphabetized by author, unless, I can’t remember the author or title of a new book. Then, I change it to recent. As for my tangible books, they are grouped by author in the fiction department. As for my nonfiction books, they are organized by subject and size. I can’t stand to have uneven books. It visually unappealing. I avoid looking at Animation Dude’s books because they’re all choppy and unorganized.
I’m excited for all the February releases!! New books to read!
I can’t wait
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 8:43 pm.
My go to, absolute favorite authors, are organized by author. However, I do have some in several baskets that are a mix of authors.
On my Kindle Fire, my books are organized by author. I didn’t realize that you could create folders or such for authors. I need to check this out.
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 11:56 pm.
My daughter alphabetizes the bookcase & woe betide!!! I’m always in trouble.
Posted on February 3, 2013 at 4:40 am.
I only have one bookshelf, and that one is all for one type of books, which are separated by genres, faves, and foreign language ones.
The bins that have my books are separated into a certain organization of sorts. One HUGE bin has my fave books, and they are grouped by authors, though chronological order is not important. Two bins each have a fave author’s books, while the rest are all hodgepodge. I also got a bin for some of my TBR books, grouped by authors. Same for the under-storage bins. I need more bins and bookshelves, though I have no room for them.
My Kindle is organized into genres, with a folder specifically for my fave authors. My Nook is organized into authors, though I hadn’t used it long.
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 12:05 am.