Bibliophily

I was in the Co-Op Bookshop at work today, buying a book, titled The Species Seekers, Heroes, Fools and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth. Exquisite. I also picked up another book called Books Do Make a Room, which was basically filled with beautiful photos of bookshelves and book cases in various homes. I loved it. And it caused me to reflect on just how much I do love books. I love reading them as well, but I think you can love the book as an object and something of promise just as much as actually something to read. So, I thought I'd take a pic of my book cases in my study. Poxy pic, I know. I'd really like a floor to ceiling bookcase all along one wall..,.heaven.
I still have one of my earliest books, The King Bear, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to find it this evening when I took this pic. My mum, Elaine, bought The King Bear for me from Ell's Bookshop in Newcastle, when I was about 8. Ell's was having a sale and they had a primitive catalogue in the Newcastle Herald, so mum let me select a book from the catalogue which she bought the next day when she 'went into town', as we called going into Newcastle city (we lived in the western suburbs).

Anyway, the books in the pic are also books I've had since I was 7 or 8. My aunty Maid gave me the Bafut Beagles for Christmas, which led me to a deep interest in the writings and life of the naturalist, Gerald Durrell. The Children's Animal World was a close companion of mine throughout my early years while Roger Connant's Snakes and Other Reptiles was probably my first reptile book. I love the smell of a new book. I love finding a rare, old book in a second hand bookshop. I just love books.