Has the bookshelf become a dinosaur?
Bookshelves used to say something about personalities: Did the owners love collecting works on American history, or cyberpunk novels? Could you start a conversation based on a new acquaintance鈥檚 complete collection of John Muir鈥檚 writings, or the rows of Danielle Steel?
But those days are ending, , noting that Ikea has redesigned its iconic 鈥淏illy鈥� bookcase into a deeper-shelved model. 鈥淭he firm reckons customers will increasingly use them for tchotchkes, ornaments, and the odd coffee-table tome 鈥� anything, that is, except books that are actually read,鈥� the article snipes. The redesign follows the industry鈥檚 move toward e-books over paper, and downloads over brick-and-mortar stores. It鈥檚 a startling change; stressed that the Billy bookcase was built for the purpose of 鈥渟upporting and displaying books鈥�.
Even that story acknowledged the dual exhibitionist and inspirational nature of a bookcase, that it is (or at least can be) 鈥渁bout showing off how much you have read, or plan to read, or pretend to have read. You are subtly suggesting that you are the sort of person who keeps 'Finnegans Wake' handy, for example, just in case you ever fancy dipping in for a quick, albeit incomprehensible, catch-up.鈥�
There鈥檚 no "Finnegans Wake" on my home shelves, but I admit to keeping ancient college texts that I鈥檒l probably never read again, just because I remember the startling feelings evoked when they first opened my eyes to new ideas and cultures. I don鈥檛 want to part with the lovely leather-bound Kiplings that I bought with my husband-to-be (now my husband of many years). I鈥檓 glad I hung on to some old favorites 鈥� like the Louisa May Alcott and Madeleine L鈥橢ngle books I received as childhood gifts 鈥� long enough for my own children to enjoy them. I am indeed trying to prune my shelves, but only of books 鈥� and knick-knacks, for that matter 鈥� that don鈥檛 carry the same emotional power.
I can鈥檛 quite imagine bookcases going away, yet I realize that it鈥檚 been a while since I鈥檝e seen a record shelf or even a CD case displaying the owner鈥檚 musical tastes, which I鈥檝e always considered as much an announcement (or aspiration of character as a bookshelf. It鈥檚 a lot harder at a party to subtly browse the iTunes list of your new friends, or their Nooks.
The Economist noted, though, that one reason for the demise of the old Billy bookcase is the very anonymity that e-books provide. 鈥淩omance novels and crime blockbusters have proved particularly popular on e-readers, perhaps because it is difficult to tell from across the aisle of a bus whether someone is reading a bodice-ripper or Dostoevsky on their Kindle,鈥� the article said.
So maybe instead of mourning the old bookcase-look, the idea is to wait for access to your friends鈥� e-reading lists. If you do get to that electronic library, maybe it鈥檒l be an even truer peek at character.
Seattle writer Rebekah Denn blogs at
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