Laura Lippman’s Bookcases Were Out Of Control. Paring Down Would Change How She Thought Of Her Shelves (And Herself).
WHEN I WAS A YOUNG INTERN at the Atlanta Constitution many years ago, the television critic returned from a California junket where reporters had been invited to tour the Malibu home of Larry Hagman, then at the height of his Dallas fame. (I said it was many years ago.) The critic laughed at how the writers had formed a line at Hagman’s bookshelves and begun jotting down the titles, keen to find any detail that would make their stories distinctive.
But I absorbed a different message: Your bookshelves define you. People walk into your home and create a narrative of who you are based on the books on display.
And for more than 30 years, across eight moves and four states, I was in thrall to that idea. My bookshelves, c’est moi. Look how erudite I am, how eclectic! That one course in 18th- and early 19th-century Russian lit helped a lot there. Dostoevsky and Tolstoy are commonplace, but what about Lermontov’s A Hero of Our Time?
I left college with at least six cartons of books, moving to Texas to work at newspapers where I initially made very little money. But that didn’t stop me from acquiring more books. In Waco, I bought them from secondhand stores and the remaindered table at B. Dalton at the mall. In San Antonio, I patronized Rosengren’s; when Rosengren’s went out of business, I bought some of their shelves to hold my burgeoning collection. I bought books in my hometown of Baltimore, along so-called Book Row, then all over New York City and New Orleans in the years that followed. I had so little self-control when it came to books that I inadvertently ended up with some valuable modern first editions, including Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees. Well, they would be valuable, except I like to read in the bathtub, which makes it difficult to keep hardcovers in the condition desired by collectors.
This story is from the September 2018 edition of Real Simple.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2018 edition of Real Simple.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
IF YOU WANT TO lean into native plants
\"Natives\" is an umbrella term for plants that are indigenous to your area. That means they're already adapted to your climate, may require less tending, and are amenable to your pollinators.
IF YOU WANT TO help the pollinators
The bees (and the butterflies, moths, wasps, and hummingbirds) need you! Make smart planting choices now to get your yard buzzworthy.
Cut the Clutter Clear out what's taking up space in your homeand your mind.
Clutter tends to sneak up on you. One minute, you have a coat closet full (but not too full) of coats. The next, it's bursting at the hinges with sports equipment, pet supplies, broken appliances, and, yeah, way too many puffers.
NERDING OUT - BIRDSONG
How the twittering set learns to speak
SMART MONEY - THE FINANCIAL DECISION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Sometimes, one thoughtful shake-up can make a big difference.
RELATING - A Natural Connection
The key to good health-for us and the planet-lies in rekindling our relationship to the dirt and the trees.
Modern Manners for Your Social Dilemmas
CINDY ASKS... A pet peeve of mine is when I'm saying something to a friend, and the friend takes out their phone and begins scrolling or typing. I'm more of a listener than a talker, so it especially hurts when I've fully listened to a friend, then I start to speak and they turn their attention to their phone. I'm tempted to say, \"Oh, am Iboring you?\" or \"Would you and your phone prefer to be alone?\" or just plain \"It hurts my feelings when I talk and you take out your phone. Is it an emergency?\" Advice needed.
HEALTH - ACE YOUR RACE
Whether it's a charity walk, 5K, or full-on marathon, experts and avid runners share their best advice for feeling confident, comfortable, and proud on the big day.
5 Smart Uses for Rubber Bands
Wrap your head around these snappy, editor-approved ideas.
IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN
But we can help! If real-life barriers are holding you back from living your eco-friendliest life, read on.