Thursday, July 18, 2013

The bookshelf project #43

I think it must've been early this year since I last made a post about bookshelves. So I think it's just about time. But this bookshelf project post isn't your usual, as the books are not technically in a shelf. But we book lovers know that any place that has a stack of books becomes a bookshelf, no?

Anyway, this week's picture of books in a "bookshelf" was taken by R. in Commune, which is a very hip place to hang around in. I now have a place to go to to while away the rush hour traffic. It has a tranquil ambience that's perfect for reading. The food's good too—comforting and filling.

What caught my attention was the eclectic collection of the few books that the owner decided to display. Short books on Philippine history, a travel memoir, a book about coffee, a manifesto on socialism, and a self-help volume. I'm not so sure what cool green stuff is about though. I don't think it's about veggies, caterpillars, algae, or alien slime.

Click to enlarge.
Adam Gopnik's Paris to the Moon is absolute joy. It's Gopnik's account of having to relocate to Paris because of his job, with him having to bring along his wife and their baby. I've never read anything about Paris that made me really want to pack everything and just leave for the city of lights. (I don't mind the dog poop on Parisian streets.)

I have a theory as to the apparent non-thematic collection of these books. Probably they were just collected organically. I imagine the owner of Commune reading each book and, instead of taking the book home, just leaving it in his restaurant. A charming way to grow your bookshelf, yes?

2 comments:

LON said...

THAT'S A COMMON INFLUENCE OF BOOK. BOOKS PUSHES US TO DREAM OF GOING TO A PLACE FEATURED IN IT.

Peter S. said...

Yup, so true!