My Bookshelf's Shelf Life ~ Part 2

In this continuation from Part 1, which is what Part 2 usually means, I’ll touch upon more of the books sitting on my shelves.  Perhaps those books should be touched upon more often ... with a duster.  Dang!  I said I wouldn’t mention dust again.  Anyway, I went through a phase of reading volumes of bestsellers; but most of those novels were passed along for others to enjoy.  Very few (see below) remain on my shelf, although I took pleasure in them at the time.  

I went through a science fiction phase and total obsession with all things Star Trek.  I have two, count ‘em, two bookcases (not just shelves) full of novels, non-fiction books, and technical manuals.  I am not ashamed to admit I was, and still am, a Trekker.  Once upon a time, family and friends knew not to bother me when reruns aired, even on my wedding day.  Now I’m more of a word nerd than a Trekker; but those novels and manuals remain ... gathering dust.

Here are just a few other books and authors, in no particular order, that have a permanent place on my shelf:

• A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
• The Cry of the Kalahari  (non-fiction by Delia and Mark Owens)
• Gondar and also Kala (Nicholas Luard)
• Bill Bryson’s works
• Janet Evanovitch’s ‘Stephanie Plum’ stories (a guilty pleasure) 
• Ken Follett’s novels
• Wilbur Smith’s works (especially River God and its sequels)
• Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (Oh, yeah!  My love of Jamie & Claire is only surpassed by my love of Darcy & Elizabeth.)
• Jane Austen’s six novels (My favourite is Pride and Prejudice.) 
• I’m going to include Regency stories written by Austen’s fans amongst my favourite reading material.  There’s a wealth of Jane Austen fan-fiction out there, and I’m very happy to be part of that community.  By the way, Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge does not come with a dust jacket. 

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“These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves.”
~ Gilbert Highet (1906 - 1978) ~