Books and gardens in Daydreaming on the Porch

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

Cicero

I must have several thousand books upstairs in my living quarters at the family home in downtown Charleston. Most have been accumulated over the past 20 years that I have lived in Charleston. I probably have another 500 or so books in my storage unit Over the years, I’ve given away many hundreds of books to libraries. You get the picture. I love books, being surrounded by them, buying them, thinking about buying them – everything about books. They are the bulwark of my rather isolated life, confined to work and caregiving. They give me comfort and security. I’d rather be reading or looking through books than anything else.

For decades I’ve visited and browsed in bookstores with the keen eye of a practiced book buyer and book lover. At the used books place here, I’ve made many a purchase I never thought I’d ever make. That’s why I love bookstores so much – like libraries, they are civilizing spaces, refuges from the madness of a world gone bonkers, and a place where you know like-minded people gather. I wanted to work in a bookstore many times in the past, and almost got a chance to work in my favorite bookstore in Columbia, SC, at one time, but that was 30 years ago and is a rather sad and unfortunate story.

I buy books to have and to cherish, even if I don’t read them. A sizable portion of my library consists of art and photography books, so I have the luxury of just looking through the photos and artwork. Nowadays, I purchase many of my books on Amazon. There are hardly any independent bookstores left in Charleston for me to browse in. I still go to Barnes & Noble and support it, but usually buy things other than books, ironically.

I have four bookshelves all stuffed to overflowing. The rest of the books are in piles on the floor and along the long hallway upstairs waiting a time when I have that dream house and personal library where everything will fit on shelves.

I’m also rather obsessed with photo books of other people’s own libraries and collections of books. Some of my favorite books are about the books of others. There is nothing so fine, beautiful and civilized as a perfectly realized room (library) full of books on neat shelves.

Co-equal with books among my great loves are gardens. I may not be a gardener myself, but I love to photograph them from the street on my walks, admire them in spring, and perhaps wistfully long for the day when I have my own place and can do some gardening myself. All year long, I photograph my favorite places in Charleston – Magnolia Gardens and Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site. The camellias and azaleas were especially beautiful this year.

Life without books and gardens is unimaginable for me. One’s collection of books allows others to see into our very souls, deeply, each title a little biographical marker and signifier of our lives and interests.

Printed books – may they long prosper and enrich our lives!

The first photo below is of one of my bookshelves. Others are of bookshelves and rooms of books that I find particularly appealing and recent photographs at local gardens.

Last updated April 04, 2017