Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Buddenbrooks is everywhere.

Yes, another post about LibraryThing.

http://www.librarything.com/groups/iseedeadpeoplesbooks

This is a group which catalogs the libraries of of dead people. As an LT member, I can compare my collection with theirs. I assume it will come as little surprise that I don't have any books in common with Tupac Shakur*, but I was astonished to find how many I have in common with Hemingway. Gladdening to see I don't share any with Dreiser, depressing I have none with Joyce. 21 books in common with Walker Percy? Really?

Can you tell anything about someone from their library? How much? Somewhere between "where they came from" and "who they wanted to be", I'd say.


*Yes, that's two Tupac references this fortnight. Didn't see that comin', didja?

No comments: