Judging a Book by Its Cover

Best bookshelf practices, Sheila Heti and new prompt.

I spend a lot of time gazing at my bookshelves. I’m an alphabetizer, which helps me believe all is well in the world, that I can control and organize my surroundings, if not create balance and symmetry. Variations in book size bother me, but I want to find a title quickly. I’m impatient.

I went to a party not long ago where the host, a graphic designer, had arranged his books by color. I lingered at his shelves (as an introvert does) and I realized: Rainbow order is still order. (Could this be a bumper sticker? Would you buy it?) The finger food was great, lots of puffed pastries and garlicky spreads. I cleaned my biodegradable plate (twice) and then peppered the host with questions.

Robert Anasch for Unsplash

“Do you know how to find your books? Do you know that red is Crying in H Mart?”

“Not really,” he admitted. “But how often do you actually need a book once you’ve read it?”

Need? I suppose I don’t need, on a daily basis, my collection of aquatic-themed cookie cutters or my scrunchies …