What's on your bookshelf?

Like in this recent, popular, New York Times piece, there’s been some press lately about how important books are as a means of identifying people with similar interests and attitudes. With these new “bookshelf” applications in Facebook (as I mentioned a few weeks back), and other places, books are clearly—even in this digital age—remaining a social touchstone.

Some of it is of course just silly stuff—as I’ve discovered in my life as a writer of “popular” fiction, people can be snobs about books more than almost anything else in this world—but I think communicating to each other about books is a pretty positive thing.

After all, what’s more personally meaningful than the ideas and worlds we experience in books? (Hint from yours truly: very little.)

To that end, here’s a picture of one of our own bookshelves that Sue just took the other week for a website.

Patterson_Books.jpg

One or two of those books happen to be pretty good for young readers.

Please feel free to drop a comment below if you’re curious.

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28 Comments

Izzy said:

I only have two shelves of books and most of those books were written by you! But I also like Stephanie Meyer (Twilight series, I recommend it), Christopher Paolini (Eragon), J.K. Rowling, Dean Koonts, Johnathan Kellerman, and more!

Izzy said:

I just wanted to add how much better my sister, Missy (I know, Missy and Izzy, some people get confused), is getting at reading. She's just about read all the Nancy Drew books now.

Jocelyn said:

Nice...That's a lot of books. My book shelf is pathetic compared to yours. I have about thirty books. I get most of my books from the Library. I see Harry Potter, that's one series I have...along with MR and Twilight and the Chronicles of Narnia. My books shlef holds more that books though-there's CDs and Movies too!

Becky said:

I see "Then We Came to the End"!! I just bought that book last week - haven't started it yet though, I'm in the middle of "What is the What" by Dave Eggers. I have a compulsive book buying problem and rarely leave a bookstore empty handed, so there are MANY books on my "to read" list. :)

Bryan said:

I am a constant reader since I was 13 and first read Firestarter by Stephen King. I own every Stephen King novel to date. The rest of my collection is filled by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Johnathan & Faye Kellerman, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Michael Connelly, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, Tami Hoag, Agatha Christie and E.A. Poe.

Jocelyn said:

I just saw the preview for the Max Ride Manga! I am sooo excited! I can't wait til free comic book day for more!!! It is awesome!!! :) :) :)

Patricia H said:

I have 10 boxed with books, 5 bookshelves of books and 250 ebooks on a PDA. Between the medieval history, the fantasy books, the cookbooks, and the misc fiction books I have enough to last me forever but not enough to make me happy. As my friend says..."if you have enough bookshelves for all your books, you don't have enough books."

Edith said:

I have a lot of fantasty on my shelf. I have Tolkien, Rowling and Lewis novels. I also have at least 50 Dragonlance books and all of Jane Austen's novels. Not to mention all my biographical and historical books too. As you can tell, I'm an avid reader.

Kendra Rudge said:

I have become a James Patterson fan! I am into the womens murder club! You gotta read these!

Ayesha A said:

I have at least 30 books on my shelf. Majority of the books are written by you. I have been a big FAN of yours for at least 15 years. You have 2 shelves all to your books only. The other writers include Sidney Sheldon, Carl Weber, Zane,

colleen j said:

I love your books! I have every one you have written, as a matter of fact I started and finished one yesterday- that's what I love about your books, I can't stop til I'm done. I will read anything and everything but you, Edward Rutherfurd, and Tolstoy are among the favorites...Your books are exciting enough that everyone wants to read them and easy enough that everyone can- I have made more friends at the coffee shop(including a boyfriend!) while bonding over your books and a love of them..

jimmy schmitt said:

i read all the masters of crime fiction and have a library of about 500 books consisting of most all of lawrence block, elmore leonard, nelson demille(he's from my hometown), dennis hamill, and brother pete (not really a crime fiction writer per se), eugene izzi(r.i.p.), lee child, carl hiassen... i also have a collection of beat poetry by my favorite charles bukowski, lawrence ferlinghetti, alan ginsberg. god bless them all.

Val M said:

There are many James Patterson books, a nice collection of F. Paul Wilson novels, the Harry Potter collection, Christopher Paolini books, various Stephen King novels, Dan Brown's novels, and a few spiritual/inspirational pieces as well.

Lilli~mae said:

James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks, along with a couple classics like Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby

Rachel said:

A ton of older Patterson (think Kiss the Girls), Knootz (love Odd Thomas), lots of Vietnam books like Chickenhawk, The Things They Carried and Into The Green. A dictionary, Chicken Soup books (almost the entire collection) A Unquiet Mind and Sybil. Sindney Seldon, Dan Brown, Zora Neale Hurston. I am rather eclectic. :)

Garrett said:

James Patterson-The whole Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club series, along with some others. Some John Grisham, the Harry Potter Series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and assorted mystery/thriller novels. I'm also starting to read the Jonathan Kellerman Novels.

AMANDA said:

My bookshelf is full of Janet Evanovich (I Love Her!) I also have Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series which is the best novel i have ever read!!! also I have quite a few James patterson, John Grisham, Danielle Steele and a few others. My bookshelf is full. Reading is my favorite (and only) past time!!!

theresa said:

Okay.I have every book every written by James Patterson,John Grisham,Danielle Steel,Sue Grafton,J.D.Robb,Ann Rule,J.K.Rowling,Mary Higgins Clark,Mary Jane Clark,Sidney Sheldon,Lawrence Sanders and V.C.Andrews,as well as books by others...what can i say i love to read.

melly said:

my shelves are overflowing and i still can't stop buying new books. i have everything on my shelves from james patterson, janet evanovich, stephanie meyer (twilight is the best), martha grimes, laura lippman, elizabeth george, jane green, jennifer weiner, wally lamb, jane austen, iris johansen, maeve binchy, megan mccafferty, sara gruen, dean koontz, ann rule, jodi piccoult....and on and on...

Jean said:

My bookself is running over with J.Patterson books,going far back as Hide and Seek,especially the Alex Cros series.I also have most of Sidney Sheltons and John Grisham..I read some of Patricia Cromwell's but mostly Patterson and of course some old classics..

Maureen said:

I have a bookshelf that is 6 feet x 4 feet that is totally packed with books. Also, I have approximately 6 boxes (the Xerox copier paper boxes) of paperback books in my garage. The authors include James Patterson, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, Nelson DeMille, David Baldacci, John Grisham, Daniel Silva, Nicholas Sparks, Barbara Taylor Bradford, and Barbara Delinsky just to name a few. I have been reading since I was in elementary school starting with Nancy Drew. If I could, I would spend every waking moment with a book in my hands. My daughter has been reading forever, too, and she is now the General Manager of a major chain book store. Of course, she loves her job!!

Mac said:

yo,
im a teenaged girl who loves reading you are my all time favirite auther i am currently reading "the lake house" i just fiinshed "when the the wind blows" but i have to say my faviorite book you wrote is 4 of them did you guess the maximumride siers well if not im worried i dont use end punction so sorry also i wrote you a letter you should get it by tommrow
check out my blog!
www.maximumlife77.blogspot.com
-Mac

Greg in Texas said:

I have a good variety on my shelves. I have a number of signed-by-the-author books, and then a number of "classic" classics, and a few recent "classics" such as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel. A room with no books feels cold and empty to me.

Jacqueline from Oklahoma City said:

Seven bookcases of books and still not enough. Such a variety and so little time to enjoy them all to the fullest. Grisham, Patterson, Jimmie Carter, Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reich, Stuart Woods,Maeve Benchly, Judy Piccolt, one self full of classics, fun reads for when light comfort fits the moment. So.....let's not forget all of the cat who books, Alexander McCall, and some of my favs Sue Monk Kidd. Who'd of thought that a book about a tiger in a boat would have me glued to a chair. Life of Pi....incrediable.....

Debra from Wisconsin said:

Alot of Political Books. All of Ann Coulters. I also have Italuian Cook Books and many Books written by Cardinal Ratiznger.

I am in a Book Club so I do read alot of everything. I just read your book "A Quickie." I like Anita Shreve and Jon Krauker.

Linda said:

I don't even know where to begin. Let's see, Of course all of your books, especially the Cross series. Have all of Kings and Koontz. Most of Jonathon Kellers and a couple of his wifes. Some Lisa Gardener, Iris Johansen. I have 3 large book shelves, with the shelves filled to the edge. That's not even counting all the books I've given away and donated. I have Valley of the Dolls, The born Free series. Of Mice and Men. Just all kinds. Cooking and reading are two of my favorite things in the world to do.
'

Lucky Pierre said:

Between the two of us, we've got to have a couple thousand. I just finished Thomas Pynchon's most recent novel, "Against the Day". As with all of his others, I thought it was terrific, although I did like "Mason & Dixon" and "Gravity's Rainbow" more. Now I'm reading a little non fiction, "This is your brain on music". Recommended.

Sheila said:

My husband and I enjoy your books so we have all of them and we also have every one of John Grisham's, all first editions and most of them signed and we have all of Michael Connelly's. He likes the Mack Bolan series which I would never read. But he would never touch my Nicholas Sparks books either. I just finished "Dear John" tonight. I have to have the occasional sappy love story and his are great for that.

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James Patterson

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Sue Solie Patterson

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