reading life

The Art of Ordering My Bookshelves

by carolinavonkampen
November 26, 2017November 10, 2019

Clothes, clean and dirty, often line the top of my dresser as I anticipate wearing something the next day or just haven’t put laundry away. Our fridge is a Jenga puzzle: a bag of sausages perches on top of a cinnamon roll pan; a pot with last night’s chicken tikka masala is squeezed in; various cheeses shoved into a shelf on the door. And please don’t ask about my desk.

But my bookshelves? They’re not just neat or organized; they’re ordered. This specific ordering, the rules of which can change from year to year, keeps the chaos of hundreds of books manageable. I sequence my books alphabetically by the author’s last name and sort books by the same author alphabetically by title. If the books are part of a series, I arrange the series by number. While it may not be the most aesthetically pleasing order visually, it’s efficient. I know where any book is within seconds.Read More »The Art of Ordering My Bookshelves

To Read or Not to Read: An Experiment in Intentionally Buying Books

by carolinavonkampen
October 12, 2017February 11, 2018

I buy too many books.

I see a book that looks mildly interesting on Instagram and save it to my TBR Instagram Collection. I come across interesting articles on LitHub, enjoy the writing or subject, and save the author’s most recent book to my Amazon wish list. I realize that an author who wrote a book I liked has another book…or two…or three…so I buy more of his books for my collection, figuring that I’ll read it some day. I buy them because I write in books, so borrowing from a friend or a library would result in some annoyed friends or libraries.

But the problem is that at this rate, I’ll never read all the books I buy. Honestly, even if I stopped buying books today, I’d have years of new reading material on my shelves. I want to read more, in general, but I need to be more intentional about my choices, especially in which books I spend money on.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Banned Books

by carolinavonkampen
September 27, 2017August 7, 2021

It’s Banned Books Week! Each year, we English majors and readers get excited to celebrate books—especially those that have been banned or challenged at some point. The goal is to talk about the importance of letting people read books, even if they’re full of “dangerous” ideas and content.

With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite banned books, why they were banned, and why I like them.

7 Essential Elements Your Book Review Policy Must Have

by carolinavonkampen
September 10, 2017December 3, 2019

So you’ve decided to be a book reviewer. You’re itching to get your hands on some advanced review copies for free. But how do you go about doing this?

Coming to Terms With Your Reading Slump

by carolinavonkampen
September 2, 2017November 10, 2019

Q: What seems to be the problem?

A: I fell into a reading slump.

Q: Did you burn yourself out by reading four books within two and a half weeks?

A: Probably. Maybe? I don’t know.

Q: What do you think started your reading slump?

A: I drove 16 hours total to the middle of Nebraska and back for the eclipse. I was tired from the driving and I spent my time hanging out with my friend instead of reading.Read More »Coming to Terms With Your Reading Slump