An ‘Ideal’ Book About Books Every Book Lover Needs to Read

A review

Image credit: Little, Brown and Company

When I visit someone’s home, one of my favorite things to do is examine their bookshelves. I will do this whether it’s my first time visiting or my 50th; most of the time they are amused by this small eccentricity and will tolerate my evaluation of their reading material with good humor. The only downside is when I visit someone for the first time and they have no books at all on display; this is a sure sign that I have done a poor job choosing my friends.

If you’ve read even a few of my book reviews, you know that I love books about books, and one of my favorites is My Ideal Bookshelf; it perfectly combines that love with my shelf-snooping hobby described above. It was published in 2012 and I was somehow unaware of its existence for nearly a decade; I’m reviewing it now just in case you missed it as well.

Editor Thessaly La Force conducted interviews with 100 leading cultural figures (including writers, artists, actors, musicians, chefs, and fashion designers) and asked each one to share their ideal bookshelf. “Ideal” was defined as “books that define their dreams and ambitions and in many ways helped them find their way in the world.”

It is an intriguing premise, both as a window into a large group of remarkably successful people and a challenge to each…