J.A.H.

My Ideal Library

27 January 2026

I’m in the process of slowly trying to inventory my library using LibraryThing (where I’ve been for twenty years!). I’m mostly focused on physical books—I don’t own many ebooks or audio books, the physical books are most near and dear to me. I estimate so far that my personal library runs around 800 books currently (on top of 50 or so ebooks and maybe 10 audiobooks). These books all reside in my home library, a space I renovated a couple of years ago to be my work-from-home space as well as my general writing studio that I refer to as the Bunkhouse.

A wooden bookshelf is filled with a diverse collection of books on various topics.A cozy room features a large wall of bookshelves filled with books, a leather armchair with a pillow, and wall-mounted decorative items like rifles and framed art.A stack of books with titles related to American landscapes and cowboy culture is positioned on top of a wooden surface, accompanied by framed art and photographs in the background.A bookshelf displays a collection of books alongside an antler and a small stone, with framed photos on the wall behind.A small bowl containing pinecones and rocks is placed on a table with a warm brown surface.A wall-mounted display features rifles and fishing rods, alongside framed pictures and a floor lamp.A wooden plaque with three round meteorological instruments is mounted on a wall beneath a hanging horseshoe, next to a framed picture.A wall display features a wooden clock, two cowboy hats, a calendar, and several coiled ropes.

One of the things I like to see is see other people’s libraries and work spaces. I often clip these into Obsidian or Apple Notes for reference later on as a kind of “interior design” inspiration. I have lots of these: Cormac McCarthy, Wendell Berry, Candice Millard, David McCollough, Jamelle Bouie, Peter Heller, and many others. I think of these the same way we might look at architectural magazines or (my other favorite) wood shops (like Nick Offerman or Adam Savage): they’re creative spaces where people I admire do their work, and I’m always intrigued on how other creatives use their space.

Heading out to my work space is walking into my ideal library: the design, the book subjects, (the coffee), all tailored to my interests and needs.

This is a note — a shorter observation or thing worth recording, sometimes provisional or incomplete.

Filed under: personal, farm life