Since returning home from my first year at Stanford, I have been working up the courage to clean my room. Small knick knacks are still tucked away in the drawers, years of homework continuing to spill from every possible nook and cranny. The thing that leaves me most daunted, though, is my bookshelf—if you can even call it that. I’m not proud of its current state: the way the books slouch onto each other, absolutely no intentionality behind their organization. They’re not sorted by genre, or color, or even last name. Just one random pile on top of another. You can’t even see all of them, three rows of books burrowed into the shelves. Confronting the catastrophic “bookshelf” would be anything but enjoyable.
Still, there’s something endearing and nostalgic about it. Seeing just how many books I’ve collected over the years. There’s not enough room for them all, a testimony to the type of reader I’ve always been.
Some of the books I’ve had since I was young. Everything, Everything was my first introduction to romance as a genre rather than just a plot point. Five Feet Apart left my crying at midnight—late for a middle schooler—after I couldn’t put it down. Divergent became my entire identity in seventh and eighth grade, to the point where I called my “boyfriend” Four. Not my proudest moment.
Many of the books found a home on the bookshelf later on. Beloved demonstrated the blend between poetry and prose within literature, inspiring me to utilize both forms of writing within my own work. Tunneling to the Center of the Earth was signed by the author himself, Kevin Wilson, at the Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference. The Lost Apothecary was one of the only books I’ve ever DNF-ed. Sorry, Mrs. Hillier.
My favorite book of all time is Lovely War. Fusing historical fiction, Greek mythology, and romance into one, the story overlooks both World War I and World War II. Historical fiction is typically not my go-to genre, but Julie Berry’s engaging premise and outstanding writing left me hooked the entire time. Not to mention the gorgeous cover. Whenever people ask for a book recommendation, I immediately bring up this novel. I’m not sure if anyone’s taken my advice just yet, but they should. Trust me on this.
Over the past year, I’ve collected a variety of craft-based books to help support my own writing. On Writing is the quintessential craft book. Because of Stephen King’s stellar advice, I now have a dedicated writing space (where I am currently whipping up this blog post!) and carved-out writing time every day. I recommend it to all writers, whether beginner or advanced. The other books are ones I’ve read intermittently, usually when assigned in creative writing courses. I plan on reading them more in-depth over the next few months. Until then, though, they’re helpful to refer to.
And then there are the books I brought home from Stanford. The ones I planned to read while there but never got around to. Books in this clump include On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, The Handmaid’s Tale, Six of Crows, the list goes on. Yes, I still have not unpacked them, but where would they even go? At least I don’t need to buy new books for over the summer! To be honest, I probably still will.
Some of the books on my bookshelf have yet to be cracked open. Others have been worn out, read time and time again. All of them, though, hold a special place in my heart. I cannot wait to add the books published by Sundress to this ever-growing collection.
Mia Grace Davis (she/her) is an undergraduate student at Stanford University. Her work appears in Gone Lawn, The Tusculum Review, and Ice Lolly Review, among others. She is a 2023 National YoungArts Finalist in Writing and a U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts Semifinalist. Visit her at miagracedavis.com.
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