City Library – The Delhi Walla, Nizamuddin Basti
A vanishing world.
[Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi]
One day there will still be books, but they might not be in the printed form. In the series City Library, The Delhi Walla will make a record of the private libraries of Delhiwallas. In each library, I will try to understand the library owner through his or her collection of books. How many books are there? How many books does she buy every week? How did she acquire her library? Why this author? Why so many books on, say, Soviet Russia? Whose picture is on that bookshelf? Why does not she lend her books? Which bookshop she is addicted to? What will happen to the library after her?
I start with my library. I have more than 8,000 books, most of which I have yet to read. I began acquiring books as a child, when I was fond of Russian fairy tales. Like many people of my generation, I graduated from Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew to Erich Segal, Danielle Steele and Jeffrey Archer. I discovered sex on the pages of Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight. My first ‘serious’ book was Albert Camus’s The Fall. The next was Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, which opened the door to more authors.
Now, I cannot pick any one favorite author. Nor can I declare a preference for a particular kind of genre. Beside novels, I have books on politics, history, music, food, travel, films and porn. I buy books almost every day. I never lend them.
The look of the book is very important. Don’t be surprised to find that my library has got several editions of a same book. If I like a volume, I go to any length to acquire it. I have flicked books from public and private libraries. If you love your books, don’t invite me to your home.
Memories of my two ex-es
It’s no dump yard
Window view
Edith Wharton, first edition
Must sort out
Larousse, first edition (English translation)
Let’s listen to Arundhati Roy
There’s always The New Yorker
Who’s he?
Pocket content
Clutter
Beloved corner
Shoe rack
Jane Austen
She
A friend
Travel memento
A few more
Give me duster
What to read?
Birthday gift
Cold comforts
Guests in my library
Mummy Papa
wwwwwoooooooooowwwwwww nice collection.you are mad mad mad,buying a book every day but so all the geniouses are.May you buy more more nd more.God bless you
“I start with my library. I have more than 8,000 books, most of which I have yet to read.”
Let us but remember the words of that incomparable bibliophile A. Edward Newton: “Some books are to be read, others collected.” And let us not forget John Hill Burton’s admonition that to read books sacred to external inspection would be a scandal like that among a hunting set to hint that a man had killed a fox. He averred, rather, that books should be used decently, respectfully, and reverently.
So that Chewra lady is your mom? You did a post on her but never told us that she was your mom. On a related note, can you tell us about the hometowns of your parents. Not that it would dent your Delhi-ness but I am curious 🙂
I like your honesty in this post. Nice one.
Kitne dukh ki baat hai ki ek bhi kitaab hindi mein nahi hai. Galti tumhari nahi, balki tumhari parvarish aur humari shiksha vyavastha ki hai. Japani japani mein padhte hai aur german german mein; par hum hindustani angrezi mein. Jo desh bhasha udhar leta hai, woh desh sirf copy kar sakta hai, aavishkar nahi.
I lent an Alice Miller book to my therapist once. It took me about 2 years to get it back! 😀
…would love to visit your library.
Finally you have revealed a little bit of your true identity 🙂
We know how you look like.. .and we know how your library looks like.. and we also know that Ms Julia Child of Vasundhara is your mom 🙂
(See, how closely have I been following your posts to notice this :D)
Perhaps i can never invite you home but would love to spend time among your treasures 🙂
and i like all the pictures (much more than the personal note that i had forgotten about)
happy book trails to you!