--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A bookshelf is as particular to its owner…" description: "\"A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by the foot.\" — Ala..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg" --- # A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or… ![“A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by the foot.” quote by Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg) > “A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by the foot.” [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A personal library reflects its owner’s identity, much like clothing or a shoe, revealing individuality through choices. **In simple terms:** Books show who you are. Key Takeaway Curate books that reflect you. Themes identity personal expression literature Mood introspective thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal branding - gift giving - library organization Key Concepts psychology symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does your bookshelf say about you? - How can you use your library to express identity? A Different Perspective Books may not fully capture a person’s complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bookshelf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookshelf/) [Bookshelf Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookshelf-particular-4520676/) [Bookshelves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookshelves/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Clothes Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes-personality-4520679/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Owners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owners/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Personality Stamped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality-stamped-4520678/) [Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoes/) [Stamped Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stamped-library-4520677/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owner-as-are-his-or-her-clothes-a-2/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“Books and bookcases cropping up in stuff that I've written means that they have to be reproduced on stage or on film. This isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/books-and-bookcases-cropping-up-in-stuff-that-i-ve-written-means-that/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [His eyes gravitated towards the wall-to-wall bookshelf at one end of the room. 'You folks like books, I see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-doman/his-eyes-gravitated-towards-the-wall-to-wall-bookshelf-at-one-end-of/) [Regina Doman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-doman/) > [There weren't any curtains in the windows, and the books that didn't fit into the bookshelf lay piled on the floor like a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-weren-t-any-curtains-in-the-windows-and-the-books-that-didn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The bookshelf, like the book, has become an integral part of civilization as we know it, its presence in a home practically defining what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/the-bookshelf-like-the-book-has-become-an-integral-part-of/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [The books housed in one's first adult bookshelf are the geological bed of who we wish to become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-hay/the-books-housed-in-one-s-first-adult-bookshelf-are-the-geological/) [Sheridan Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-hay/) > [I have on my bookshelf a series of books with opposite titles: 'The Alpha Strategy' and the 'Omega Strategy'; 'Asia Rising' and 'Asia Falling';…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/i-have-on-my-bookshelf-a-series-of-books-with-opposite-titles-the/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [When I was 7, my proudest possession would have been my bookshelf - 'cause I'd alphabetized all of the books on my bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-7-my-proudest-possession-would-have-been-my-bookshelf-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Behind every writer stands a very large bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/behind-every-writer-stands-a-very-large-bookshelf/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [My father always says, ‘Never trust anyone who has a TV bigger than their bookshelf.’ So I make sure I read. Back at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/my-father-always-says-never-trust-anyone-who-has-a-tv-bigger-than/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [You ever buy a book and not read it? You feel almost guilty having it up on a bookshelf. People are like, "Hey, how's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/you-ever-buy-a-book-and-not-read-it-you-feel-almost-guilty-having-it/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [I have a nice bookshelf in my office, but not my house. I'm crass, but not that crass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-a-nice-bookshelf-in-my-office-but-not-my-house-i-m-crass-but/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [If the Bible is what it claims to be, how can we allow it to remain on a bookshelf?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/if-the-bible-is-what-it-claims-to-be-how-can-we-allow-it-to-remain-on/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [I don't think that clothes have anything to do with the personality. That comes from the woman herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/i-don-t-think-that-clothes-have-anything-to-do-with-the-personality/) [Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/) > [When I was 7, my proudest possession would have been my bookshelf 'cause I had alphabetized all of the books on my bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-7-my-proudest-possession-would-have-been-my-bookshelf/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by Alan Bennett > [“The closest she got to pretence was politeness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-closest-she-got-to-pretence-was-politeness/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [An article on playwrights in the Daily Mail , listed according to Hard Left, Soft Left, Hard Right, Soft Right and Centre. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I'm not good at precise, coherent argument. But plays are suited to incoherent argument, put into the mouths of fallible people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-m-not-good-at-precise-coherent-argument-but-plays-are-suited-to/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The thing I think about is that once you've done it, you then start to think about what you're going to do next. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-thing-i-think-about-is-that-once-you-ve-done-it-you-then-start-to/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [At the drabber moments of my life (swilling some excrement from the steps, for instance, or rooting with a bent coat-hanger down a blocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/at-the-drabber-moments-of-my-life-swilling-some-excrement-from-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [There are more microbes per person than the entire population of the world. Imagine that. Per person. This means that if the time scale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/there-are-more-microbes-per-person-than-the-entire-population-of-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I'm more socialist certainly than New Labour - I'm very old Labour, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-m-more-socialist-certainly-than-new-labour-i-m-very-old-labour/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Why do we not care to acknowledge them? The cattle, the body count. We still don't like to admit the war was even partly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/why-do-we-not-care-to-acknowledge-them-the-cattle-the-body-count-we/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Were we closer to the ground as children, or is the grass emptier now?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/were-we-closer-to-the-ground-as-children-or-is-the-grass-emptier-now/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [But most men regard their life as a poem that women threaten. They may not have two spondees to rub together but they still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/but-most-men-regard-their-life-as-a-poem-that-women-threaten-they-may/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“BURGESS How do you like Moscow? CORAL Loathe it, darling. I cannot understand what those Three Sisters were on about. It gives the play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/burgess-how-do-you-like-moscow-coral-loathe-it-darling-i-cannot/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-best-moments-in-reading-are-when-you-come-across-something-a/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Your whole life is on the other side of the glass. And there is nobody watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/your-whole-life-is-on-the-other-side-of-the-glass-and-there-is-nobody/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The appeal of reading, she thought, lay in its indifference: there was something undeferring about literature. Books did not care who was reading them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-appeal-of-reading-she-thought-lay-in-its-indifference-there-was/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“How do I define history? It's just one fucking thing after another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/how-do-i-define-history-it-s-just-one-fucking-thing-after-another/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) [Explore all 188 Alan Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## More Bookshelf quotes > [When I was 7, my proudest possession would have been my bookshelf 'cause I had alphabetized all of the books on my bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-7-my-proudest-possession-would-have-been-my-bookshelf/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I have a nice bookshelf in my office, but not my house. I'm crass, but not that crass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-a-nice-bookshelf-in-my-office-but-not-my-house-i-m-crass-but/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [You ever buy a book and not read it? You feel almost guilty having it up on a bookshelf. People are like, "Hey, how's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/you-ever-buy-a-book-and-not-read-it-you-feel-almost-guilty-having-it/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“Don Raimondo tells me what he can’t tell them. “The emptiness on the surface of a wall left by a sold bookshelf is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erri-deluca/don-raimondo-tells-me-what-he-can-t-tell-them-the-emptiness-on-the/) [Erri DeLuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erri-deluca/) > [“The thing about this bookshelf is that each of these books is a vast experience unto itself, while also being both self-contained and superbly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/the-thing-about-this-bookshelf-is-that-each-of-these-books-is-a-vast/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [My father always says, ‘Never trust anyone who has a TV bigger than their bookshelf.’ So I make sure I read. Back at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/my-father-always-says-never-trust-anyone-who-has-a-tv-bigger-than/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [“Some of the best friends we have are books. Why? Well, they belong usually to our relaxed armchair hours. They come only if chosen;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-baldwin-york/some-of-the-best-friends-we-have-are-books-why-well-they-belong/) [Esther Baldwin York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-baldwin-york/) > [“And as I surveyed the clutter of his study I was pleased to see that he was a man after my own heart. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-king/and-as-i-surveyed-the-clutter-of-his-study-i-was-pleased-to-see-that/) [Ross King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-king/) > [Behind every writer stands a very large bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/behind-every-writer-stands-a-very-large-bookshelf/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [When I was 7, my proudest possession would have been my bookshelf - 'cause I'd alphabetized all of the books on my bookshelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-7-my-proudest-possession-would-have-been-my-bookshelf-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Find room in your heart, and space on your bookshelf, for new authors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-abbott-brailey/find-room-in-your-heart-and-space-on-your-bookshelf-for-new-authors/) [Richard Abbott-Brailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-abbott-brailey/) > [“I am so obsessed with my life that the books I used to read are resting in the bookshelf for years and my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymat-khan/i-am-so-obsessed-with-my-life-that-the-books-i-used-to-read-are/) [Neymat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymat-khan/) > [“The bookshelf in my heart holds many titles. So can yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-mcnicoll/the-bookshelf-in-my-heart-holds-many-titles-so-can-yours/) [Sylvia McNicoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-mcnicoll/) > [Always play with the size and scale of the items on your bookshelf. Stagger the heights of books, vases, and picture frames and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-brent/always-play-with-the-size-and-scale-of-the-items-on-your-bookshelf/) [Jeremiah Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-brent/) > [“A professional headshot in front of a bookshelf says you're an intellectual. A professional headshot peeking though a bookshelf says you're probably under a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/a-professional-headshot-in-front-of-a-bookshelf-says-you-re-an/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) [Browse all 35 Bookshelf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookshelf/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by the foot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Bennett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owner-as-are-his-or-her-clothes-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bookshelf" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owner-as-are-his-or-her-clothes-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/alan-bennett-1922_bookshelf_a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owne_2962688.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library…” — Alan Bennett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Bennett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A bookshelf is as particular to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owner-as-are-his-or-her-clothes-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/a-bookshelf-is-as-particular-to-its-owner-as-are-his-or-her-clothes-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```