Hi, Acme: You asked about how we organize books around here.

Substantial ranks of bookcases are located in the basement recreation (i.e., TV-watching) room, the largest bedroom, the study, and Himself's office. Books are distributed according to where one would be most likely to want to read them: fiction, British history and cookbooks in the basement, which is accessed from the kitchen and has two sofas; crime and law in the office; music, editorial reference, military theory, and Canadian, American and European history in the study; and essays, poetry, and Himself's substantial collection of Victorian and Edwardian children's books in the bedroom. Modern children's books (C.S. Lewis to J.K. Rowling) are in a small bookcase at the top of the stairs, where young relatives can find them easily.

Fiction and essays are organized alphabetically by author. History is more or less chronological, and because we have so many of them, books on military topics are shelved together, again more or less in chronological order. So when you're looking for a book about the battle of Shiloh at our house, it helps to know that it happened before Gettysburg. Poetry is also chronological, with anthologies shelved together.

We have one other small bookcase, in the guest room, and travel books will probably end up there.

It's more of a set of conventions than a system, but it works for us.