nut free nerd

Surprise! I’m in law school! You probably know this if you’ve stuck around this blog for a while, but usually people have a hard time believing that I’m in law school. “But you love books so much!” they say. “Why aren’t you an English teacher? Or librarian? Or working in publishing?” That, my friends, is the topic of another post. Today, I’d like to give you a tiny bookshelf tour!

Due to the smallness of my room and the limited time that I have to read during the semester, I only brought a few books with me. I tried to bring a mix of my favorite books: some classics, some memoirs, and some comfort reads. Here’s what I brought:

Pocket RBG Wisdom by Hardie Grant

I was given this book before starting law school and it’s adorable! I love perusing its pages for some inspiration and motivation. And who doesn’t adore Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

The Stand by Stephen King

I meant to finish this tome over the summer, but that dream quickly failed. It’s just so long and kind of disturbing and I really have to be in the right head space to read it, which isn’t often in the midst of semester stress. However, I thought I would bring it along just in case I want to lose myself in a gripping read.

Gmorning, Gnight: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun

I was also gifted this before going to law school and I’m so grateful that I was. This little book is perfect for reading before bed after a particularly stressful or emotionally tiring day. I brought Gmorning, Gnight with me to law school hoping it would recharge me, and that’s exactly what it does!

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

This is one of those books that I’ve had my eyes on for a while but didn’t actually get around to reading until this semester. I bought it at a used book sale late in the summer and didn’t have time to read it before I moved, so I decided it should probably tag along with me.

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Another book I bought towards the end of the summer but didn’t have a chance to read before the semester started. Whenever I tell fellow bookworms that I studied abroad at Oxford for a year, their response is always “HAVE YOU READ MY OXFORD YEAR???” I figured this would be a nice little trip down memory lane!

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

I read this book over the summer and absolutely adored it. It was one of those books that I finished and then immediately packed away for when I moved. It’s one of those books that I turn to when I need some cheering up or a simple reminder that I’m not the only one experiencing certain feelings. Plus, it reminds me of my fabulous college friends.

The Second Persephone Book of Short Stories by Persephone Books

I brought this short story collection with me to law school for two reasons: 1) it’s easy to dip in and out of without having to remember what happened in a long novel and 2) it reminds me of my lovely trip back to Oxford at the beginning of this past summer. Always looking for ways to remember great times!

My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I love memoirs, RBG, and books about inspirational women. Fortunately, My Own Words encompasses all of those things! I was actually in the middle of reading this book when I moved to my new place, so it obviously had to come with me. Although I have a feeling that it would have made its way onto my tiny bookshelf regardless…

The Reivers by William Faulkner

How could I move away and not have a piece of Faulkner with me? Faulkner is one of my favorite authors, so you can imagine how happy I was when I found this copy of The Reivers at a used bookstore. It’s one of my bookish goals to read all of Faulkner’s writing someday.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Now, let me set the record straight: Do I actually believe that I’ll have time to read Ulysses while in law school? Not at all. However, there’s something comforting about having this massive book sitting on my bookshelf. It’s a strange way reminder that even though things might be incredibly busy and hectic right now, I’ll have enough free time to read something as chunky as Ulysses at some point in the future. (If that logic at all makes sense?)

The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien

My favorite college professor gave me this book as a parting gift when I graduated from Wheaton. On the inside he wrote that this is something to read when I get tired of reading about law… so naturally I had to bring this with me! It’s actually a bind up of three novels, so I’ve got plenty of reading material here.

These books sit on the lowest shelf above my desk, like this:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek at my non-textbook bookshelf! I don’t have much time to read during the semester, but it is comforting to know that I have this little stack of books waiting for me if I do feel like diving into something.

How do you decide what books to bring with you when you move somewhere new? What do you think of the books that I brought? Have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY