Starting A Home Library What Would You Suggest? Kansas City Star

Starting A Home Library What Would You Suggest?
Kansas City Star

We caught at article in the Kansas City Star this past weekend on what books are great to start off your home libraries. Or rather, which books simply must be included. We liked the one's we saw and are dying to know which books have been invaluable to you over the years. Click through the jump to see which of these 5 books is our own personal favorite and tell us which are staples in your library at home!

If you'd like to read the article in the Kansas City Star you may do so here. Their experts (local design store owners and writers) highlighted the books pictured above.

In our own personal library we have found that our Martha Stewart Handbook has been invaluable. Not because it's full of information that we didn't already know, but because it is a great standby for everything our home has to throw at us. Next on our list of things to add is a book on plumbing. We have recently discovered we know little outside of how to use a plunger.

Have a few favorites? Leave us a comment and let us know below!

Comments (12)

GEEK ALERT: I have the Martha Stewart Homekeeping Handbook on my nightstand. It is indeed the bible of domestics

posted by Seaside on January 13th 2009 at 7:16pm
view Seaside's profile

The Joy of Cooking
Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing
Sunset Gardening
a local copy of The Yellow Pages
Mirriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Shakespear's Complete Works
The Elements of Style
Pablo Neruda (poetry by)
The Black & Decker Photo Guide to Home Repair
Topgraphic Atlas of The United States

posted by kimg924 on January 13th 2009 at 7:17pm
view kimg924's profile

squeaky green! (the book by the makers of method)

i love it. and it's really inexpensive (especially with a borders 40% off coupon!)

posted by joshhh on January 13th 2009 at 7:29pm
view joshhh's profile

A few of my faves...

"Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House" by Cheryl Mendelson

"Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure" by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan (of course!)

"It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff" by Peter Walsh

"Sunset Western Garden Book" by Kathleen Norris Brenzel

"Beginner's Guide to Gardening" by Reader's Digest

posted by burpchick on January 13th 2009 at 7:39pm
view burpchick's profile

No home library is complete without all the Harry Potter books.

posted by Griffin on January 13th 2009 at 8:49pm
view Griffin's profile

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - Barbara Kingsolver. (Really one should own everything she's ever written, but for green eating this one's the bible)
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone - Deborah Madison (my hands down desert island cookbook choice. And I eat meat!)
Ex Libris - Anne Fadiman's essays on the love of books and how to organize them
Get Crafty - Jean Railla

posted by cedargr0 on January 13th 2009 at 8:53pm
view cedargr0's profile

I'm glad I looked at the referenced article which explains how to build a "home" library. Otherwise I was mystified why anyone who loves to read would need assistance! And why anyone who doesn't love to read would care...

posted by Charlotte on January 13th 2009 at 9:17pm
view Charlotte's profile

the barefoot contessa scares me

posted by red.door.read. on January 13th 2009 at 9:59pm
view red.door.read.'s profile

how about this suggestion: don't start a library. libraries are anachronisms in this internet-connected age. they're also bad for the environment. that said, i've already GOT a library and ditching certain books is tough.

posted by VLADCOLE on January 13th 2009 at 10:18pm
view VLADCOLE's profile

Isn't ditching books of environmentally unfriendly. Why ditch them if you have them?

Kelly Hoppen Style is a great book. I have had it for several years and enjoy the clean simple way she puts things together. I also find that photo books are great inspirations for designing. I keep a photography book about snowflakes right next to my Alvar Aalto Monograph. I have paged through all of my books many times when trying to come up with a new concept.

posted by crzybckyf on January 14th 2009 at 12:53am
view crzybckyf's profile

Is that really Ina Garten on the cover? Not to be mean but geeez - how old is that photo?

posted by anne on January 14th 2009 at 7:07pm
view anne's profile

Starting a library to be starting a library?

How about starting a library because you read? If you do that, you don't need suggestions for books.

posted by Shae on January 22nd 2009 at 1:00pm
view Shae's profile