Many on this blog have noted the ways in which books are presented in various ritual and statuary fashions in our culture. Here is one example that has been making the rounds of facebook this week. The photo, attributed to Jonathan Moreau, shows the side of a Kansas City parking garage, adorned to look like a shelf of books.
What struck me, when I saw it, was not just the "larger than life" depiction, but also the choice of books to be depicted. I can't make out all the titles, but clearly visible are The Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, A Tale of Two Cities, Charlotte's Web, and Invisible Man.
So I find it interesting that books would be depicted, but also that these books (in many ways, a list of "usual suspects"--an accepted canon) would be chosen. Not even the books, but the book spines, hold an iconic status in this case.
(JW: For another view, see Book Architecture)
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