I am literally surrounded by books. I have so many books, they spill over onto my floor, fill numerous boxes in my house, and even creep into my classroom. But the bookshelf in my room holds my favorites.

On the top shelf you’ll find no books, only pictures of my friends, my “other half” and some of my past students. There are also little knick-knacks and presents from previous students, like the ubiquitous ”#1 teacher” apple.

The second shelf houses my prized Shakespeare collection. It is hardbound and gilt-edged, a gift from an old friend. Its neighbors are my high school yearbooks, the Harry Potter series, and my collection of books by Michael Ondaatje (author of the novel The English Patient). In between the books, you’ll find a porcelain swan that looks like it flew straight from the pages of a fairy tale, which is fitting since you’ll find my beloved Collection of Grimm’s Fairy Tales beside it.

The third shelf holds my favorite DVD ’s: The Science of Sleep, Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, etc.