When I think about my Dream House, it\u2019s not a big glistening kitchen, high-tech family room or backyard swimming pool that catches my fancy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
No, my perfect home has a library, a real library, with\u00a0 floor-to-ceiling books, and aladder on wheels for exploring the top shelves. There\u2019s a fireplace with a cozy reading chair and a good light.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m am not alone in thinking that would be exquisite. \u201cWhen I have a house of my own,\u201d said a character in Jane Austen\u2019s Pride and Prejudice<\/em><\/strong>, \u201cI shall be quite miserable if I have not an excellent library.\u201d<\/p>\n Eda LaShan once said that middle age begins when you realize you won\u2019t live long enough to read all the books you want to explore. According to that definition, I was born middle-aged.<\/p>\n Fortunately, I landed in a family that assumed reading was an important part of a well-lived life and we were always surrounded by books. As much as I love the library, I can\u2019t imagine living without books of my own at my fingertips.<\/p>\n Libraries are as unique as the people who assemble them, of course. When I scan my own shelves, I see a record of my life as telling as a photo album.\u00a0<\/p>\n Creating a wonderful personal collection can be both haphazard and intentional. If you are serious about success, your library will reflect this.\u00a0<\/p>\n What kinds of books show up in libraries of the Joyfully Jobless?<\/p>\n Inspirational.<\/strong> We quickly learn the truth of the adage that you can\u2019t outperform your own self-image.\u00a0<\/p>\n While we all have our own favorites, I know that on the days I feel stuck or frustrated or conflicted, I can get back on track more quickly if I spend time with an old friend like The War of Art<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n The books that inspire us the most are often those that stand up to repeated visits. They help us reconnect with our own best selves and nudge us to move past pettiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n Informational.<\/strong> Of course, we require different kinds of information all along the way as we build and grow. How-to books are hugely popular, although not everyone is keen about putting what they\u2019ve read into action.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n With the avalanche of \u00a0information which abounds today, there\u2019s really no excuse for saying, \u201cI don\u2019t know how.\u201d \u00a0You can fill in the gaps easily.<\/p>\n \u00a0Whether you need help with marketing or how to start a profitable petsitting business or how to write a killer book proposal, a book written by a reliable source can get you pointed in the right direction.<\/p>\n Heroes and heroines.<\/strong> A well-rounded library for an entrepreneur would also include some great biographies and autobiographies from successful self-bossers.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ve just finished reading an advance copy of Tony Hsieh\u2019s <\/a>Delivering Happiness<\/a><\/em><\/strong>,<\/a> the upcoming story of the entrepreneurial evolution of Zappos founder. It will be taking its place alongside numerous stories of inspiring entrepreneurs in my library.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to see some other biographies that I\u2019ve loved, check out my list, First the Business<\/a><\/em>, <\/a>Then the Book<\/a><\/em> <\/a>over at Flashlight Worthy Books.<\/p>\n