Nina Freudenberger - Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home with Books

Interior designer and founder of Haus Interior, NINA FREUDENBERGER is the author of the bestselling design book Surf Shack: Laid-Back Living by the Water, which was featured in Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair, O, TheOprah Magazine, and Vogue. She lives with her husband and two boys in Los Angeles.

A HOUSE OF A THOUSAND STORIES

ATHENA MCALPINE

Puglia, Italy

S TRIDING DOWN THE VENERABLE STONE HALLS of Il Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli with her white wolfhound, Gloria, following at her heels like a benevolent familiar, Athena McAlpine can identify the spine of every book almost without looking. And there are thousands. These are all on India. Thats interiors, of course, and heres photography. This shelf is entirely chick litpool literaturefor the guests. The stacks are sorted by subject; the books that line the locked shelves are alphabetized by author.

The Greek-born, London-bred McAlpine and her husband, Alastair, lived in the Convento together before his death four years ago, and she is quick to say that any discussion of the couples massive library of first editions is, necessarily, a discussion of both of them. It was he who attempted to acquire first editions of all the books they lovedand clearly they loved many. Even the Jackie Collins are first editions.

The Convento is a former Franciscan monastery and onetime tobacco factory, which now functions both as McAlpines home and as a discreet hotel. Set in a barren, wildly beautiful stretch of the Puglian countryside, the rambling property is both stunning and comfortable. While the barrel-vaulted ceilings, the cloisters, and the library, which seems to run for miles, all evoke the past, this is no museum: filled with modern art, mementos of her various homelands, succulent gardens, and books on every conceivable subject, its a dynamic and idiosyncratic place that wears its age and its beauty easily.

Like the rest of the property, the bookshelves are a mixture of private and public, some open to guests and others locked away for private use. Although she still receives regular shipments of books from Londons independent bookstore John Sandoe Books (Its like Christmas when they arrive), McAlpine is about to undertake a major winnowing of the library. I just feel like a lightening, or a purge, is somewhat imminent. Im not a purger, but I feel I need to purge. In a way, Im very happy for my husband because he didnt have to deal with any of it, he wasnt ill, he was enjoying his environment right to the end, and I think actually thats a great luxury. But everything about this place is totally caught up with my marriage and my husband and what we created together, and its very difficult to move forward when youve got quite this much past. Even from a practical point of view, Id like to have the space to let some more books into my life.

There are many books, however, that are sacrosanct: the first edition Huck Finn, for instance, that was a Christmas gift from her husband. McAlpine is particularly interested in collecting books that were the basis for film adaptations she also lovesThe Big Sleep, Night of the Hunter, The African Queen, To Have and Have Not, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, to name just a few.

And then theres what might be called the VIP cabinet, which contains all books that have a special meaning for me, or a story. Books I dont want to get misplaced. However, its a system that would be inscrutable to the casual observer: Some were written by friends. One novel, Sea of Love, is set in the Convento. There is one shelf devoted only to dog books; another to especially beautiful editions. There are the books she read at the height of her grief. Oddities like J. Edgar Hoovers Masters of Deceit, signed to actor Adolphe Menjou, bearing Marlene Dietrichs bookplate, keep company with both erotica and an especially pretty copy of Diary of a Provincial Lady.

Such eclecticism reflects the breadth of McAlpines interests and curiosity. Currently, she is on a Graham Greene kick, and a discussion of