My Odd Shelf

My favorite collection of essays is Anne Fadiman's book Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader. One of her essays, called "My Odd Shelf", is about her collection of strange books that don't seem to fit the rest of her library.
Though I don't have a particular shelf dedicated to odd, eccentric, or random books, I have purchased books that seem like they just don't fit in with the rest of my library. Here are some examples of what I would put on my odd shelf:
1. How to Grow Roses, by J. Horace McFarland and Robert Pyle
          I love this little red, hardback book, published in 1937 by the American Rose Society, titled in loopy gold cursive. I bought it at the Dutchfest school book sale for 50 cents, found in a dusty cardboard box under numerous other used books. It's filled with lovely pictures and, even though I don't plan on growing roses, I enjoy flipping through the book, which now sits happily on my shelf.
2. A History of World Societies: Volume II, Since 1500, by McKay, Hill, and Buckler
          This textbook, all 1,536 pages of it, covers the years from 1500 to 1980. Call me nerdy, but I love history and reading about how cultures have grown and changed. Reading this book is even more fun because the previous student who owned it highlighted important passages and scribbled tiny notes in it.
3. The Wordsworth Handbook of Kings & Queens: A Chronological Guide to the Great Dynasties of the World, by John E. Morby
          This book covers every king and queen and illegitimate son and/or daughter and prince and princess from every nation up until 1989. IT IS AWESOME. I love looking at all of the interesting names. For example: Egbert, King of Wessex from 802-839. Hattushili II, King of the Hittites from 1380-1358. Hsiao Chuang Ti, Emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty from 528-530. This book has even helped me on reports for school.