In all truth, I think how I treat books depends enormously on what -- and whose -- they are. If someone lends me a book, I take great care of it, since it's intrinsically precious on account of my being trusted with someone else's property. If I read a valuable (monetary or otherwise) book, ditto. On the other hand, if I pick up an old paperback for 50p in a charity shop, I will admit that I'm not precious about it at all and will take it on the bus, into the garden, even on occasion into the bath. (Well, not into the bath, otherwise it would get very damp, but you know what I mean!)

I couldn't imagine not having books all over the house. My parents are both great readers, as were all my grandparents, and even as a child I used to look at those magazine features showing "ideal rooms" and complain bitterly if there wasn't a single book to be seen in them!