While in Utah a week ago, I stole a few hours from the World Horror Convention to ride the light rail system so that I could at least pretend that I’d seen some of Salt Lake City. (Often, all I ever see of a city while attending these conventions is the airport, the interior of the hotel, and the view from the cab while shuttling between the two.) So I rode the University Line and saw the recently refurbished state capitol, the interior of the Mormon Tabernacle, and many other local sites.

I also jumped off to visit the main branch of the public library, but what I found more interesting than the architecturally intriguing library building was this book-themed public sculpture across the street and between the tracks at the Library Station.

Above are the metal stacks of books, which were covered in light snow that day. Some of those stacks were were short enough that you could sit on them while waiting for the next train.

While the spines of most books displayed mainstream literary authors such as Sir Walter Scott, Charles Darwin, and Vladimir Nabokov, a few titles by science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers were also represented.

Fantasy was accounted for with The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Horror was present with Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.

Science fiction was there with Privateers, by Ben Bova. While I can understand The Lord of the Rings and Frankenstein representing their respective genres, I’m not really sure why Privateers was chosen over, for example, Dune, 2001, or Stranger in a Strange Land.

And finally, here’s Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, a valid choice whether you shelve it as science fiction or literary fiction.