In Anne Fadiman's "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader," a humorous yet unsettling incident unfolds when a couple returns home to find their library mysteriously reorganized by color and size. This unexpected alteration, done without their consent, raises questions about the value and integrity of personal collections and the impact of external interference on cherished spaces.

The narrative takes a darker turn when the decorator responsible for this change tragically dies in a car accident shortly after the incident. The dinner guests articulate a sense of justice being served, reflecting on the sometimes complicated relationship between order, chaos, and the consequences of meddling with someone else's passion. This moment encapsulates the tensions between preservation and interference in the pursuit of literary appreciation.