Totally with you on 8. As for 14... well, if you'll excuse self-linkage, I had a big rant on the subject (http://www.livejournal.com/users/maga_dogg/180837.html) a while ago. It is awesome. I don't tend to go straight for the bookshelf, but if it's, y'know, out on view and the host is temporarily occupied...

I remember moving a friend's sister into temporary holiday digs which hadn't been cleared out by their permanent resident; we spent a lot of time perusing the bookshelves trying to work out whether we'd do the host on the basis of her bookshelf. "Ooh, entire shelf of feminist theory! And Rumi! Okay, she's totally getting some now."