Fourth part in a 25 part series... number 11
11. I only read books that I would not be embarrassed to be found with if i died.I love books.
I love the feel of them, the smell of them, the look of them.
I love alphabetizing them.
I love touching them, and picking them off the shelf.
I love thinking about the mood I want to be in, and reading words that someone so eloquently wrote.
I love hardcover books with their sleeves off.
I love musty vintage books that tell corney stories of love and pain in a time I'm not familiar with.
I think part of this comes from a place that admires people's abilities to express themselves. People who can put into better words how I feel about life, than I can.
I think a lot about when I'm going to die. Not in a sick, morbid sort of way - though I'm sure it may seem that way to some - but in the way that I want to be proud of where I am, if at any time in my life I was taken from this earth. I've been told to always wear nice underwear - it's a gift to yourself every day, and people will never know why you have a mischievous smile. Not to mention, if you are injured, and they need to cut your pants off, goodness knows I don't want to be wearing granny pantys. this was my first step - always be well groomed, and always wear under garments that made me smile when I put them on in the morning (yes - I do have over 100 pairs of underwear).
this thought leads me to a lot of manners of living. And it brought me to the conclusion that I want to be proud of what I'm reading - if I was hit by a bus, would I want people to see the book that was in my bag? I want something that people think, "wow - she's witty/artistic/interesting/alternative/classic" (or all of the above). And though seemingly shallow, it has brought me to multiple incredible books that I might otherwise have never read - leonard cohen books, the marilyn manson biography, and so on.
i bought the book 'pilgrim' by timothy findley because it looked spooky, intellectual, and the cover was a panting - it is now my favourite book of all time. i started reading h.g. wells because i thought that i should hear what all the fuss was about - and he is an author i can not live without. i have been persuaded to pick up MANY books because people wouldn't know what they were, and they would think it to be mysterious... and have found some of my most meaningful connections through books that way.
i judge books by their covers - i look for covers that are matte, and i have rarely been failed.
from an article on electronic readers: "'There’s something about having a beautiful book that looks intellectually weighty and yummy,' said Ms. Wiles, who recalled that when she was rereading 'Anna Karenina' recently, she liked that people could see the cover on the subway. “You feel kind of proud to be reading it.'"
I have tossed and turned on electronic readers for a while now… but i'll never be able to leave behind my old books.
so there you have it... i am a reader of books that look good in my hands. and i subsequently get to read books i would have otherwise left behind.