Books

I fell in love with books the first time I walked in a library. I was a very small child and this library seemed to be a castle, a cathedral for books. I love the smell of well used books. I love the musty smell of old books. I love the sound of opening a brand new hardback, crackling with anticipation. I love reading a well loved book and when someone I love gives me that book it makes me feel like they are with me as I read it. When I buy a used book I wonder who read it before me. I love the feel of the page when I turn to the next book. Sometimes, okay a lot of times when I get really into the book and can not put it down I skip ahead to read the end just so I know. Between my husband and I we have a small library of books and now that our children are reading their books are growing at a faster rate then our collection. I love seeing my children reading a book. I love how books look stacked, sorted, placed on selves. There is always something waiting to be read. Sometimes we go to a book store or library just to look at books. Sometimes a book that I never knew I wanted to read jumps out at me and I fall in love. It is a treasure of secrets waiting to be told, adventures waiting to be had, lessons waiting to be learned. I am a cook book junkie so I love to sit in the cook book section looking for one to take home and I also love a good story. My husband is a fantasy junkie, although he says he has bigger range the just fantasy but he always finds himself in that section. Damian is just discovering chapter books and loves a good mystery, but is always willing to give all books a chance. James who may not be able to read yet still loves a good story with his picture books. He wants to read is the important part. There is something simply beautiful about finding a book you weren't looking for. So when I read an article claiming bookstores will go the way of a record store I was heartbroken. It couldn't happen everybody loves books. But even we have a kindle, that we don't use. I bought for my husband's birthday because he will read a book on the laptop, it drives me crazy. I don't like the feel of it so I have never even tried to read a book on it and surprisingly after the first day of playing with it my husband went back to real books. Yes, you can keep thousands of books in one little tiny place but where is the romance that comes with holding a book? How can you pass that book to someone else? I can't tell you how many times I have given a favorite book away only to replace it with another copy. I love lending books out to people to discover. I love being able to pick just the right thing for a friend to read and enjoy. It is one of my favorite feelings. If you love the book so much you want to keep it, well it was my pleasure.

Don't give up books, go to a book store and fall in love.

 Theses bookcases are a bit more full and I am not even showing you the boy's bookcases.

Billy Crystals book was a surprise because it was so good, there is love, laughter, and heartache. It has everything. Zoya is a copy of a book I was given in high school by a summer lunch lady at a school I took my younger siblings to for free lunch during the week. I have read it dozens of times, and I smile every time I run across it. Walt Whitman taught me about poetry and helped foster a real passion for all poetry. The Joy Luck Club was lent to me by my first boss Lianne Chu. This is a copy as I gave her copy back. I love this book and was my introduction to this author. I have almost all of Amy Tan's books. I love Jacquelyn Mitchard when I read Cage of Stars I cried from the beginning to the end. Sofie Kinsella is just fun to read all of her books are easy, quirky and always brings me a laugh. Gone with the wind is, was my Great Grandmothers copy that I got after she passed. I will never upgrade this because when I read it I am reading it with her separate but together. When was the last time you picked up a machine and felt connected to a loved one?

So today go out and find a good solid book and fall in love again.