Book Collectors As Book Readers
I have always believed that we become book collectors through being avid book readers. There may be rare exception to this but for the most part, we love reading - everything about reading, actually. We love the way words paint images in our minds of places and situations we may never experience in our lifetime. We love the way some authors manage to put words together in ways that are lovely and evocative. We love the style of certain authors - the way they speak to our experience of life - to reflect or enhance life. We love the very feel of books in our hands - the nice weight to hardback and leatherbound books and the easy heft of paperbacks. I love to read the latest book published by favorite authors (I just finished the latest by John Irving and Margaret Atwood and Elizabeth Kotstova). I read voraciously. The first book I remember reading clearly is a book of Edgar Allen Poe stories - at age 5. Mom used to read to us from 101 Famous Poems and I love The Raven so she bought me a book of Poe stories. What a thrill! I still remember the terror (sweet terror) of the Pit And The Pendulum (which I recently reread and found much in it to amaze me still...). My memory is primarily of the darkness and the Pendulum swinging closer - ever closer... the rest of the story was a pleasant surprise these many years later.
One of my favorite types of book are (primarily) first editions which have been signed by the author. I just love them. Some of my favorite authors are Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams - even Stephen King... I have books signed by them all, Now if I could only manage to get hold of a signed F. Scott Fitzgerald (among many I'd love to have...) - to be able to hold it - how wonderful!
There are always new contraptions designed to make reading easier... It seems even holding a book long enough to read it cover to cover is tiring to some of us - and may be impossible for others... I have found a contraption that should actually be a boon to such folks. Check it out and let me know what you think. Here is a link. Enjoy!
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