Books
Why do you like books?
I was a voracious reader in grade school. It allowed me to “go” new places, “see” new things, and “meet” new people. My family didn’t travel much so reading was one of my primary ways of experiencing new cultures. Mind you, this was before it was common for people with socieconomic status backgrounds like my own to have computers in the home. I’m older than Google. And MySpace. And basically all of today’s commonly used social media platforms. So books were the way to go! Plus, they hit all the right sensory notes with new book smell, old book smell, page turning sound, and cool cover art.
This is maybe 1/4 of the books in my house. Some might call it a problem; I call it a personal library!
Which one is your favorite?
That is a nearly impossible question to answer. I love so many of them! But if I had to pick JUST ONE, it would be The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It was a required reading book the summer before I started 9th grade and it was the first book I’d read that was both long and complex. I generally feel very dissatisfied when a book ends quickly, so I tend to prefer ones that are almost painstakingly long. (Before you mention the Wheel of Time series - it’s on my list, don’t worry!) I also loved how The Count of Monte Cristo really got me thinking about how many things that don’t seem to interact on the surface do have an impact on each other.
These books on the top shelf are around 100 years old. The one furthest to the left is about 150.
Why do you have so many books?
Alright, first of all, I didn’t grow up having all of my books on one little device. Paper books have the nostalgia factor going for me. With some of the older ones, you can almost feel the history by holding it. Secondly, a room full of books brings me joy and there’s nothing wrong with that. Lastly, my spouse and I both have ADHD. We are usually really great at reigning each other in on impulse purchases but we both have a weakness for books, so here we are.
I love to hear about other people’s favorite books and book recommendations! Leave yours in the comments below!
