Books

Today is not a good day so I am going to share a post that I have had sitting in my drafts so that I can post something happy.........   


Can I just tell you how much I Love bookstores?! I did work in one for almost 5 years but working in one and shopping in one, it is not quite the same. I could probably spend a whole day (full 24 hours) just browsing and buying book after book. I love walking into bookstores and smelling all of those new books mixed with the aroma of coffee, it is one of the most fantastically (is that a word?) wonderful things to me. I adore picture books and even at 28 I can still spend hours flipping through and reading them. If I had the room I would probably have a few bookcases just devoted to picture books.

       Growing up I wasn't much of a reader but when I found a book I loved I would devour it, reading as quickly as I could to find out what happened next. I did however, love going to the library and being able to have my own library card that allowed me to check out any book I wanted.

            I didn't always care for the books we had to read in Elementary school but to this day I still love "Mr. Popper's Penguins," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle,"

 "Wayside school" (both books), "Number the Stars", "Holes," "The Giver," and the list goes on and on. All of those are from my elementary school days, maybe it was because I had some awesome teachers when we read those specific books.  

In junior high my love of books really started to grow. We read "To Kill a Mockingbird"

in one of my English classes and to this day it is still one of my favorite books to read over and over. “Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin'," still gets me all choked up. I will admit some books we read in school were highly disappointing but some of the classics are ones I actually enjoyed. Othello, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Great Gatsby, etc, etc.

      The thing about me and books is that I love the look of hardbound books but when it comes right down to it I would rather have a paperback book that is a little tattered and worn from being well loved and used. I know some people like to keep their books in pristine condition but to me a worn book is an enjoyed book. My paperback books are always creased on my favorite parts or marked up from what ever English class I had to read it in, the spine might be wearing down from being thrown in a bag just in case I might need to read it where ever I am. I love LOVE sales at libraries (I haven't been to one in a while), because I love the thought that a worn out book that I am buying was loved and read by so many people. Someday I suppose I should replace some of my books but I don't think I will ever get rid of those that are falling apart with taped spines, that show they have been put to good use, too many memories. I have a long list of books that I still need to buy for my collection and some that need to be replaced but all that means is another trip to the book store and maybe a bigger bookshelf.....