I love books, but it is not so much about the book itself as the story in it. Once I have read the story, it becomes a part of me and in some way affects how I look at the world and my place in it. Even if it is just a line or an adage or an adjective that I then incorporate into my language. How corny is that?!?
Unlike my friend Mary, I loan out books fearlessly and never keep track of who has them. I loan out my favorites to good friends as well as barely-met acquaintances and friends-of-a-friend. I give them away and leave ones I have finished at the airport for some poor book-less traveler to happen upon and rejoice in. Those frequent-flyer ones are the selected few, and their list is short and not that noteworthy; pulp and beach reading is what I leave for others in the airport. Something to occupy the mind so that the instinct that is screaming "PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE WINGS AND SHOULD NOT BE THIS FAR OFF THE GROUND!!" can be given a treat and relegated to the back porch to get a grip. Or just to keep me from talking your ear off, being bored, or getting into trouble. I ALWAYS have a book with me. Usually more than one. It's kinda pathetic.
OK, there are a few books that I am adamant about receiving back and I have been known to put a juju hex on them to make sure they are returned. Usually along the lines of, "I want this book back. Whenever is fine, but I want it back. Don't make me hunt you down and wrest it from your cold, dead hand." However, I often forget to specify the CONDITION in which these are returned. [sigh] But as long as I can turn the pages and see the words, I'm golden.
Many of my favorites have rippled pages from being accidentally dropped in the bathtub (personal best: 5 hours, 1 brand new 400+ page book, 10 extremely pruney toes). There are also vestiges of sauces that dropped on the pages from meals eaten while reading or even cooking, smears of chocolate or ketchup, and the occasional bloody fingerprint from a nasty papercut or hangnail. If the cover is tattered, torn, or flat-out missing, you know for certain that the book counts among my favorites. There will be cat hairs in between the pages because my cats sit on me while I read and shed just to get my attention. I drop the books, I dog ear the pages, I break the spines and I use the dust jackets as place markers. Those books--the destroyed ones--I don't lend out. I buy another copy and lend IT out. Crazy, right? _Hogfather_ by Terry Pratchett is just such a book. I have bought that book no fewer than 6 times. I have 2 copies -- 1 hardback, 1 paperback. The others have been given away to people I loaned it to. Not as gifts, initially, but that is just how it turned out.
I am more careful with books that have been loaned to me, but I have to say, not a LOT more. I try not to drop food on it, and I don't dog ear the pages,and if something horrific happens to the book cover, I will replace it, but other than that, the book will be thrown into my purse and forced to jockey for position among my keys, wallet, pens, other books, band-aids, dog leash, collapsible water bowl, water bottle, can of soup, needlework and receipts. Seriously. Those of you who are laughing, either at or with me, well, all I have to say is "touché." A snapshot of my life.
I love the story in the book, the characters and the worlds created in the stories more than the mere monetary investment in the book itself. I am so enthusiastic about them that I want the people whom I enjoy spending time with to enjoy these stories as well. Or at least give them a try. So I give books out freely. I usually do want them back, because they are more often than not part of a series, but there is rarely if ever a time limit. Maybe I have reached a Zen bibliophile attitude in this regard. If so, I can assure you it is the only Zen thing about me. I agree with Terry Pratchett: The sound of one hand clapping is CL-. The other hand makes the -AP.
Reading was always encouraged in my family, and I could read all my books by myself by the time I was four. When we would go to the mall, Mom would usually buy us a book each. Mom loves to read (though nowadays she would rather knit) and encouraged it in my sister and me. I once visited my sister over Thanksgiving, and waited in the car while she and her now-ex-boyfriend were in the convenience store buying beer. Since it was going to be a good three minutes before they got back, I pulled out my book from my purse and started reading by the dim and sulfurous light from the streetlamp. When they returned to the car, his comment was "Y'all are the readingest damn family I have ever seen! She reads all the time, too!" I knew, right then, that their relationship would never last.
All this is to say, I love to read. And yes, I will lend it to you.
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