Love of the Printed Page; What Makes a Book Beautiful

I recently joined PermanenceMatters.com, because I love books. Permanence Matters promotes the importance of printed books and pages printed on quality paper.  I would rather read a book on a quality prinked page, than on cheap copy paper. 

Now mind me, I like to read blogs, articles and other things online.  Obviously I do or I wouldn’t be writing a blog.  But when it comes to a good book, I like the full experience of it.  I like the smell of the pages.  I like to feel the quality of the paper.  I like to look at the cover, especially if it has a well designed dust cover, or good binding.  I like the feel of a book in my hands.  I also appreciate a good quality paperback. 

A good book is your friend.  It shares it secrets with you.  It waits for you to turn its pages or come back later.  I love to sit outside on a warm sunny day and read, or curl up in an overstuffed chair and snuggle in for a long read, as I drink oolong tea.    Reading is an adventure.  You can travel to places you’ve never dreamed of and meet people you would never otherwise have a chance to meet.  I own many different kinds of books, on all sorts of topics and types of fiction. 

Some books I pass on for others to treasure too.  Favorites are read over and over.  As a girl, I read "Black Beauty" so many times; the pages were falling out of the binding.  My favorite book is “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen.  I’ve read several different copies of it.  I’ve probably read it seven times and I’ve watched every film or television version of it I come across.  Elizabeth Bennett is one of my best friends from the literally world; and I’ve grown very fond of Mr. Darcy.   Books should be honored for the worlds they open for us.  Books are our windows to the world and the soul. 

As I blogged about before, I always go to the local library's book sales and look for interesting books to buy.  I usually come home with several.  Books deserve to be re-circulated and passed on to others.  Sometimes the books even tell a story about the pervious owners. 

I like to write things, like this blog, because I love to read.  I like to read about people’s interests, passions and ideas.  I also like to learn new things and many of those new things are written in books. 

When I was a kid and well into high school, I used to devour several books a week.  We would go to the library and I would borrow about ten books for the two week time limit.  At night I would close the door to my room, when I was supposed to be in bed.  I would go under the covers with a flashlight and read.   I used to sit in the living room and read by the light of the street light.  My mother often told me I would go blind reading that way. 

I read “The Exorcist” in one sitting.  I sat in the bathroom with the light on until I finished it at three in the morning.  I felt safer in that room with the door closed, sitting on the floor, pressed up against the heat register, as if it would protect me from the demons.  I was too scared to leave, or turn the lights off and go to bed!  I laugh at that memory now.  Horror stories no longer affect me like that, but what fun to be so immersed in a book.  You create much better pictures in your mind with words, than any movie can put on the screen. 

When I went through college and graduate school, I became more of a chapter skipper.  There was so much to read and write, especially in graduate school.  I only got an opportunity to read a book on breaks from school.  Today I read a lot of non-fiction and I buy books all the time. 

After I revamped my home office, I started going through my collection of books.  I want to donate many to three local charities.  Why not share that love of books with others?  I will keep the ones I can’t part with.  I have a large gardening book collection.  Not only are they helpful and have taught me much about gardening, but they are beautiful to look at.  I also love a bookshelf full of books.  Don’t you?