Book Smart

The process of sorting through my books is a process of sorting through the stages of my life. I found, nestled inside the pages, the questions (typed on a typewriter) for my American Novel 326 final. Inside another text I found my handwritten notes for the very same final. I have found post it notes with questions about the text. “- similar theme mentioned in the opening – sig?” There are books that have spurred passionate discussions, vividly drawn to mind as I flip through the pages. In one book I found a name and an address of someone I don’t know. I have a stack of Agatha Christie paperbacks – some of the first books I fell in love with as a young adult. They were before my college days, before I met Jen who taught me it was sacrilege to break the binding of a book. I learned from her that to love books is to handle them with great care. Most of my books look brand new.

There are a few books I’m not sure how I ended up with – they were my husband’s, although I am certain he doesn’t miss them; he read because I read. It’s easy to see my favorite authors, and how varied my tastes are. I have several books by Chaim Potok, Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, and Nicholas Sparks. I have the books to represent my college coursework in American Novel, Contemporary Lit, Shakespeare I, II, III, Classical and Children’s Literature.

What I’m learning most, however, is that the process of listing my books hasn’t been as difficult as I thought. I’ve sold and mailed two books thus far and found a sort of joy in knowing someone was going to enjoy the books that I have loved as well. I know the Art Center where I take pottery classes is having a book sale in the summer and I have several books to donate to that cause, too. As I sort through a stack each night, separating the sell-able from the donate-able, I have come to realize that there is a distinct separation between owning books and loving books and one does not directly imply the other. I can love books for the rest of my life and not own shelves of them. At least I’m going to try!!

I found a couple more books that I love and just can’t part with - there haven’t been many that I’ve staked my claim to, but thus far, in addition to the ones I mentioned earlier, I’ve held onto “East of the Mountain” by Guterson and “The Good Husband” by Godwin. I’ll let you know if there are more as I go.

I know I won’t be banking my first million by selling my books. I also realize most of them probably won’t even sell. The lesson that God is teaching me isn’t about financial gain from personal sacrifice as it is about the emotional gain when I break my unhealthy relationship with these material objects. I still have a lot to learn. Tonight, I am grateful that God is a patient and loving teacher!