Not much makes me happier than a bookstore and its glorious contents. I get so excited upon entry. The smell, the colors, the new adventures I’m going to find within and the nearly impossible task of only selecting a few to come home with me.
I have always loved books. My favorite thing in school was Troll Books (now Scholastic, I believe). I would pour over the order form for hours making my selections. I would be careful not to be greedy. My mom never questioned choices. She generously wrote a check and put it in an envelope with my form. Then, I would wait 3-5 weeks for the books to arrive. I can remember my joy when I saw the teacher come into the room carrying a big box with Troll written on the side. It was the best day!
Once I have a book, rarely do I part with it. I have carried books all over the world. I recently handed down some of my classics to my daughter. She read Night and Animal Farm last summer. These were my books from high school. They are mint. It is so exciting to me she is now of an age to enjoy the books that have made me think, laugh, cry and some that have even changed my life.
We have 14 bookshelves in our house and will have to add at least one more this year. Now, I know many of you are saying, “Hello? Have you ever heard of e-books?” Yeah, yeah, I know. I have tried. I just can’t. I love holding a book. I love placing a bookmark back in and seeing how much I have read and how much I have left. I love peeking ahead to see how long the next chapter is. Can I squeeze it in before dinner? I love walking by my books and just looking at them and remembering a character that touched me.
My daughter feels the same about actual books. When she was in first grade we went to Washington DC on vacation. She carried two huge bags of books with her. It made me happy but was less than practical. That Christmas I bought her a Kindle filled with books. Two months later she said, “Momma, I need real books. Can we go to the bookstore?” My answer was an enthusiastic, “Yes!” She used the Kindle to watch Scooby Doo but curled up in bed with a book. I get it. Being surrounded by books is so comforting.
A recent article in the New York Times referred to it as being “book wrapt.” Apparently, it is a new trend in decorating and there is much debate on how many books it takes to truly be book wrapt. I’m not there yet. My dream is to have at least one room in my house where all the walls are covered in books. My daughter aspires to have one of those bookshelves that has a sliding ladder to reach the high spots. I like the way she rolls.
Now to answer your next question. Yes, I’m also aware that libraries exist. I love libraries. I think they are wonderful institutions and I support them. I am just terrible at returning books on time and finding something to check out that I’m in the mood for that very minute. The real problem is, if I like a book, I want to have it in my possession forever. I’m a total book addict.
I buy about 95 percent of my books from independent bookstores. It goes a long way to my justification for buying more books. My favorite book store is CoffeeTree Books located in Morehead, KY. The shop is in an old movie theater where I used to go as a kid. The owners are some of my favorite people on the planet and their staff is amazing. Nona is my go-to for a good recommendation. She has never let me down. Independent bookstores and their people are a treasure. Please find your favorite and support it.
As a person who suffers from anxiety, books are a wonderful and much-needed escape. On our last move, eight years ago, the only thing I had as much of as books, was booze. I think I may have more books now, but it would be close. That pretty much sums me up.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
Oh my!!!! I don’t feel alone in the world anymore. Angela, I am the exact same way! I surround myself with shelves and stacks and stacks of books. And of course, I love booze too….too much probably. Beer and rum being my favorites.
I have stopped getting knick knacks or anything as it is too hard to keep just the books dusted. I have many in boxes because I am trying to do some renovations on my old farmhouse and I need many more bookshelves.
I hope to find some empty days to do a huge inventory. Books are truly comforting. Oddest thing is that the only thing my parents ever read was the newspaper, never a book. My two sisters and me grew up bringing home 10 books a week from the library. To this day we are all three huge readers. Books are the best!!!