I love used books. I love their smell, the way they feel, how they look. And with the really old books, I like thinking about who may have read it in the past--what did they think, how were the times/lives different, and did they feel the same way I did as I read each page?
One of the oldest books I have in my collection is a 1910 copy of Lucretius' "On the Nature of Things". The paper is thick, the edges are ragged, and some of the pages are uncut--just folded. There is a name written in tiny print on the front page. It reads "1917 Anne ?vnn". I can't make out the first letter of her last name. I wonder if Anne enjoyed the book? Who gave it to her, or did she purchase it herself? What was her life like and why did she choose this book in particular (it was somewhat controversial as it explained that the world works due to natural phenomenon rather than a celestial being/deity.).
Books are always a beautiful source of wonder...and old, used books are an even greater source. As Socrates once said (paraphrased actually), "Wisdom begins in wonder."
One of the oldest books I have in my collection is a 1910 copy of Lucretius' "On the Nature of Things". The paper is thick, the edges are ragged, and some of the pages are uncut--just folded. There is a name written in tiny print on the front page. It reads "1917 Anne ?vnn". I can't make out the first letter of her last name. I wonder if Anne enjoyed the book? Who gave it to her, or did she purchase it herself? What was her life like and why did she choose this book in particular (it was somewhat controversial as it explained that the world works due to natural phenomenon rather than a celestial being/deity.).
Books are always a beautiful source of wonder...and old, used books are an even greater source. As Socrates once said (paraphrased actually), "Wisdom begins in wonder."
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