There are a lot of cool perks that go along with my job. I visit interesting cities, meet wonderful people, fly one of the world's most sophisticated aircraft, and have an incredible view of our beautiful country. I also spend three to four nights a week in hotels getting to do whatever I want for 13-18 hours. I rarely turn on the television in my room, but I do spend a lot of time reading. I very much enjoy reading.
My wife is a librarian in an intermediate school. She serves as the president of the city library board in the town where we live, gives lectures, does workshops at regional and state library and teaching conferences, and she is sought after to assist in the design and opening of new libraries. Because of her connections, she has access to literally millions of books which she can "borrow" for me to read (I don't have a library card). If our local library doesn't have a book that I want, she can find it anywhere in the state and have it brought in. With all of this convenience, not to mention money savings, I still tend to purchase books. I just can't seem to wait; I want them now, even if I won't read them any time soon. This practice kinda unnerves my wife because being a librarian, it is engrained into her psyche that it is better to borrow than buy when it comes to books.
USA Today and Forbes cost me a fortune each year because as I travel, I read their book excerpts and reviews and then decide that I "must have" the book that has been written about. Many of the airports that Southwest serves have wonderful bookstores located in them. Additionally, some of our overnight hotels are located next to malls that have new and used bookstores, so it is easy for me to see something that peaks my interest and buy it while I am out flying. We have even added a library to our home, replete with a rolling ladder to access the numerous volumes of books that we own. Many of our books have been personalized by the author or illustrator. Most of the books I have read contain pages flagged where I have highlighted a quote, phrase or note that I found interesting and want to be able to go back and enjoy at some future date.
I have read that Bill Gates (what a genius he is!!) is a big proponent of electronic books. I'm not sure that would be a medium that I would use. (Sorry, Mr. Gates, but when you finish reading this blog, give me a call, as I would very much enjoy meeting you.) I think that electronic and borrowed library books fall into the same mind-set with me. I can't make notes in them, send them to the author to be autographed, or add them to our library to go back and reread or loan to a friend or relative. Suffice it to say that I think the retail book industry will keep getting part of my paycheck every month for the forseeable future.
Comments
Funny thing about librarys they always want you to commit to returning their books by a certain date. As a born procrastinator , I have to buy the book.
My daughter reads a book and it is in pristine condition. When I read a book, I will eat with it, sleep with it so when I buy a book I prefer buying it used because when I done with it is very well used. After all books should be enjoyed.
I always forget to return my books on time to the library. I'll have to work on that.
I've always enjoyed reading. I enjoy reading about Judaism (I'm Christian of Jewish descent), my book Nuts! of course, & about tornadoes.
I also enjoy reading very very much. In fact, I share a trait with capt evans, that I too, must have/own/keep a book because I love to re-read some of them every so often. I think one of my favorites of all time is Steinbeck's "East of Eden". To me, it is a literary masterpiece. It is timeless and very enjoyable to read. In fact, I bought it in paperback that last time it was re-released and one day while I was sitting at a coffee shop reading it, I spilled coffee on the book ( on the pages inside ). I thought I was going to have a heart attack. But after thinking about it and knowing that I was going to be keeping this copy till my last days walking the earth, that minor coffee spill is going to remind me of the first time I re-read this book in paperback format. It will remind me of what I was doing at that point in time. So to me books are also a remembrance. Every day, I enjoy looking at all my books in my bookcase at home; knowing that I have the opportunity to re-read anyone of them whenever I want too!
If you haven't read "East of Eden", run out right now and grab a copy wherever you can - new, borrowed, etc..... It is one of the greatest books of all time!
Tom
Hi David!
I am a bit of a bookworm myself!
I recall reading an article a while back about an initiative.
Essentially, avid book readers wrote down a tracking number in the cover of books they had read, and then left them behind in public places.
People were invited to pick the book, read it, and leave it in another public place. They could also log on to a website to "see" where that book had been left previously, and how many people had read it!
I alas can no longer find the website, but maybe this is something Southwest could do?
Leave a few used books on each flight, inviting the reader to leave them behind after use.
The weight penalty involved would surely be more than compensated by inciting people to read a good book!
My favourites are of course "Night Flight" and the "Little Prince" by Antoine de St Exupery
:o)
Raphael, you are lucky you can read Night Flight in it's native French--what an amazing book. Ernest Gann's Fate is the Hunter and A Hostage to Fortune are two of my favorites books of all time, along with anything by Larry McMurtry.
I also have a huge collection of transportation books, and like Captain Evans, i have an understanding wife who has let me turn our living room into a library. Books and reading are my passion.
Brian
I have that same issue with reading USA today and always having to buy the books! Good to know I'm not alone.
Oh how I WISH my wife and I had an extra room that we could turn into a library! I'm so jealous!
I know we still have books packed in boxes somewhere (hey, it's only been 20 months since we moved), but I know we just don't have enough space for them all. We keep out Hillerman, Grisham, Peretti, Dekker, Clancy, et al. Plus of course all the homeschool books - btw, if you ever want to fill up your shelves, put "homeschool curriculum" into a search engine and sit back.... That'll "git r done."
What I really enjoy seeing is how much my kids love to read! We have had to set a "curfew" for them to turn out their lights at night, or they else they read til dawn! We read to them when they were small, and still do on occasion, though they prefer George Guidall to read to them these days (books on tape, he's the best!! - check out the "Cat Who" series at your local library).
And, is it just me, or is Half Price Books a little slice of heaven??
I can see it now,
Brian in an easy chair with the title "Why animals sleep so close to the road and other lies you tell your children" and a huge bowl of candycorn, James's southwest telephone by his side.
Ding! is two today happy birthday ding!
Joe Friedmann
sorry James's
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