"I cannot live without books."

Yeah, preach it Thomas Jefferson, I feel exactly the same way. Or as Katherine Hepburn said, "What in the world would we do without our libraries?" Well, I can answer that question - like I can't seem to stop doing, we would end up spending a large chunk of our paycheck at Barnes & Noble each week, that's what we would do.

But in all seriousness, "Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." (Thanks Mark Twain!)

I spent this past weekend in Indy, and part of that time was out in my grandmother's barn looking through the books that I had left there to pick out some that I would take back home. I have about 8 boxes of books still in storage and only managed to make it through a few. Nonetheless it was like Christmas! I had forgotten a few that I hadn't seen since grad school and boy, was it exciting! I only ended up taking about 30 back with me, but hopefully those 30 will keep me out of Barnes & Noble for awhile. Except for the fact that AS I'M WRITING this, I just received an e-mail coupon....curse you B&N!!

You see, books have become almost an obsession. I read all genres, but my favorite are the history and travel writing books. I can never get enough. In my apartment, I now have 4 bookshelves that are bulging with books, a desk that is covered in books, books on my nightstand, books in front of my nightsand, stacks of books on my coffee table, and books in the kitchen for awhile, but I moved those - my kitchen isn't that big. I think my cat may start feeling displaced fairly soon. I've acquired this multitude of books through my career as a liberal arts major, grad school, and my ill-conceived idea of working part-time at a bookstore in DC with the intention of making money...ahahaha.

Some, however, I've kept since childhood, and others I seem to have multiple editions when I forgot that I already owned it, or simply couldn't wait to read it a second time. All of them come with good memories, though, even the ones I may have bemoaned while still in school.

I recently finished for the sixth or seventh time Leon Uris' Exodus. I had been a fan of his work since reading QBVII in junior high, but until the summer of 2005, had never read what is probably his most popular work. Upon its release in 1958, it became the biggest bestseller in the United States since Gone with the Wind. Focused upon the founding of the state of Israel, Exodus is amazing for its seamless integration of fictional characters and true historic events. I bought this book while I was an intern at Wolf Trap Opera. I started reading it late during a tech week, and since the next day was my day off, I figured I would read until I couldn't keep my eyes open. That turned out to be 7AM - the book was so good, I read through the night to finish it. I LOVE it when I find a book that good. Stumbling downstairs afterwards, Ann, the owner of the house where I was staying, just shook her head and started laughing - she had already seen the pile of books that I had brought with me for the summer and knew exactly what I had been up to.

I guess the moral of this story is that I hear from most people I know that they simply don't have the time to read or don't find it entertaining. When I recover from the shock of this statement, my only feeling is pity. Regardless off the type of books one prefers, I always feel that reading allows one to escape for a while, learn something new, or just be entertained by a story that is not your own. I saw a billboard sign while I was home that said 1 out 5 people in Indiana cannot read this sign. I think that is extremely sad. I truly think that reading brings countless joys and I could not imagine life without it.

But, always use caution, because as Mark Twain notes, "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."