There are different manners of shopping for books in my country and I am of the habit of buying in the most common of those manners which I am sure most of you are acquainted with or even are practitioners of...
So at one of those stalls I was haggling for a couple of interesting books and in the end got them for a price that I had set in mind right after I had picked them, irrespective of what the supposed "MRP" said. As I walked away from them, the two books secure in my bag, I couldn't help but smile at these thoughts (forming the basis of this post). How innocent and childlike this joy is of shopping books is, incomparable even with the joy of buying a precious and beautiful piece of jewel, I would say, for the latter is always be shaded with a tinge of guilt at having spent so much (talking from experience, mind you), how much ever you may love that piece. I never feel that with buying books...
As I walk away with a smile on my face, and with excitement, to start one of the particularly interesting books that I had just bought and decided would read first - though there are about ten such books with me already in my list of to read next - I spotted another of these stalls and with great difficulty tore myself away from it and still did not think - why am I spending so much... That is the beauty of it...
And that is why I ended up in a, let us say, more legitimate - and a quiet little shop (a really nice one that a friend had brought to the attention of a surprised me, as, though having walked down that road several times I had never noticed it there before), read a whole illustrated copy of a children's book called Sita's Ramayana - I realized how stupid I had been to think there was never such work talking about the woman's perspective and the injustice of the so called "hero and the noble" in the whole epic. After having read this I started having the craving again - as all addicts do, after having a small dosage of their addiction - for more, and walked out of the store, with the friendly lady there handing me two more books to carry with me.
I plan to have a library of my own in my house once I settle down - be however small my place. I plan to devote a small cozy section to all the books that I have bought, been gifted... and may be even written... never know... ;) Well, dream big isn't it...?!
So at one of those stalls I was haggling for a couple of interesting books and in the end got them for a price that I had set in mind right after I had picked them, irrespective of what the supposed "MRP" said. As I walked away from them, the two books secure in my bag, I couldn't help but smile at these thoughts (forming the basis of this post). How innocent and childlike this joy is of shopping books is, incomparable even with the joy of buying a precious and beautiful piece of jewel, I would say, for the latter is always be shaded with a tinge of guilt at having spent so much (talking from experience, mind you), how much ever you may love that piece. I never feel that with buying books...
As I walk away with a smile on my face, and with excitement, to start one of the particularly interesting books that I had just bought and decided would read first - though there are about ten such books with me already in my list of to read next - I spotted another of these stalls and with great difficulty tore myself away from it and still did not think - why am I spending so much... That is the beauty of it...
And that is why I ended up in a, let us say, more legitimate - and a quiet little shop (a really nice one that a friend had brought to the attention of a surprised me, as, though having walked down that road several times I had never noticed it there before), read a whole illustrated copy of a children's book called Sita's Ramayana - I realized how stupid I had been to think there was never such work talking about the woman's perspective and the injustice of the so called "hero and the noble" in the whole epic. After having read this I started having the craving again - as all addicts do, after having a small dosage of their addiction - for more, and walked out of the store, with the friendly lady there handing me two more books to carry with me.
I plan to have a library of my own in my house once I settle down - be however small my place. I plan to devote a small cozy section to all the books that I have bought, been gifted... and may be even written... never know... ;) Well, dream big isn't it...?!
3 comments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RzTg7YXuy34
i Don't know if you have watched this... I haven't either but heard a lot of good things about this... check it out :)
Wow!More than once, your words mirror the bond I share with books! And,once I get a place all for my own, I intend to set up a library too :)
For the love of books (three cheers!!)
@Sindhu: Oh I share that dream. I am setting up my own library too. Cheers!!!
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