The destruction and conservation of books is important, but it does raise a lot of questions, which I think are questions that other people have as well. I hate to hear that books are being gotten rid of, but at the same time, if they haven’t been opened in quite some time, shouldn’t that mean it’s time to replace them with a newer book that is more relevant? I love coming across new books and I think it’s important that we continue cycling through new and old. Hopefully, the books that are old and, for lack of a better term, books we get rid of, are used in a way that allows them to have another life. I like books as an art medium because it allows them to continue to be appreciated, but in a different way. They’re not a book serving the purpose of being read, but a book serving the purpose of being appreciated as an art piece.
Tag: bibliophilia
New Lives for Used Books
One of my good Muggle friends came to visit me last weekend and we came across a used bookstore that I had never had the pleasure of stopping in before! There’s nothing better than finding a new bookstore to just immerse yourself in. It’s one of my favorite feelings in the world. As it was a used bookstore, none of the books were in tip-top condition, which was fine with me because a book is a book. A new book offers new opportunities and thoughts, while a used book demonstrates that it was loved. My friend wants to be a teacher, so she was browsing the Children’s Books section and there were so many books with little notes from family, friends, or grandparents on the inside cover. It was bittersweet to see, especially as a person with an ungodly amount of empathy. My friend is the same way, because she bought every book she saw that had a personal little note in it. I’m thrilled that she’ll be able to share those stories with her students! It’s like a phoenix rising, almost.
There’s an obvious metaphor with my last sentence and the burning of books in Fahrenheit 451. I’ll let everyone interpret it in their own way 🙂
