Beyond reading
I wore a little pin to work today – more of a lapel pin, actually. It said: “Books: I feel the need to read!” Which, of course, I do. And since I am a librarian, it seemed somehow professional in nature as well. Or endorsing. And about as vocally political as I get in a bumper sticker, pin sort of way.
I do so love to read.
And even more than reading, I love to recommend to others wonderful books I have read in the hopes that they, too, will find the same books as magical and moving as I did. There is a sort of risk involved in this, though. A kind of putting one’s reputation on the line, so to speak. What if – God forbid! – the person doesn’t like the book? It happens sometimes. But it is a risk worth taking.
As in today. I had recommended, several times and quite strongly, the novel Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos to a good friend of mine at work. Broken for You is an amazing piece of fiction, of art, a truly wonderful first novel.
I first read it several years ago as an advanced reading copy. While I was in library school, I worked part time at a small independent bookstore, a job I loved with all my heart but one that was like employing an alcoholic as a bartender during happy hour. I spent WAY more than I ever made. I am sure of it. Even taking into account the very generous employee discount. But that was fine with me. I was surrounded by books and people who love books and people who liked to read and I got to RECOMMEND books to people. My favorite part was hand-selling books to people and having them come back in and say how much they loved the books. I also liked talking about books and getting to read Publishers Weekly every week and poring over all the book catalogs that were always months ahead of time. Occasionally, we would spot a book that really looked special. Broken for You was one of those books. The bookstore owner was able to get an advanced reading copy, and we were all blown away by the power and beauty of this work of fiction. The characters came to life in a very real and very human way, and the manner in which their lives intersected was incredible. Broken for You was a beautiful, exquisitely written novel.
We pre-ordered a bunch. We just knew it would be a big seller. We hand-sold countless copies, even when it was in hardback. Broken for You was probably our top-selling book for quite some time, especially when it came out in trade paperback and we encouraged book groups to select it.
I bought several copies myself and gave them to people as gifts. I ALWAYS recommended it to people who were looking for a good book to read. I would mention it to others whenever I could, and I know I mentioned it in several library job interviews when I was asked about a really moving book I had read recently.
I was surprised to find that my friend at work had not read it, or even heard of it. She reads widely and is quite discerning. I recommended Broken for You unhesitatingly, but then began to worry she might not like it. What if she didn’t like it? Then what? Of course, that would have been her prerogative, but I just felt so strongly and so deeply that she would love this book. If she didn’t like it, then – oh, well – she didn’t like it.
But she LOVED it! I was thrilled and happy. She told me today that the book moved her in the way that Possession by A.S. Byatt or Stones from the River by Ursula Heggi had moved her. And that moved ME deeply. Because all three novels had meant so much to me.
There are novels you come across every now and again in life that simply take your breath away, that move you in ways you didn’t expect, that change you somehow. You have to own copies of them, just because. And you recommend them – and give them – to others because you hope that they will be as affected by the books as you were. And you want to share that. You want to share something beautiful, you want to share the reading experience, the aha moment, the sheer magic.
Reading is such a solitary, private endeavor, but sharing good books with others and discussing them and reveling in the wonder and beauty of the written word is one of the greatest communal joys there is.
If you haven’t read Broken for You yet, whatever are you waiting for?
I do so love to read.
And even more than reading, I love to recommend to others wonderful books I have read in the hopes that they, too, will find the same books as magical and moving as I did. There is a sort of risk involved in this, though. A kind of putting one’s reputation on the line, so to speak. What if – God forbid! – the person doesn’t like the book? It happens sometimes. But it is a risk worth taking.
As in today. I had recommended, several times and quite strongly, the novel Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos to a good friend of mine at work. Broken for You is an amazing piece of fiction, of art, a truly wonderful first novel.
I first read it several years ago as an advanced reading copy. While I was in library school, I worked part time at a small independent bookstore, a job I loved with all my heart but one that was like employing an alcoholic as a bartender during happy hour. I spent WAY more than I ever made. I am sure of it. Even taking into account the very generous employee discount. But that was fine with me. I was surrounded by books and people who love books and people who liked to read and I got to RECOMMEND books to people. My favorite part was hand-selling books to people and having them come back in and say how much they loved the books. I also liked talking about books and getting to read Publishers Weekly every week and poring over all the book catalogs that were always months ahead of time. Occasionally, we would spot a book that really looked special. Broken for You was one of those books. The bookstore owner was able to get an advanced reading copy, and we were all blown away by the power and beauty of this work of fiction. The characters came to life in a very real and very human way, and the manner in which their lives intersected was incredible. Broken for You was a beautiful, exquisitely written novel.
We pre-ordered a bunch. We just knew it would be a big seller. We hand-sold countless copies, even when it was in hardback. Broken for You was probably our top-selling book for quite some time, especially when it came out in trade paperback and we encouraged book groups to select it.
I bought several copies myself and gave them to people as gifts. I ALWAYS recommended it to people who were looking for a good book to read. I would mention it to others whenever I could, and I know I mentioned it in several library job interviews when I was asked about a really moving book I had read recently.
I was surprised to find that my friend at work had not read it, or even heard of it. She reads widely and is quite discerning. I recommended Broken for You unhesitatingly, but then began to worry she might not like it. What if she didn’t like it? Then what? Of course, that would have been her prerogative, but I just felt so strongly and so deeply that she would love this book. If she didn’t like it, then – oh, well – she didn’t like it.
But she LOVED it! I was thrilled and happy. She told me today that the book moved her in the way that Possession by A.S. Byatt or Stones from the River by Ursula Heggi had moved her. And that moved ME deeply. Because all three novels had meant so much to me.
There are novels you come across every now and again in life that simply take your breath away, that move you in ways you didn’t expect, that change you somehow. You have to own copies of them, just because. And you recommend them – and give them – to others because you hope that they will be as affected by the books as you were. And you want to share that. You want to share something beautiful, you want to share the reading experience, the aha moment, the sheer magic.
Reading is such a solitary, private endeavor, but sharing good books with others and discussing them and reveling in the wonder and beauty of the written word is one of the greatest communal joys there is.
If you haven’t read Broken for You yet, whatever are you waiting for?
posted by delta at 11:10 PM
2 Comments:
Oh, I know what you mean about the anxiety of recommending a book to someone you know. I am always thrilled when someone reports back that they enjoyed my suggestion. I feel validated.
Two of my sisters and I swap around books constantly. At any family gathering you can find us huddled around the back of my vehicle doing our exchange.
I believe a large part of reaction has to do with timing, where you are in your life. Typically we like and dislike the same things but to different degrees. There are some things I read that I would never recommend to them.
I am buying it for at least three people for Christmas. Am anxiously awaiting my own copy to arrive.
I even sent the author a fan email. That is how much I loved it.
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