A Day of Books
Today was definitely a day of books. Regardless of where we went and what we were shopping for, books were a part of it, and this is so important to me and, really looking back on my past, both makes sense and doesn't, as I'll explain.
Growing up, I probably had a few books but I really don't remember - sad, huh? I don't remember having books until I was in high school and became interested in two quite disparate things, botany and the Vietnam War (yeah, I know, pretty strange!) Beginning probably my freshman year, I just KNEW that I was going to be the next "world's greatest botanist" so it's strange that I blew off college and joined the Army ( I still have my herbarium from those days though!). Anyway, also in high school I became interested, almost obsessed, with the Vietnam War and, to this day, have no idea why. So, should we be able to go back in time and return to my bedroom in about, oh, say 1983, there would be wildflower and other botanical field guides next to a book about the tunnels of Cu Chi. Anyway, that's where I was in November 1986 when I left for basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas.
Fast forward a year or so to me in Bitburg, Germany and during the times I was not "out" with my friends, I was in my small room in the barracks buried in a book, usually King or Koontz at that time. By 1994 I was in New Mexico, out of the Army, and looking for a job, and the owner of this place hired me. I don't know why, other than the fact that I pestered the hell out of him! Nonetheless, I had a job in a bookstore, no THE bookstore of the southwest. I knew nothing about books, but what I learned there was, I would later understand, critical to discovering who I am today.
I really knew nothing about books when I was hired, but when I left, five years later, I was the person who kept the non-fiction stacks (all hardbacks actually!) in order, I appraised rare books, I even had become a collector. I collected illustrated childrens books, pop-up books, and Western Americana. In addition, I had a small art collection, mainly of Paul Klee and collected books on semiotics. (yeah, me, the "army dude") It was with a heavy heart, but a hopeful wallet, that I left there to take a Graduate Assistant position where I now work in another capacity, but even when I left for three months in 1995 all I took were clothes and three boxes of books.
I took a position as a student geologist at the Ray Mine in Arizona from May to August 1995. No television, no computer, a town of a few hundred in the middle of nowhere (2 hours to Phoenix) so I took books. Now why have I told you all of this? So that you will understand my love of books and printed materials. Though I have sold my 1000 book Western Americana library, I still cannot help but buy books, wherever I am. Conference in Chicago? Buy books. Conference in Boston? Buy books!!! I'm a book geek, can't help it, and my kids are exactly like me, which is the real point of this rather long rant-like blog.
Today we went shopping for Christmas presents and found ourselved in three bookstores. Coas was the first one, and though we did not really plan on looking for books for the kids we found a Pooh book for Caitlyn - "Oh, Bother! Someone's Fibbing." Dylan choose a Buzz Lightyear book and also found an absolutely beautiful hardback called "The Christmas Creche," by Elaine Cannon. I could not even find it on Amazon, but it is a beautifully illustrated book of nativities, something Dylan has taken a particular interest in lately. I also found a book for myself, "The Red Suit Diaries: A Real-Life Santa on Hopes, Dreams, and Childlike Faith." I cannot wait to read it! Melissa found a few as well, one on Easter and the other on Christmas, both by Paul Maier, illustrated by Francisco Ordaz. These are beautiful books, with fantastic illustrations, and they will make a superb addition to the kids already packed and overflowing bookshelves!
Afer COAS, we made our way, eventually, to Hastings, where we found one of the Tomie DePaola books Liss has been looking for, "Pascual and the Kitchen Angels." We also picked up "Let Me Hold You Longer" by Karen Kingsbury, an absolutely enchanting book that we cannot wait to read to the kidlets!
By now Barnes and Noble was calling, and we managed to find three more DePaola books, "The Night of Las Posadas," The Legend of the Poinsettia," and "The Legend of the Bluebonnet." The illustrations are, of course, beautiful and we look forward to reading these as well. The best thing is that the kids never get tired of reading, and often haul armloads of books into the living room or our bedroom, plopping themselves in the middle of the floor, Dylan attempting to sound out words, and Caitlyn making up stories to match the illustrations. It's not unusual for us to end up with a dozen or so new books a week, so it's sure a good thing the kids love them!
Anyway, that was a rather typical Saturday for us - books, books, and more books. One thing I absolutely hate is to enter a home, especially when there are children present, and see no books, so go buy a kid a book and change his world forever!
Growing up, I probably had a few books but I really don't remember - sad, huh? I don't remember having books until I was in high school and became interested in two quite disparate things, botany and the Vietnam War (yeah, I know, pretty strange!) Beginning probably my freshman year, I just KNEW that I was going to be the next "world's greatest botanist" so it's strange that I blew off college and joined the Army ( I still have my herbarium from those days though!). Anyway, also in high school I became interested, almost obsessed, with the Vietnam War and, to this day, have no idea why. So, should we be able to go back in time and return to my bedroom in about, oh, say 1983, there would be wildflower and other botanical field guides next to a book about the tunnels of Cu Chi. Anyway, that's where I was in November 1986 when I left for basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas.
Fast forward a year or so to me in Bitburg, Germany and during the times I was not "out" with my friends, I was in my small room in the barracks buried in a book, usually King or Koontz at that time. By 1994 I was in New Mexico, out of the Army, and looking for a job, and the owner of this place hired me. I don't know why, other than the fact that I pestered the hell out of him! Nonetheless, I had a job in a bookstore, no THE bookstore of the southwest. I knew nothing about books, but what I learned there was, I would later understand, critical to discovering who I am today.
I really knew nothing about books when I was hired, but when I left, five years later, I was the person who kept the non-fiction stacks (all hardbacks actually!) in order, I appraised rare books, I even had become a collector. I collected illustrated childrens books, pop-up books, and Western Americana. In addition, I had a small art collection, mainly of Paul Klee and collected books on semiotics. (yeah, me, the "army dude") It was with a heavy heart, but a hopeful wallet, that I left there to take a Graduate Assistant position where I now work in another capacity, but even when I left for three months in 1995 all I took were clothes and three boxes of books.
I took a position as a student geologist at the Ray Mine in Arizona from May to August 1995. No television, no computer, a town of a few hundred in the middle of nowhere (2 hours to Phoenix) so I took books. Now why have I told you all of this? So that you will understand my love of books and printed materials. Though I have sold my 1000 book Western Americana library, I still cannot help but buy books, wherever I am. Conference in Chicago? Buy books. Conference in Boston? Buy books!!! I'm a book geek, can't help it, and my kids are exactly like me, which is the real point of this rather long rant-like blog.
Today we went shopping for Christmas presents and found ourselved in three bookstores. Coas was the first one, and though we did not really plan on looking for books for the kids we found a Pooh book for Caitlyn - "Oh, Bother! Someone's Fibbing." Dylan choose a Buzz Lightyear book and also found an absolutely beautiful hardback called "The Christmas Creche," by Elaine Cannon. I could not even find it on Amazon, but it is a beautifully illustrated book of nativities, something Dylan has taken a particular interest in lately. I also found a book for myself, "The Red Suit Diaries: A Real-Life Santa on Hopes, Dreams, and Childlike Faith." I cannot wait to read it! Melissa found a few as well, one on Easter and the other on Christmas, both by Paul Maier, illustrated by Francisco Ordaz. These are beautiful books, with fantastic illustrations, and they will make a superb addition to the kids already packed and overflowing bookshelves!
Afer COAS, we made our way, eventually, to Hastings, where we found one of the Tomie DePaola books Liss has been looking for, "Pascual and the Kitchen Angels." We also picked up "Let Me Hold You Longer" by Karen Kingsbury, an absolutely enchanting book that we cannot wait to read to the kidlets!
By now Barnes and Noble was calling, and we managed to find three more DePaola books, "The Night of Las Posadas," The Legend of the Poinsettia," and "The Legend of the Bluebonnet." The illustrations are, of course, beautiful and we look forward to reading these as well. The best thing is that the kids never get tired of reading, and often haul armloads of books into the living room or our bedroom, plopping themselves in the middle of the floor, Dylan attempting to sound out words, and Caitlyn making up stories to match the illustrations. It's not unusual for us to end up with a dozen or so new books a week, so it's sure a good thing the kids love them!
Anyway, that was a rather typical Saturday for us - books, books, and more books. One thing I absolutely hate is to enter a home, especially when there are children present, and see no books, so go buy a kid a book and change his world forever!
posted by Unknown at 9:36 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home