This is my story everytime I buy a new novel.
So I turn page after page, the characters are introduced, the plot thickens, something happens and the story ends. All this while, although I was thoroughly engrossed in the novel, my mind ( or was it sub conscious mind? I do not know who) was smart enough not to bend the cover or the pages. Long after I am done reading the entire book, it still looks as if it is freshly arrived from the bookstore. How cool is that? It can easily pass as a brand new copy.
Ahh! Luxury. The book in front of me is a temptation I cannot resist. It is a brand new copy of the book. The book is lying on my bed. And I am staring at it , like a child staring excitedly at its new toy before grabbing and engaging itself with the toy for hours. I know I will do the same. I won’t leave the novel until I finish reading its last page. Hence, though tempted, I am taking my time to devour it with my eyes.
What a sight. Each page is crispy and flawless. And the lovely smell of the pages!! Reminds me of the school days. The new books bought for the new academic year would have divine smell. I am experiencing the similar thing here. I do not want to soil the pages, neither do I want to bend the pages and the paperback. I want to keep it AS IS. So I take extra care when I take the book in my hand. No! No one from the house is allowed to touch it without my supervision. I mean, what if they bend the cover or the pages or put some mark on it? I know nobody will do this. They know how I like to keep my books untouched. ;) But unintentionally things do happen, right? So everyone sees the book from distance held in my hands. That is the best view I can provide. If at all, they want to hold it, I take every care that they do not do anything “harmful”. After showing my newly acquired possession to everyone, here it lies in front of me. With extra care I Iift the book and hold it as if I am holding a delicate flower. I flip open the cover and take my time to read every word - be it acknowledgement, license, year.. Why are you smiling? I have paid for it, didn’t I? :P
So I turn page after page, the characters are introduced, the plot thickens, something happens and the story ends. All this while, although I was thoroughly engrossed in the novel, my mind ( or was it sub conscious mind? I do not know who) was smart enough not to bend the cover or the pages. Long after I am done reading the entire book, it still looks as if it is freshly arrived from the bookstore. How cool is that? It can easily pass as a brand new copy.
I loved reading this post, Seeya. This is exactly how I feel when I buy a new book too! And just as you mentioned here, long after I have finished reading the book, it still looks as good as new. This is the case with most of my books. I get very upset if the books begin to look badly used or old because of the way some one may have carelessly handled it. I am very careful with every page that I turn and flip through while reading and tend to expect others to do the same when they borrow books from me!
ReplyDeleteSwapna. I thought I was the only one :-) I have my tribe then.. :P
DeleteHmm. I love the smell of fresh paper too . The promise of an untold story that promises to take me to a world unknown ..you've captured the excitement of how one feels when one looks at a brand new book that literally talks to you on a book shelf so well seeya:)
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