I love Books!

I can't remember not loving books. I've always been a know-it-all and books have been a great source of that knowledge. For better or worse, I also married someone who loves books and we have books tucked away in every conceivable space of the house. In fact, when we were first married we were spending more money on books than groceries. It didn't take too many months for us to run out of money and I was reintroduced to the magic of the public library. The true value of the public library will be left for another post but suffice it to say that I keep the link to my local branch library in my browser toolbar and their phone number in my cell phone!

Sometimes, just sometimes, there are books that beg to be owned. They are the books that you surround yourself with. They are written by your favorite authors - the ones that will go on your keeper shelf - or they are the ones you will buy for your kids or you'll send to a niece/ nephew/ friend. You'll send them to a friend who never reads books because you're bound and determined to make sure they one at least one good book. Sometimes you'll shop online from work during a 'break' using a gift card you got from a relative who had no earthly idea what to really get for you so thankfully they didn't actually try.

These are all Cool Ideas!! It is cool to be a subversive in the world of literature and widen someone else's world in knowledge. I love books that make me think even though you don't think there's anything in them to think about. [I know that was an awkward sentence but take a second and say it slowly and out loud - it works.] If you've never read a Jennifer Crusie novel give one a try - there's more to think about in one of Jenny's 'romance' novels than in a lot of 'real' fiction I've had to read, but that's just me talking - here, on my blog. Like you do.

Ahem, Books - I love 'em. They're cool. And Booksellers are cool, too. Want to know what isn't cool right now? The economy is incredibly tough and independent booksellers are having a tough time and if we want them to stay in business it's up to us to help. 

Do you have an independent bookseller in your community? Don't automatically say, "No." Check it out. Find out what kind of books they sell. Go buy a book from them. Order from them by phone or online if they have that capability. It might be just as easy, or easier, than ordering from the other stores using your gift card and you'll be helping out your very own community. It's all good and it's a very Cool Idea!