It’s very rare for me to buy new books. My local library is a delight when we are in Yorkshire and I always stock up on charity paperbacks to take to Italy, returning them read to pass on to friends or back to the charity shop. The many books we have in the penthouse are mostly non fiction.
However recently I’ve had two new book experiences. Firstly I reserved a library book which when I went to collect was a pristine brand new hardback. I told the librarian that it was a lot of pressure for me to be the first to read it and also to take care of it, I did manage not to damage it. Not always the case. When I worked in Edinburgh I used the glorious central library which wasn’t too far from my office. I had taken out a sizeable brand new tome on organic gardening. One morning I put it in my work bag to return, tucked in beside my packed lunch. Sadly the latter had attempted an escape and a ripe peach squashed itself against the fore edge, the opening edge that isn’t the spine, of the book. Of course I owned up at the returns desk, it really wasn’t that bad but they made me pay the full purchase price of the book then handed it back to me. Lesson learnt.
Secondly this week I received as a gift a brand new book, below. My lovely neighbour had left it gift wrapped on my door step as a thank you for a bit of knitting I did for her. It was such a nice surprise, a beautiful looking book with great reviews and best of all brand new but without responsibility. This is such a special treat for me and I will look after it.
No comments:
Post a Comment