"It was the facial expression of their readers, how immersed in their experience they seemed to be with their eyes on the page, as well as their posture and general demeanor." What an act of faith in humanity, to observe and note another person's relationship to a book as a means of choosing what to read next. Never heard of anyone doing this. Of course verbal recommendations by friends are one thing, but following and trusting the body language of a stranger immersed in a book, that's quite another.
I think we have the same affliction. My entire studio is covered in books. My bedroom, living room, kitchen, all books. I’m currently on a philosophy/theology kick and I buy too many books. But I’ve embraced it even as my wife shakes her head.
...when i was younger i am pretty much sure the only way i could read was by the cover...this is why i have so many books with hamsters & weasels wearing armor and holding swords...those are the stories i needed to read (or imagine to read)....
Lovely homage to books, Silvio. I think I share the same tendency to buy books as you—way more than I can ever read with often pure intuition. I’m typically frugal but when it comes to books I rarely think twice.
Not many people know this but, buying books and reading them are two separate things entirely.
Funny you mentioned Roberto Bolaño, as I've been reading a compilation of his stories, which includes Putas Asesinas.
Also, didn't know you were so into Latinamerican writers. Have you read Juan Villoro, Guillermo Arriaga or Xavier Velasco? Younger than Bolaño, different among them, though all disciples of Bolaño in a sense.
"Books are escape conduits. Portals to parallel lives, adjacent universes" And already here - right at the beginning - you have won me over. Because I've always thought of books as being other lives to be lived but this metaphor - which is similar in some ways - is even more effective: they really are escape routes, and it's best to keep them handy around the house, you know.
Regarding the book database, I started using Readwise some time ago. I used to highlight on paper and on Kindle, which then saved the highlights. Which I would then forget. Now I've imported them all to Readwise and I'm re-reading them, randomly, a little bit every day. And I discover books that I forgot highlighted 10 years ago. I try to remember them and often I can't but I have discovered a new pleasure: that for the decontextualized quotation, and also for the elegance of it. In fact, I realized that sometimes I highlight a phrase for its pure aesthetic value, not because it is important in the narrative. It is a postponed pleasure, which I am now discovering. And I have a database of my books, at least the electronic ones! I recommend it a lot.
Wonderful essay, Silvio. I think my apartment probably looks a lot like your home--books stacked on every available horizontal surface. Sometimes I despair that I only read a fraction of the books I buy, but I can't seem to stop!
"It was the facial expression of their readers, how immersed in their experience they seemed to be with their eyes on the page, as well as their posture and general demeanor." What an act of faith in humanity, to observe and note another person's relationship to a book as a means of choosing what to read next. Never heard of anyone doing this. Of course verbal recommendations by friends are one thing, but following and trusting the body language of a stranger immersed in a book, that's quite another.
My database is far from complete but one of my most loved bits is connecting a book with the person who recommended it to me or how I discovered it.
Well done yet again my friend. I eagerly await the published collection of your works.
I think we have the same affliction. My entire studio is covered in books. My bedroom, living room, kitchen, all books. I’m currently on a philosophy/theology kick and I buy too many books. But I’ve embraced it even as my wife shakes her head.
So identified!
...when i was younger i am pretty much sure the only way i could read was by the cover...this is why i have so many books with hamsters & weasels wearing armor and holding swords...those are the stories i needed to read (or imagine to read)....
Lovely homage to books, Silvio. I think I share the same tendency to buy books as you—way more than I can ever read with often pure intuition. I’m typically frugal but when it comes to books I rarely think twice.
Not many people know this but, buying books and reading them are two separate things entirely.
I'll take a box of books in Italian!
Funny you mentioned Roberto Bolaño, as I've been reading a compilation of his stories, which includes Putas Asesinas.
Also, didn't know you were so into Latinamerican writers. Have you read Juan Villoro, Guillermo Arriaga or Xavier Velasco? Younger than Bolaño, different among them, though all disciples of Bolaño in a sense.
Finally, here's an awesome thread on Latinamerican writers I recently saw, hope there's some you haven't read https://twitter.com/feguz77/status/1753205452781797387
"Books are escape conduits. Portals to parallel lives, adjacent universes" And already here - right at the beginning - you have won me over. Because I've always thought of books as being other lives to be lived but this metaphor - which is similar in some ways - is even more effective: they really are escape routes, and it's best to keep them handy around the house, you know.
Regarding the book database, I started using Readwise some time ago. I used to highlight on paper and on Kindle, which then saved the highlights. Which I would then forget. Now I've imported them all to Readwise and I'm re-reading them, randomly, a little bit every day. And I discover books that I forgot highlighted 10 years ago. I try to remember them and often I can't but I have discovered a new pleasure: that for the decontextualized quotation, and also for the elegance of it. In fact, I realized that sometimes I highlight a phrase for its pure aesthetic value, not because it is important in the narrative. It is a postponed pleasure, which I am now discovering. And I have a database of my books, at least the electronic ones! I recommend it a lot.
Wonderful essay, Silvio. I think my apartment probably looks a lot like your home--books stacked on every available horizontal surface. Sometimes I despair that I only read a fraction of the books I buy, but I can't seem to stop!