In the introduction of What We Mean When We Talk About Books, Leah Price mentions that when we mourn books, it is really the times, such as riding transportation or waiting in line, that we are mourning (Price, pp. 8). To me, it is more than the memories of reading a book to pass the time that I mourn.
I miss the feel of a book within my grasp: the texture of the cover and its bindings, being able to turn each single page. The weight of the whole body of a book is filling. Turning pages on a digital device, on the other hand, doesn’t give me the same satisfaction. Sure, it feels lighter – a form of convenience. However, when in my hands, all I feel is a flat and dull coldness. Strange as it may sound, it emaciates me as a lover of books.
Another thing that added on to my sadness was the noticeably empty Lehman bookstore I had the displeasure of visiting. I lamented on the bustling shop it once was ten years ago. It used to be immensely filled with books and patrons in the beginning of each semester. Entering the bookstore this semester, however, I felt emptiness. I stood alone in the center of the starving bookshelves struggling to find the books I desired. I demanded an explanation for this bareness from the bookstore staff. They answered with one word: e-books. Rather than fill the shelves according to class size, they now await to inquire who will purchase a cheaper form of the text rather than pay a bit extra for the more fulfilling version.
Works Cited
Price, Leah. (2019). Introduction. What We Talk About When We Talk About Books (pp. 8). New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.
Image by GrandeDuc – https://society6.com/product/book-lover-do-not-disturb-ii_print
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