Discussing Books
April 13, 2008
For the last two weeks I have been involved in the development of a new books forum, Book Balloon. Not that I did much; most of the hard work, technical and artistic, was done by the owner, Gary Glass, who used a week of vacation to pull together a fantastic production. Less than a week old, it already has more than 60 members and two dozen book-related discussion threads. Here are just a few: What Are You Reading?What I like about this site is that it has wonderful, well-read and interesting readers and writers, offers a variety of ways to discuss books, allows you to discover books others are reading. I encourage all BiblioBuffet’s readers to consider joining. It is free, and if you, like me, enjoy discussing books, reading and related subjects we’d love to have you.
* * * The world of professional booklovers sometimes drift in a parallel way, perhaps meeting in person, but more likely meeting across the plane of book interactions. Nicki Leone reviews the newest book from Nicholas Basbanes, who has, for 20 years, been recording the lives of book collectors and collectible books, this week in A Reading Life. Politics and religion are uneasy companions at the best of times. During presidential election years, they can be contentious partners, each delicately balancing on the tightrope of voter opinion polls. This week, in Readings, Henry Carriagan reviews a book that points out the relationship has existed since the beginning of American political life and the early wisdom that ensured it would not be a comfortable one. What happens when you don’t pick up the latest books, but instead read books as you bump into them? Andi Miller, who has no intention of changing her habits, nevertheless admits to one downside: the late discovery of a fabulous book and a fabulous writer. He’s one she won’t be late for again, she says, this week in The Finicky Reader. Friendships that are bound by books can develop a meaning beyond even that of close ties. Anne Michael shares a recent birthday celebration with a childhood friend, and finds that a recently read book reflects her real life friendship, this week in Seasoned Lightly. I remember learning to spell the word “en cy cl op ed ia” by sounding it out in a singsong tone exactly that way. It helped me to remember the placement of the letters, but it also had the then-unknown effect of making me spell it even today in my head as a song. Not that I mind because in this week’s On Marking Books, I had a great time exploring the history of these reference books thanks to a pretty and unusual bookmark purchased from Australia. Often it’s only a single piece of furniture, but sometimes more. It’s furniture that becomes so closely intertwined with our lives that it seems as essential a part of ourselves as our heart. Kat Warren returns this week with an essay in Bibliopinions on the nature and significance of her special piece. Books, books and more books! And it’s still not enough as Lisa Guidarini admits in Reviews & Reflections. No one can deny her passion for reading, however, and though she acknowledges that her passion can cause problems, it is also an indispensable part of her life.
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Mirage is a maker of bookmarks, but is so much more. Their web site is a fascinating place to learn about this particular piece of ephemera—its history, exhibitions, interviews with bookmark collectors. But now you can find an extraordinary page with images of the most interesting bookstores in the world. Shakespeare & Co. is well known, but wait until you see the Lello bookstore in Portugal or even the informal one in Calcutta. It shows that no matter where you go or how rich or humble the surroundings, books matter! |