The love of books
03.18.06 (9:52 am) [edit]
I suppose many people have a deep love for books. Go into any large book store, at any time, and you will usually find more than a few customers wandering about, sitting, reading, and of course having coffee. In the old days book store owners did not like people reading the books while in the store, but they have learned that if someone is sitting down reading a book; the chances are that when they leave, there will two or three other books being bought.
Novels are always popular and for good reason. In a good novel you will find all you need to know, on either how, or how not to live ones life. The characters are often clearly defined; the villain, the hero, even the anti-hero is a clean character, easy to spot, and separate from the others. Many people don’t like fiction, saying it is not real! I suppose it depends on what one means by real. If it deals with life, its problems, its ups and downs; then it is real, even if the story is told as a work of fiction. People read novels to identify with one or more of the characters, otherwise there would be no point in reading.
Adults seem to love reading children’s books even more than the little ones do. The Narnia series comes to mind, as well as Harry Potter. Many adults are great readers of these epic adventures and usually read them more than once. Children’s books can be read on many different levels, and they tend to deal with very serious issues, the way that fairy tales do. I guess that is why they are written; read the Brothers Grimm to see what I mean. Many of their stories are not bed time reading for children, unless you want them to have nightmares.
Novels with an obvious philosophical bent might not be as popular, but they are also good reads. The reader it drawn in a world were a particular philosophy is something real, vital, and important for those who happen to be brought into existence by the author. Ayn Rand is a very good example. Read her works and learn how a hyper rationalist looks at the world, and makes it seem real, and even workable. Ideas are more easily conveyed by this genre, hence it is often used. People who read a lot of fiction probably know a lot more than they realize when it comes to philosophical or religious questions. People who read broadly tend to be open minded about others ways of thinking ,even if they do not agree, such is the fruit of reading, you can’t help but learn.
Horror novels can also be very good. They bring out the struggle between good, and evil, in all of its horrendous detail. Some writers are of course better than others, but even that is subjective I guess. King, Campbell, Straub, and Koonz, are very good horror writers, and can enrich the lives of those who like this kind of thing. The problem of good and evil, also the place of how community enters into the struggle with evil, is often brought out in these novels, so they are a good read with lessons following as well.
Marcus Borg is a very good writer for Christians who lean a bit to the left but not too far from center, and can be helpful for many Christians, who have an intuitive understanding of what they believe, but don’t have the words to explain exactly what it is. Writers like him, help people to name what they already know, which can be very freeing.
No doubt about it, books are wonderful, a true gift, and hopefully something not too much taken for granted. A world without books would be like a world without color, or birds and song. Books add a depth to our lives, by allowing the readers to learn from the experiences and insights of others, or like above, to have someone explain themselves to themselves.
Some think that learning is really a way of remembering, bringing to light what is already there. Many, when taking philosophy, experience their learning new things this way. I think reading Socrates and Plato can lend to that experience, with Aristotle, unless reading his Nicomean Ethic, is a bit harder.