I seldom buy new books nowadays.
Many years ago, I was an avid book reader and an even more avid book collector. I was very much into rare editions and all that fancy stuff, custom book bindings and other niceties like that. That was many years ago. I am not anymore. Today, I am just an avid book reader. I have lost any urge to own the books I read.
When that change happened, beside a handful books I could not let go that were dear to my heart, I donated my entire library and I started borrowing books from one of our many public libraries instead. Or I searched for a used copy when the book was not available at the library. Used books are cheaper, even though I noticed more and more sellers are trying to sell used books at the same price as a new copy. Once I finish a book, either I will bring it back to the library or, if I bought it used, most of the time I will not keep it, either reselling it or, more often, giving it away.
But I could not resist this book when I saw it at the bookshop. It’s a French translation of Myazaki’s 1983 Shuna’s Journey. It was there, half hidden among many comics. It was waiting for someone to pick it up. It was me.
That was a week ago and I have not started reading it! I have not even had a quick glimpse, if one does not take into consideration me avidly browsing through its pages back at the shop.
I have no idea why, today it is close to impossible for me to focus on the essay I was supposed to be reading. An excellent book, I have no issue reading it just… not today. Quite obviously, this can only mean one thing: today, I should be reading Myazaki — yeah!
No idea if I will want to keep that book once I finish it. But I know I will have a great time reading it. And if I decide I won’t keep it, no doubt someone else will soon also have a great time reading it too.
Published: 2024/11/11