Bibliophile Banter

"Walking the stacks in a library, dragging your fingers across the spines — it’s hard not to feel the presence of sleeping spirits."

— Robin Sloan (Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore)

My friend was telling me other day over coffee, some songs have more emotional linkages than we can think of. They remind of people and past.  Well., music and movies were never my strong point. I hardly watch or pay attention to any song. I cant even sing even a single song for that matter. 

But I understand what he meant as I feel the same when I look at massive collection of my books. I don’t remember how I caught this habit of reading books but ever since I remember, iam reading books of all kinds expect school books. Every single day of my life, I read little or more of some book. I might have missed roti,kapada, makaan, but not a day passes without reading written word.

 My parents never were supportive of my obsession but at same time they never restricted it as well.

Last time I counted my collection , it was approximately 3000 books which was around 5-6 years ago. Everyday I think, I should stop this habit of mine and stop reading and buying books. Within a day of such resolution I break my word. Even before I can complete one book, dozen new books will be lined up for future. whenever I get in bad mood, I go shopping….for books ( shopping therapy always works for me). first thing i would do on going to a new city is to take membership of local library..inmidst of tons of books , serenity comes natural (if u r in hyd, this feeling of peace is very distinct in RKmath library, indirapark road. try it buddies..its amazing calmness one shud not miss)

One of my sweet pal asked me recently  “Do you re-read your books”??
Simple statement but profound philosophical question. Well, that’s my dream. I wish I can settle somewhere, on a rainy day ..over a hot  and spicy samosas, I read all my books over again. That’s my desire which so far unfulfilled. Maybe I have to wait for retirement.

I always wondered if these books shaped the way iam or coz the way I was I picked up these kind of books? 

Every book of mine will tell me tales that I had forgot. I am not keen on my life and memories. I seldom keep photos or souvenirs. But these books trap the environment of particular period. I have books of all kinds except Adult (I dnt know why..Penthouses n porn literature never appealed me). I own comics in thousands. Stolen books. Purchased books. Second hand books. GF given books. Forcibly gifted books. Old books. Ancient books.Spiritual books.Espionage books etc etc. I have all. 

All kinds of comics, some dating back to 1940s, rare comics like bruce lee and amitabh bachans (yeah he was featured in comics as well).  When I read my old comics ( yeah, I do..but with little emotional attachment) , or see dates inscribed on it by me, my old signature from school age or sometimes previous owner name and address  who bought that particular comic at princely amount of 1/- or 2/-  at period when I was not even born or sometimes dates just coincide with my birth date. I always entertain fantasy that how would it be if I take back that comic to owner NOW?..how would he/she react seeing the book which he read as a kid is brought back to him/her? Wondrous moment indeed!! Its amusing how for some books i had to wait years (sometime even 10 yrs) to lay my hands on them but eventually i always get my book.

my all time favourite: Calwin and Hoobes

As I see genres in my collection, I reconstruct my psychology..At different times , different genres attracted me. Dominant being Spiritual and Spy stuff (still iam drawn towards these two topics like crazy), others were being Comedy cartoons, International politics and biographies. But absolutely no sex and profane stuff. The smell of crispy yellowed paper still reminds me of book reading on rainy days of my buried past( Reminds me Enid blyton books). Some past!!( I read somewhere “ best future lies in forgotten past”). 

I have book for every mood.Some morose mood?Classic Wuthering heights by Emile bronte. Ambitious? Emil Ludwig Napoloen. Happy ?( Stumbling infinity by micheal fishmen).Excited?( world famous spies). Nostalgic ?( enid blyton books) Valour?(Vikramaditya stories) Devotion?(Indian mythology), Sports?( Abhinav bhindra bio) love???(well i have no romance in my collection hee)etc etc

There Is a world class classic book in my collection. "Twenty leagues under the Sea" by jules verne .Original and unabridged. I remember distinctively how ,daily I used to go to flea market and request hawker to give that at reduced price (he quoted 30/- ). He never obliged. So I used to hide that book underneath other books lest someone might buy it . Next day same story would be repeated. I request. he rejects. i hide and he takes it out. After a week of tussle he finally gave in for my price. Thirty rupees back then was like Kings ransom for me. Amusing. 

hilarious yet deeply philosophical

When I shifted to our own house, my books occupied 12 cartons. Now its ironic that e-copies of all Tintins and asterix and entire collection of puzos fit in my cell phone. I actually use to walk miles n miles…scouring books in shops, streets , even with scrap dealers for comics( I found heap of Mandrake comics with scrap dealer). Walking miles in rain and sun made comic book special but now all books can be down loaded at click of mouse though nothing can give you the feel of paper in your hand.

Iam always amazed at impact of written word. Imagine world without writers and books? Someone said, to kill civilization, just burn off the books. Entire past would be erased. Now I can walk on cobbled streets of London through Sherlock holmes or feel the pain of world during World wars or get the thrill of espionage during cold wars between USA and USSR. Thanks to books. Jules verne wrote of futuristic inventions like submarine and electricity even before they were created. No wonder , America honoured him by naming its 1^st nuclear submarine as USS Nautilus. Jules verne-the man who invented future.  my imagination gets fired up when I read lines like “I the mind, body mere auxillary”( Sherlock holmes), Chess is life - Bobby Fischer, defeat is not in my dictionary, or the shell that can kill me has not been cast- napoleon Bonaparte (that single line changed the course of war). l will make an offer that he cant refuse (Godfather obviously, Al Pacino in film was just super awesome) Giving up is not my style (naruto)

Now when I see my collections, I get amused and wonder. What do I do with all these books? I think I should stop buying more. How many would I read? To what consequence? Where will be the End? Well I think, there is no end to this obsession ..but I still toy with idea of stop reading books or buying them. 

well flipkart fella message blinks on my phone : your books will reach by 7 pm. 

Hmm…hope that’s the last . but we both know the answer. Don’t we…??...