Bookstore Finds

Over the weekend I visited an independent used book store and found two gems.

The first is “The Dictionary of Imaginary Places” by Alberto Manguel and Gianni Guadalupi. It’s a book about places that don’t exist.

As I was walking out of the bookstore, I asked my partner to name an imaginary place. Of course she said Narnia and of course I had already flipped the book to that page.

“The Dictionary of Imaginary Places” contains location from the world of literature, so no Tatooine, Vulcan or Cleveland, Ohio. Instead you’ll find Atlantis, Lilliput, Oz and any place found in a Tolkien novel (no Hogwarts though, the book is too old).

The other book is “Military Uniforms of 1686-1918” by Rene North. The book is poorly written (several terms are undefined, foreign language quotes aren’t translated) and it’s woefully short, only 153 pages.

Still it’s an interesting read. However the best part about the book is how it advertises its color drawing. “Knowledge Through Color” is slogan and it’s found above the title.

I will admit I’m not a big reader but it’s hard not to covet these unique treasures.

Stay Home

Why do people go to coffee houses and reads books or use their computers or write in journals? You can tell by looking at them they have homes. Why don’t they stay home and that stuff there? Who wakes up and says “I’m going to read today and I want everyone who buys coffee in my neighborhood to see me!” I mean you’re not fooling anyone. Whether you read Kafka at home or at Starbucks, I still don’t believe you understand him. I don’t care how new your laptop is, I don’t have one and I hate you because you do. Writing in a notebook? Really? Longhand? Please, don’t think you can publish that. The spiral part of your notebook will never fit into a scanner. So do me a favor; do all your reading, all your computer using and all your journal writing at home—where it’s suppose to be done.

(It’s okay if you spend your lunch hour or your break reading, using your computer or writing at a coffee house. But if you could wear a sign explain as much that would be great. It will prevent me from getting upset.)