Used Property

They're sort of "blink and you'll miss them" moments--birth and death. With the exception of a small minority, most of us don't enter or leave the world with a bang. If you're reading this, then half of your mission is complete (unless ghosts can read). But that's a whole different topic.

No, today's post is all about death and dying. I'd like to say I made this question up all on my own, but actually a classmate gave it to me earlier this week. Here it is: do you think it's possible to read all the good books there are before you die?

Being the pessimist that I am, I rephrase this sentence as: Don't you think it's sad that it's impossible to read all the really good books there are before you die? Oh sure, I think it's possible, even easy--if people stopped writing books. But since they won't (or maybe they can't) stop, you're going to constantly trying to keep up with man's output. Sure, maybe only one or two really awesome books are written a year...but unless you came out of the womb reading you're not even in the game until you reach first grade. Even then, most people don't appreciate or have the patience for books until High School (or later). Face it, it's hopeless. Even if they stopped writing good books, and lets say you came out of momma reading the works of Marlowe and Thoreau...you still have a huge pile of thick books to read. The average person couldn't do it.

No, it's impossible.


I like books that have writing in them. Not intrusive, word covering graffiti...just the gentle signature at the front. Maybe an occasional, insightful note here or there. I sat in English literature today, and traced a pretty girls words over in pen. At least, I think she was pretty. Her handwriting was beautiful. All over Shakespeare's sonnets, this girl had written little epiphanies and exclamations. "This poem is about STD's" (it wasn't my teacher assured us). Little hearts floating in a sea of swirling pencil strokes.

Books that are old and written in seem more real to me. They have a history. I went through a phase where I added my name to the title page of every book I read. I'd put the date I started the book and the date I finshed the book. I like buying used books online, sometimes you get little tid bits of other peoples lives. I bought a copy of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters." It was great, some lady had her name in the cover...another name written above hers. This book had traveled, seen more of the world than I have (probably). It's buried in my room back home somewhere. I'm sure it'll find it's feet again and someday see more of the world at large.

A lot of things are like that, if you stop and think about it. Old cars and old houses are like characters in sprawling epics. The scene changes, but that one character is there through it all. The old chevy that changes hands a hundred times. How many people concieved in it's backseat? How many people took their last drives behind it's cold wheel? Houses are even worse, people can die in them without the exterior getting all smashed up. You don't know you're buying a murder house or suicide house unless you specifically ask. Go ahead, next time you visit a house that's for sale, as the relator if anyone's bit the big one inside. Go ahead, see what she says.

Books, cars, and houses as characters. Death before you can read every good book. And people actually think TV is more exciting than real life. Please.