Friday, June 24, 2005

Return of the Book

"What are you doing?" my boss asks, peering into my door from the hallway. I'm holding a book, The Secret Life of Bees, at the time.

"Just checking," I tell him. "I was afraid that this was due soon, so I wanted to be sure it wasn't late."

A quizzical look passes my boss's face.

"You see, it's a library book," I explain.

"Ah," he says. "That's so..."

We both consider it for a moment, and I finally say: "I think the word we're thinking of is quaint."

"Yes, that's a good word for it," my boss says, and walks along.

We're all so used to plopping down a few bucks at Borders or Barnes & Noble for books (which we'll only read once anyway) that few of us think to utilize our public library system. I've been trying to personally remedy that, at least when it comes to my own life.

12 comments:

Crystal said...

Quaint--that's a good way to put it. I really gotta break my habit of buying books and start utilizing my public library too. There's a Borders every other block here in Chicago so it's hard to resist that urge for instant gratification, and that gets costly after a while.

annush said...

I use Barnes and Noble as my own personal library...I even leave bookmarks in their books and everything and the few times I've lost them or someone bought the book, I actually complained :)

Modigliani said...

Ohhhhhh... That's so cool that you're reading that book!!! I loved it. I swear, I want to move to NC, buy a pink house, and raise bees and make honey with all those calendar girls. (did I say too much? I tried not to!) I see it is overtaking you, too! I couldn't put it down either.

And the library ROCKS! ;)
I'm all about free, and keeping clutter out of my bookshelves.

kat said...

i read books over and over again, so buying them for me is not such a bad idea. i used to, however, frequent the library quite often when i lived in arlington. i keep meaning to get a DC library card, but seing as how i still haven't gotten around to get a DC license...

Steve said...

That is quaint... kinda like 'writing' a letter, as in, long-hand. Then, mailing it, but I don't wanna push it here. And, I'll have you know, I have my very own library card, and do visit there--although, not as often as I'd like.

Sera Strawbridge said...

I go to the library often, and I return every book .. but it's hard to sometimes, haha ;) I want to keep some!

anne said...

I buy books because I hate the idea of having to return them. Even borrowing them from friends is difficult...

Dennis! said...

I too usually buy my books, but once in a while I like to use the library, if only because I harbor this gnawing fear that if we don't, the city will start to think about closing some of the branches, and then where will the kids go? But then I also tend to borrow books that the kids would love. Because I refused to pay for it, I borrowed each Harry Potter book as they came out (after fighting to get hold of them!) and kept them out for two months each. (Hey, they were long and I have a full-time job!)

Welcome to all you new commenters out there! :)

Modig: Gotta say, I wasn't terribly impressed with Bees when it was done. As my friend put it in our book club, the author seemed to set up a lot of situations which led to anticlimactic conclusions. I did love how our perception of T. Ray changes so dramatically, though. That was skillful.

Pat Kirby said...

The great thing about library books is...no closure issues. I didn't pay for it, so if it doesn't grab me in a few pages, back to the library it goes.

Modigliani said...

Interesting points on BEES, Dennis. Never considered it that way. My thoughts were just that I was not ready for it to end. But maybe that eludes to the anticlimactic nature of the book.

Still, I loved the research and facts about bees. And how she tied all that into the plot of the story. Those little bugs are soooo amazing!

Dennis! said...

Ah yes, prescreening. Another perk of the public library system. Though Annush's idea of using a retail bookstore as your own private library is kinda cool too, if it's closer and has a coffee shop. :)

p.p. said...

while driving to take the bar exam with a friend, npr had a segment on the book. For her birthday, I bought the book. She loved it. That's all.

Oh, by the way, I barely read. ;)