Monday 2 April 2012

B is for Books


Uh-oh! Only the second day, and I'm cheating already. The theme of my challenge is to highlight the authors and books that have inspired me, and I've come up with books!

However, books in themselves have inspired me. When I was young, I had a book that I loved - although I sadly can't remember the title or the author. But, for the purposes of this post, it doesn't matter.

You see, I only read the book once or twice. What I really loved about the book was the pure white pages, slightly thicker and smoother than the paper in other books I had at the time. I'd hold that book, feel the weight of it, flip through the pages, and I imagine my own words between the hardback, fabric cover. Just the feel of something so beautiful made me want to write, and not just write... it made me want to write something worthwhile, something mind-blowingly brilliant. Not just any story would be printed on these pages. They were reserved for something special.

I'm not sure I've written anything worthy, yet. But in the back of my mind, those pages of that book keeps me striving to be better.

55 comments:

  1. As a young girl, I was entranced by a book on fairytales. I don't remember the name either, but the cover alone took me into dreamland.

    Good luck with the A-Z challenge, Annalisa. I'll be back.

    xoRobyn

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    1. Thanks Robyn. I love that books can have that effect, even without opening the cover.

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  2. There are books that are simply built right. I used to have one on princesses with thick pages and gold left (or rather the cheap equivalent) on the edges of the pages. I loved the feel of it.

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  3. The first chapter book I ever read (independently) was Heidi. I chose it becasue of the picture on the front. I still own it, and I still think it's beautiful.

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    1. Oh yes, Heidi, I had a great copy of that - a tiny little book with tissue paper thin pages and really small print. How great that you still have it. I hope I've got mine somewhere too.

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  4. Well, it may seem like cheating, but that was a pretty good cheat. I like.

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  5. I love really old books from really old libraries. There's something about the way they smell.

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    1. I forgot to mention the smell! I used to work in a library - I always feel at home with that smell.

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  6. I don't think this is cheating at all! I completely know what you mean about the feel of pages, I had a book like that too!

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    1. I thought I was weird, I'm so glad I'm normal after all!

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  7. cool B :-
    here is my B do check it out at GAC a-z

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    1. I tried, but I couldn't find your posts. Hope you stop back and point me in the right direction.

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  8. Great minds think alike:) Guess what my B is? Couldn't have it any other way than for Books.

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  9. i've been in love with books all my life.

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  10. Books can be magical, even now, I love hanging out in bookstores staring at those tomes.

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    1. I do that all the time - I don't even need to buy something to get my fix.

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  11. I so understand and I bet you like to sniff paper too. (If the answer's no then please disregard this last comment!!)

    I’m doing the A to Z Challenge too at A to Z of Nostalgia

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    1. I sniff paper and other things (??). I use all of my senses all of the time, I can often be found touching and smelling a dress in a dress shop, for instance. (Perhaps that was a 'share' too much?)

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  12. I admit I love reading on my Kindle, but I always have a paper book close too. I like the satisfaction of moving my bookmark through the book as I read it. And that old book smell makes me want to curl up on a comfy chair and read all day!

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    1. I'm not sure we'll ever have an emotional attachment to our ereaders that we have to books. And I always write in books I give as presents - hard to do on a Kindle version!

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  13. You know, I pondered long and hard on the subject of today's "b" post (i.e. that was in the shower this morning LOL). And I didn't come up with "books" - dammit! Right, books. I love them but I love my Kindle too and I keep a library on it of books I've read and loved. Since I bought it I have still bought p-books too, so I reckon there's room in our lives for both.

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    1. There have been quite a few books posts today. I'll pop over and see what you came up with!

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  14. I don't think that's cheating at all! Great post, and I completely understand how books are inspiring!

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  15. I don't see this as cheating at all. I love the image of that book, fantastic post. :)

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    1. It's in my parents loft, in a box, I hope. One day I'll hold it again!

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  16. Oh no, not a cheat at all. Imagine a huge room, filled with books. You can't see the title of any of them, but I bet the scene inspres you :-)

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  17. We got a bunch of books from my grandmother that she had saved from our dad. They had been through four boys and were printed on cheap World War II paper, and they were still in great shape. Paperbacks from the sixties were like that.

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    1. How fantastic. My dad owns a dictionary from the 50s, which I'd love to have, even though half the words aren't even used anymore!

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  18. To me, books and life both are the greatest writing inspiration!

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  19. An excellent reason for wanting to write! Books are beautiful!

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  20. Definitely not a cheat. Books themselves are always inspirational - especially when shelved so beautifully in a library. Great post.

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  21. I've always been captivated by the power of a blank book and have recently started making blank books out of handmade papers...like you, I love the feel of the paper and allllll the possibilities that could live there!

    So nice to meet you!

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    1. I was given a notebook by my son, handmade from handmade paper - the problem is, I don't want to write in it!

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  22. One of the main reasons why I resist e-readers! The feel and the weight of a hardback book! :)

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    1. Yes, I agree. There something a bit awesome about books (in the literal sense of the word).

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  23. Harry Potter and Hunger Games both made me feel like that - like I wanted to write something mind-blowingly brilliant. So inspiring!

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    1. I think we need books to look up to, to make our writing the best it can be!

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  24. Books are the greatest things ever. Ones i recall form childhood are Bambi, Pippi Longstocking, The Narnia series. All magical and wondrous! Now, I read myself to sleep with my Kindle Fire, which I flippin' love too. Now I can stash dozens and dozens of books on there. I'm over from the A to Z fest, and I'm #672. Stop by if you like!

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    1. Magical and wondrous! I love that description. I'll be stopping by at yours soon.

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  25. I love the image of that book that inspired you and continues to inspire you. Thank you!

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  26. I don't think this post is cheating Annalisa. It's still very much book related :)

    How you describe that book is still the reason I read physical books as well as ebooks. I just love holding them and feeling them in my hands.

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    1. I'd hate to be around for the decline of books - it will happen, but not for many, many years!

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  27. Yes .... the joy of actually holding and reading a book is something totally different.

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