Books

Spo the dear one, has done a whole series about books that changed his life. I mentioned in my comments that my parents had an odd relationship with books.  Books cost money, and took up space, so they didn't buy them.  My mother had a couple of boxes of books that had come from her parents, that I don't recall her ever reading, but she wouldn't part with.  They read the Detroit News newspaper from cover to cover every day, but books were a different story. 

When I was a teenager, my family started spending winters in Florida, and I discovered my first bookstore.  Heaven! A few years later when I was living in Orlando I started reading a lot, a couple of major bookstores moved in, I built massive bookcases in the living room of the second Laurel Home,* and books become a major part of my life.  

Thinking about books.  I remember reading a series of novels by Jack London as a young teenager, everyone remembers the "Call of the Wild", there is another one in that series about a wildlife photographer that starts with a shopping venture in a real camera shop.  I don't remember the name of it, but left an impression, I loved it, it was the best.  I still love cameras, I still love a walk in the woods.  

In high school I remember two assigned books.  The Great Gatsby, I remember slogging through it, and really not understanding it; and later Walden.  Walden changed my life.  It really focuses on living for what is important and disregarding the rest.  The philosophy and lessons from the book have been a recurring theme in my life.  Strip away the things that are more work than they are worth.  Live life - enjoy it along the way.  A focus on experiences over material things.  Thoreau was comfortable with being alone, I think the two of us would have enjoyed knowing one another, as long as we didn't spend too much time together.  

In college I read "Cross Creek" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, she is much more famous for "The Yearling."  I remember it connecting me to life in rural Florida, to the rhythm of the seasons in the semi-tropics.  I reread it this past year, I was shocked at the racism in the book.  It would never be published today.  Rereading helped me to understand how nasty the racism was in the south, just 80 years ago.  

Another assigned book from college was Zorba the Greek. It was part of a first year course in interdisciplinary humanities.   Zorba was all about living for the moment, taking in the adventure of life, blooming where you are planted, enjoying life, and learning to dance.  Of all of the books I read in undergrad, it is the one I have reread, and will reread again.  The original is in Greek, there are several translations.  In the best one, Zorba is asked if he is married and he replies, "the wife, the kids, the whole catastrophe!"  In later translations, the last phrase is not included.  

In recent years I have started keeping track of books I have read. Most of them on Kindle.  When we sold the other house, we downsized and donated hundreds of books.  

What books changed your life? 

* I worked for a company called Laurel Homes for 7 years, and built myself three homes while I worked there.  The first Laurel Home I lived in a little over a year. It was not large enough and I sold it at a profit and built the second Laurel Home. I lived there until J and I moved on for new adventures.  The third Laurel Home I never lived in. I rented it for a few years, and then my ex received it as part of separation agreement.  Laurel Homes, was named after the founder's favorite cow.