Me and Books
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. ~ Groucho Marx
You got to hand it to this Groucho dude. He was weird. I have mentioned a quote because i have noticed many people doing it. Maybe to make it seem like the writer actually knows what he/she/it is talking about! I, on the other hand, haven't planned anything spectacular to write and I just felt like mentioning Mr. Marx's proclamation because it has the words "dog", "books", "friend" and "dark" in the same sentence. All the good stuff..(If only "food" could have been squeezed in too)
Ah... sweet books. The smell of those newly printed pages. The sound of flipping pages. The way a well written story can drag you into another world. Pure awesomeness! I love books.. as you might have guessed by now. I love to read... anything....Well anything that can hold still long enough for me to read it.
However, for moi, every time i read a book, it's like starting a new relationship. As I have never been in a relationship those more experienced may find that certain stages that I will mention are unlike what they have been through/are still in. To them I say this... Go write about it in your own blogs!
Stage 1: The Hookup
This is when I first come across a review of a particular book that catches my fancy (I love to use British phrases like this whenever possible). The review I speak of is not the ones you may find in newspapers (I find that their selection is limited to books that i would wish to read only if: I were on my deathbed/ under heavy sedation/ at gun point). No, I speak of reviews by word of mouth, by people with similar book interests as me.
Stage 2: The First date
The first few chapters is often the indicator of how well my relationship with the book will be, as is true for most first dates. If i find myself losing focus n thinking of unrelated events then the relationship will be a disaster. However I'm a very patient person and I don't give up so easily. Hence my relationship, however boring it might be, will go on for some more stages with the hope that it might get better. If the book leaves me captivated from d first page itself then the relationship promises to be a good one.
Stage 3: The Happy period
The stage where all books reveal their plots and nature. I find that books that usually fail the first date often rise to the occasion at this stage and turn out to be better than those that fare better at the same. Goes to show that the first date is not always a good indicator of a books awesomeness! At this point the book and me are inseparable. I take it with me wherever I go and anyone who interrupts our "involvement" is looked upon with utmost loathing. Anything that separates me and my book is unnecessary and I usually try to avoid doing it (Chores, studying and journals come under these necessities).
Stage 4: The Obsession
This stage is the worst for everyone exposed to me. The book is now a perfect specimen of literature in my eyes. And I have to preach its goodness to all with ears (My sister is the first target usually). The obsession is also a phase that those with lovers (human, not inanimate) go through at some point. Yes, it is that phase where they feel like a divine light shines out through their love's every orifice. The analogy is very apt with what I go through.
Stage 5: The Mutual Breakup
As far as break-ups go, they are often not very "nice". However with books there has to be a breakup at some point. Hence the mutual breakup. There is a certain sadness that comes with turning that last page of a really good book.
Stage 6: The Depression
This stage is very rare because a book that will make a person go through this stage has to be exceptionally excellent. The depression often includes a feeling a hollow emptiness that used to be filled with happier times reading that book. I pass this stage fairly quickly by starting a new book relationship. Like most rebound relationships Getting lost in another book is the easiest way to get out of depression. However I would like to remind you that the rebound book has no feelings what-so-ever unlike a rebound guy/girl and this is a very foolish mistake that most people make.
As you can see I go through a lot of joy and pain with each book that I read but most of time, the joy outweighs the pain by a considerable amount. So I continue to have flings with a hell lot of books! You may go through the same phases with books or instead a guy/girl (I have no life so i make do with books) or for the weird folk, the book is substituted with food, drugs or a furry animal named Clide. The point is that this is all that i have to say. Thank you for reading and enjoy the breakup!
