Clothbound Penguin Classics at Anthropologie
I don't really love Mondays, at all, but I thought we might venture into a new weekly series here on Mondays to introduce you to some of the things that I simply love. You know about (some) of the people in my life that I love, if you've stopped in odds are you know the fabric I love, but there are some other loves in my life that I think need sharing. First up, books.
A little background information here on the impetus for this post... Sunday mornings are all about CBS Sunday Morning (a bonus love!) around here, and yesterday morning in the company of a story on a model turned bug photographer and a fantastic feature on the creator of Williams Sonoma, a story on the rise of Amazon's Kindle - also known as the fall of the bound book. The story touched on the near extinction of small, independent book stores as well. I felt a little short of breath and very sad.
See, I'm one of those book lovers... the ones who love the tactile experience that is reading a book. Reading for me in general really is synonymous with paper and ink. I find it difficult to read student papers on my computer screens. Reading is page turning (but not binding breaking!), pen in hand, dog-eared corners and comments on the edges. I just can't imagine a world devoid of these things I so love. When I first evacuated my apartment and moved to Gehring Road, my books were carried out of my apartment gutter and rescued by Rob in the middle of the night... they were the only objects I worried about and they make me feel instantly at home wherever I am.
So I wonder, can Darcy and Elizabeth's tortured journey toward understanding in Pride and Prejudice really feel the same when computerized? Can Faulkner's "tale told by an idiot signifying nothing" really translate to a scroll button and framed edges of a reader? I haven't seen the Kindle in the flesh and I know many bookies like myself who love it... but I am unconvinced dear readers and remain in love, for now, with the page. So in celebration of books, I thought I might include some new editions that I'm absolutely loving. Penguin Classics recently released a set of clothbound classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith and I love them. I've seen them at Anthropologie and my belief that I could take up residence in the store (if Kylie could be trusted and Rob could get over the smell and the "randomness" of it) is complete and completely validated. Here are some favorites...
And of course I own one... complete with ribbon page marker so dog-ears are unnecessary.
So here is to books... and here is to Mondays... I'm off to help make even the ideas behind those books clear and interesting to 13-18 year olds. Wish me luck! And I wish you dear readers (of my computerized words... oh the irony) the very best of starts to this new week.
