Sunday, April 6, 2014

Throwaway Books

Finished "Die Trying" yesterday. Jack Reacher #2.

Walked upstairs and put the book in a box. I am still committed to cleaning house, vaporizing past laziness and turning our home into a gleaming palace.

It had to start with the books. I have so many books the book cases groan as they overlook piles of books on the floor. I am boxing up books that I can either sell or give away. Making tough choices but it has to be done.

I won't be holding on to the Reacher novels. They are an escape, a delicious fleeing from reality and an opportunity to imagine myself as a tough guy problem solver with huge balls and endless victories.

But they don't make the cut as books that define me in death. When my kids come to clean out the house, I want the books left behind to amaze, thrill and inform them. I want the books left behind to say to them "this was me, these were my interests, this is my soul in print."

As much as I love these novels, I have to draw the line somewhere.

So I finished the book and put it in a box.

You have no idea how foreign this felt to me.

This is the first book recently read that has made it to the recycle pile. This flies in the face of a lifetime spent keeping books. Worshipping them. Deriving comfort from seeing them nestled in bookcases and in piles on the floor.

It was not as hard as I imagined, but it definitely did not feel right.

Today I started "Money" by Martin Amis. This is a keeper.

I got turned on to Martin Amis by Christopher Hitchens. So you can imagine the quality of writing I am talking about here.

When I read "Hitch 22", Hitchens made many references to Amis who was a close friend of his. Talked about his writing. Got me interested. I followed through on Amazon. Glad I did.

As I absorbed the magic words this morning, I thought to myself that a 50/50 ratio is still going to get me in trouble.

Recycle Reacher, hold on to Amis.

At that rate we will still be forced to add another wing on to the house.

But I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd.

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