the sacrament of reading

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.

~Groucho Marx

I LOVE BOOKS. I need BA – Books Anonymous. I need a sponsor. If there was a book rehab – I should probably check in. I love the look of them, the feel of them, and the smell of them. I know, right now there are those of you who do not see books in the same way I do and perhaps think I need to check into some different kind of program. 
I like books so much that I was overwhelmed when Borders moved into our community. I can spend hours there. I could move in and live there. There is something almost sacred, to me, just walking into that space. Being surrounded by all that knowledge, all those ideas, all those words strung together to make eloquent sentences, telling riveting stories. I even have applied for a position there…two times…and never heard back. What’s up with that? I imagine they would say “You are over qualified.” Who are they to make that call??? But, I think the reason is more God’s idea of an intervention. The thought of being able to get books at a discount would push me off the edge for sure. I mean – who needs to eat when you have a great book to read? And…if I could somehow live at Borders I wouldn’t have to pay for housing….hmmmmm. But, Borders does have its limits. In recent years they have drastically reduced their inventory of spiritual reading and journals. Very sad to me indeed.
My favorite bookstore – especially for spiritual books… is Hearts and Minds in Dallastown, Pa. When I walk in there, I take my book addiction to new heights. The quaint store has shelves literally crammed with books. It is like book Mecca. Byron, Beth and the rest of the staff are so knowledgeable and helpful. If they don’t have it, they will track it down and find it. But, half the fun there is searching for the book you came for and walking out with four other books you have just realized you can’t live without. They just seem to beg you to take them home, like puppies at the pound. And, I appreciate that they stock books that are a bit edgy – not the safe Christian books that tend to be mainstream but books that stretch you and push you to see God and the world in a new way.
Ok…all this to say that I feel compelled to share some of my absolute best reads with you. You often get quotes from my favorite authors (Groucho Marx isn’t one of them…I found that most excellent quote on a website) and I thought some of you might like to hear more about the entire book. So – I will be sending some reading suggestions your way. Take them or….leave them. Maybe you have more restraint than I do. Or, perhaps I will help create new book addicts – maybe we could create a support group?
grace and peace,
Deb
Hearts and Minds Bookstore’s website:
www.heartsandmindsbooks.com