Being a bibliophile!

I am reading A passion for books, edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan. I have hardly finished reading one-third of the book; however, what I have read so far is sufficient for me to recommend the book strongly.

It is witty and wise; there are stories about bibliomaniacs who would kill for a book, and autobiographical pieces of people who risked their life (and sometimes even got killed) for books. There are lists — one of them is for a lifetime reading plan (which pleased me immensely since among others, the list includes Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavad Gita, Kalidasa, and R K Narayan).

There are also many pieces about the various aspects of a bibliophile’s life; for example, here is Ray Bradbury on how his love for books affects his love life:

The women in my life have all been librarian, English teachers, or booksellers. If they couldn’t speak pidgin Tolstoy, articulate Henry James, or give me directions to Usher and Ox, it was a no go. I have always longed for education, and pillow talk’s the best.

Which, by the way, reminded me of Woody Allen’s Whore of Mensa (which is a must-read).

Here is Rob Kaplan on how cataloging books is like sex:

While I have to admit that I derive a certain amount of satisfaction from cataloging a book (or books, as is frequently the case), there is nevertheless something a little depressing about it as well. It is, perhaps, a little like sex: once it’s done, while one (hopefully) feels satisfied, it’s also tinged with a little sadness, as if one were sorry it was over.

Here is Stuart Brent on books and music:

Besides, reading and listening were closely allied activities. Anyone with literary tastes could or should have equivalent tastes in music.

Personally, since the writings of La Sa Ra and Thi Jaa did play a major role in my taking to Carnatic music, I could identify with the sentiments of Brent. By the way, two of my favourite writers had training in music too–RKN, who was taught by his grandmother to identify ragas when he was a kid, and Thi Jaa, who was trained to be a professional classical musician–on the day of his maiden public performance, his music teacher passed away, ending his musical career even before it started.

Here is Christopher Morley on a book lent and returned:

Bring hither the fatted morocco and let us rebind the volume and set it on the shelf of honour, for this my book was lent and is returned again. Presently, therefore, I may return some of the books I myself have borrowed.

Finally, here is Robertson Davies on coveting the books of your friend:

But then our friend the collector begins to boast a little (…) Perhaps we begin to sicken of our friend and tell him that we have only a Modern Library edition, which we read every year with growing appreciation. This may well be a lie, but we have to put the ass in his place somehow. We are driven into bibliographical Puritanism by his antiliterary nonsense.

This is what can happen, but worse may befall. We may begin to yearn for his treasure. We do not covet his house, nor his wife (who gives dismal evidence of his lack of taste), his ox nor his ass, but with a searing flame we lust intolerably for his book.

On the whole, a book that will bring so much of pleasure to you, especially, if you enjoy books about books and reading.