Books

I replied to a toot by @greghiggins457@appdot.net about the frequency of new books sent by ‘Book Bub’.

“I signed up for Book Bub a while back. Everyday I get free books on my Kindle thanks to this email. Problem is I am not a fast reader. I have so many unread books on my Kindle that will probably last me the rest of my life. I need to learn how to read faster and read more consistently.”

A slightly enhanced version of my reply follows.

Greg’s words got me thinking of where I am, not actually reading, but definitely collecting books for some time in the future when the ‘book thing’ switches on again…

About 40 years ago I began to make weekly or slightly less frequent visits to a used books market stall that bought the books back for half the purchase price. Their science fiction collection drew 100% of my interest and I struggled mightily to come away with only a few at a time.

As an already insatiable reader I learned to read fast, to get the meat out of a story, and maybe a little more. Books l loved I kept, the rest eventually got returned. I read them all. And things slowed down a bit.

The candidates for keepers I read again, more slowly this time, and culled those that didn’t entertain me. So things slowed down a bit more.

Finally I read again what was left, savouring the nuanced stuff I’d inevitably find in and between the lines. And there I found the keepers.

A 1978 reprint of Isaac Asimov's 'Pebble' in the Sky' novel. Originally purchased used for £0.40 I could have got £0.20 from the market stall if I'd returned it. But I did not. (The turned over corners are not my doing, I abhor it).
A 1978 reprint of Isaac Asimov’s ‘Pebble’ in the Sky’ novel. Originally purchased used for £0.40 I could have got £0.20 from the market stall if I’d returned it. But I did not. (The turned over corners are not my doing, I abhor it).

Eventually life changed and I stopped visiting that market stall. I found enough to fill the void. Family, responsibility, different stuff.

Retirement’s a few years off yet, but close enough that I know what I’ll be doing for at least a part of it.

And last year I found another market stall, one town over.