Nose In Book

Nose In Book
Originally uploaded by Poundstone.

Another one from the vault. Powells was having an essay contest back in July of 2004, the topic of which was to be "the most memorable books you’ve read in the last 10 years." I never entered, but I did write these bits and pieces and came up with the title "Books I’ve Kept With Me"

* * *
The most memorable books I’ve read in the last ten years were the ones I quite literally couldn’t put down. First of all, I didn’t want them to end. I inflicted serious self-torture, reading only a few pages a day once I reached the final chapters, wanting to stay in the world of the book just a few more days, weeks. Then, once I’d finished the books, I wanted to keep them near me, on my person. I carried them around in knapsacks, purses; kept them in my car, on my desk at work. To glance at their covers was to revel for a few delicious moments back under their spell.

* * *
Grapes of Wrath was the first "classic" I read without anyone telling me to. I think I was a sophomore in high school. I expected it to be boring; instead I was enthralled. It was the first time I realized I could learn about history by reading novels. It also prompted this exchange in the bleachers of a gym, waiting for my high school team to hit the court and compete for a state championship. A kid behind me leaned over my shoulder: "What are you doing?"
"Reading a book"
"Why?"
"For fun."
"I never read a whole book in my life," he proclaimed, beaming at his friends.
"I’m not sure I’d be so proud of that," I demurely replied and went back to my world of dust and endless highways.

* * *
Salinger’s Nine Stories was a revelation. I’d read Catcher in the Rye in high school because I wasn’t supposed to, but its lack of shocking material was disappointing, and it didn’t make an impression. But as soon as I started reading Nine Stories, many years later, I was engulfed. If I got a tattoo, it might be of the cover of this book. Or of a bananafish.