Because They are Pretty That's Why

Sometimes they just speak to me.  Call my name from where ever they are sitting.  And, I just know.  I know that I need to experience them...read them.  Books.  Sometimes they just speak to me before I even pick them up.  At those moments, there is no other explanation or way to explain it other than that.  Other times, I pick them up simply because they are pretty.  Simply because they will look fabulously at home on my shelves.  At those times, I really do judge a book by its cover.   Or its spine.  I'm all about a good looking spine.  It's an odd thing.  Yet another quirk in the ever growing quirk file.   

Yes, I buy books because they are pretty and then I secretly hope because they caught my eye, which is a very shallow assessment, that somehow that shallowness will lead to a deeper connection with the book.  

My secret hope is maybe the book will teach me something or make me ask myself hard questions or the language will make me want to eat it with a spoon because it's just that well written.

It has worked out for me more often than not.  Which just goes to show you that when authors choose a presentation style for their work, they know.  They know what it takes to protray the theme to the wanderer in a book store.  I've said it before, but this exact reason is why I can not stand when the original cover of a novel is changed to the movie cover.  Makes me cringe.  Anyways, the whole buying books because they are pretty and will look at home on my shelves works for me.    

Here are a few of my recent {pretty} favorites.  

Little Bee crafted by Chris Cleave.  First let me say the only, and I mean only reason, I choose this book was because it was pretty.  The orange cover and spine.  The beautiful, artistic loopy writing.  The style of the whole cream tag.  Seriously. 

Then, I started to read it and by the time I had devoured the first chapter I knew that this pretty book would quickly become one of my all time favorites.  The language in this book will make you wonder how any one person could ever be graced with such a gift of words.  It stops you and makes you go back and reread and then maybe even reread a passage one more time.  And, on top of the syrupy language that I wish I could pull off the page, Little Bee is a work.of.art that made me think about how far I would really go to help a complete stranger.  Made me think of the injustices in our society tiered world more than I ever had before.  Made me  irate that it's a story that actually could have happened...maybe even has happened in some way, shape, or form in the modern "civilized" world we all claim to be a part of.  Moved me.  A case when my extreme shallowness led to deep.   

 

Same Kind of Different as Me crafted by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  I must admit I did not buy this book.  Momma Debi had it at her house and I promptly told her I would be taking that book home because it would look lovely on my shelf.  The font choice is what first caught my eye.  And then, upon closer inspection, the railroad tracks sign.  I liked the sign set against the tan.  I feel the need to say right now, "Hi my name is Amy and I notice strange things."    

Momma Debi told me I could have the book for my shelf.  She knows how I am.  But, she also told me I should read the book before I placed it to sit pretty.  She wouldn't tell me why though, just that I should read it.  It was early last spring.  About the same time she was diagnosed with cancer.  I cried many times while reading this true story.  Many times.  And remember, I'm not a crier.  My questions about faith and spirituality were brought to the fore front of my conscious.  What makes a person a Christian?  How do you have a close relationship with God in this crazy world?  Can a person really ever change who they are at their core?  And, then, there was the cancer.  The reading about the cancer.  Reading about someone going through a cancer battle right when I knew my mom, one of my lifebeats, had...well, I can't even go there. 

This is Where I Leave You crafted by Jonathon Tropper.  I picked this book up because of two things.  The title.  Seriously, that's a perfect title.  This is where I leave you.  Love it.  And, the colors.  The colors are exactly what my current aesthetic leans toward.  That's it.  It was as simple as...I'm in love with this title and on top of that, these colors are right on.  The only two reasons I brought this book home.   

Hilarious.  This book is hilarious.  Raunchy.  But, hilarious.  The voice of the story is a middle aged man going through a divorce.  The character's wit and way of viewing awkward situations made me literally laugh out loud.  It is a tad "manish" in its style...it can be high school boy raunchy in places, but still hilarious.  Not only are the words funny, but the plot also has some valid lessons about moving on and forgiving; knowing when to let go for your own self-preservation and for your own soundness of mind.  Funny and a tad meaningful, that's always a winning combination.

Lark and Termite crafted by Jayne Anne Phillips.  The color of the spine caught my eye when it was on the shelf at the book store.  Then, when I turned it over in my hand, the little clothes on the line won me over...right there.  It didn't stop there however, the title was intriguing.  I knew I would buy it.  And, I did.   

It's a book that is written in a flash back style...at times, you are in a war with a young soldier and at other times, you are in a small town with a high school aged girl and her younger brother.  It's an interesting book as the little boy in the story has a disability.  I took it be some form of autism, but the story is set in a time period when that wasn't even a word so you never really know for sure what it is.  No one in the story seems to be concerned with having a name or a label for whatever it is and that speaks volumes.  I will admit this was not my most favorite story of all time, but still a book that is well crafted.  And, the love that exists between the sister and brother will remind you that kind of love...non-judging, true, loyal...can exist.   

Horse Boy crafted by Ruper Isaacson.  This book actually doesn't have a home on my shelves but rather, it lives on my coffee table because I like the front of it that much.  The photograph on the cover makes me want to have the ability to capture a moment that profound.  I mean seriously, even the horse is feeling the happiness!  The photograph is perfection.  One could only hope that at some point in his or her life, there will exist a picture of themselves living a moment like this. 

Horse Boy is a true story written by a father who conjurs up the idea to go on a conquest to try and heal his son from autism.  Turns out, the whole family goes on this unbelievable journey to see Mongolian shamans...in Mongolia.  The journey to simply get to the location is crazy in itself.  The story is not boring that is for sure...it's told with unbelievable description and imagination.  Your heart beats right with the father's as he just won't give up on his hope that his son will be healed.  The magic of the shamans is interesting to say the least and it will make you question your beliefs about Western medicinal practices.  Overall, it's inspiring.  Makes you want to go and do something.  Really do something.  

Choosing books because they are pretty is probably not the best literary method for selecting your next great read; in fact, it's really an odd thing to stand in the book store and think about what will look the best on your shelf at home.  But, it works for me.  Most of the time, I end up with a story that makes me feel something.  And, I truly believe that's the whole point of reading.

So, I actually recommend it.  Go to the book store and see what catches your eye.  You might be surprised at what you find.  And, really, even if you don't end up loving the story, you end up with a pretty looking shelf.  If you are anything like me, that in itself will make your heart happy.