That New Book Smell
I once took a
chance and entered a contest. This may not sound exciting to you, but I rarely
(if ever) enter contests.
I’d actually forgotten about it and just recently
received a package. I had actually won! An autographed copy of independent
author’s paperback book was the prize. The reason why I was even made aware
that the contest existed was due to me doing some research on marketing
techniques. The site (a blog) wasn’t fancy, the promotion wasn’t saturating all
media avenues, and the number of entries received wasn’t competitive to the
number of books offered as the prize. I’ve always had this problem of stopping
by an author who was having a signing and they are being ignored. Depending on
the book, I am buying, passing to friends if it’s good, or donating it to a
local school or library. This problem also includes noticing authors trying to
live their dream online and working hard to be recognized. Taking a few minutes
clicking around to learn more about them or leave a message. People doing this
to this have done wonders for my ego (everyone has one) and pass on what was given
to me on to them. However, the one thing I have always enjoyed is that new book
smell. As the world is moving towards the digital frontier (chancing the
money), I was asked if it is worth the time and effort to place their
manuscript in book form. My short answer is Hell Yeah! I would be the first to
say that Electronic Readers (e-books) can carry a tractor trailer load of
books, adjust the print size to suit you, and can be bulked shared with
friends, but it can never be a keepsake, emotionally binding, or have that
memory inspiring smell. The market for books is going down and the e-reader is
increasing, but when was the last Sci-Fi movie of the future where they are
burning e-readers to stifle rebellion? Books clearly will always have an
emotional impact of the now and more so if they become extinct. To answer the
question sent to me. Publish in book form for the love of book if that is what
you want, it isn’t a bad thing and I’m sure it will give someone a bit of joy
then to fight off screen glare.
Keepsake
From your grandparents Encyclopedia Britannica or Encyclopedia Americana to the first books of nursery rimes you had received as a child, are a part of your life that is just as precious as those bronzed baby booties. Unlike toys that can be broken or that special blanket that protected you on stormy nights or from that monster who lived under your bed, books had and have so much more to offer (especially if it is a good one). Point in case. A parent speaks strongly that their child goes to sleep and catches them under their covers with a flashlight reading a book. Of course they will remind them that they need their rest and how upset they will be in the morning for not doing what they were told. The parents will check up on their child several more times, but how angry can you be with a child who loves to read. Now if that same child was playing a video game or listening to music, or talking on the phone, the parents’ anger will most likely escalate to the point of attaching punishment for bad behavior. In all cases, the child is not behaving and yet only one can be considered as productive. Memories of those times are often shared from parent to child and so are the books that provided those joyful memories as keepsakes from one generation to the next (and so on). Another way of looking at the joy of book is how they quickly become emotionally binding.
From your grandparents Encyclopedia Britannica or Encyclopedia Americana to the first books of nursery rimes you had received as a child, are a part of your life that is just as precious as those bronzed baby booties. Unlike toys that can be broken or that special blanket that protected you on stormy nights or from that monster who lived under your bed, books had and have so much more to offer (especially if it is a good one). Point in case. A parent speaks strongly that their child goes to sleep and catches them under their covers with a flashlight reading a book. Of course they will remind them that they need their rest and how upset they will be in the morning for not doing what they were told. The parents will check up on their child several more times, but how angry can you be with a child who loves to read. Now if that same child was playing a video game or listening to music, or talking on the phone, the parents’ anger will most likely escalate to the point of attaching punishment for bad behavior. In all cases, the child is not behaving and yet only one can be considered as productive. Memories of those times are often shared from parent to child and so are the books that provided those joyful memories as keepsakes from one generation to the next (and so on). Another way of looking at the joy of book is how they quickly become emotionally binding.
Emotionally Binding.
With the current onslaught of movies and TV shows based on books, people are becoming hungry for the actual story by the person who wrote it. It shouldn’t be surprising to hear someone say that the book was much better than the movie. It goes without saying that a movie based on a book (or books) is equivalent to Cliff Note (short synopsis) to the actually works and it has one advantage that movies will never achieve, emotionally binding. As no two people will see the same thing in the same way, books does the same, but narrows the view where the base of the story is the same for all. What cause this emotionally binding is the experience your mind travels along each page as it absorbed and use your imagination to recreate sights, sounds, smell, people, places, expressions, emotions, and a world separate from your own and yet allows you to be a part of its world. Unlike with the eyes (untrained of course), it only has a moment to grasp concepts and dialogue and immediately come to a conclusion without any regards to clarify. You can re-read a passage or have a moment to think about what you have read and draw and association with what you know in the real world or what was or is written in a book. Although, people re-watch movies all the times, and learn different aspects they had overlooked or misunderstood, you are still viewing a subject through someone elses interpretation (the directors, producers, and sponsors) than your own imagination and emotions. However, I would be remiss not to bring up the strongest reason for literary keepsakes that emotionally binds a person from the start and that is the smell.
With the current onslaught of movies and TV shows based on books, people are becoming hungry for the actual story by the person who wrote it. It shouldn’t be surprising to hear someone say that the book was much better than the movie. It goes without saying that a movie based on a book (or books) is equivalent to Cliff Note (short synopsis) to the actually works and it has one advantage that movies will never achieve, emotionally binding. As no two people will see the same thing in the same way, books does the same, but narrows the view where the base of the story is the same for all. What cause this emotionally binding is the experience your mind travels along each page as it absorbed and use your imagination to recreate sights, sounds, smell, people, places, expressions, emotions, and a world separate from your own and yet allows you to be a part of its world. Unlike with the eyes (untrained of course), it only has a moment to grasp concepts and dialogue and immediately come to a conclusion without any regards to clarify. You can re-read a passage or have a moment to think about what you have read and draw and association with what you know in the real world or what was or is written in a book. Although, people re-watch movies all the times, and learn different aspects they had overlooked or misunderstood, you are still viewing a subject through someone elses interpretation (the directors, producers, and sponsors) than your own imagination and emotions. However, I would be remiss not to bring up the strongest reason for literary keepsakes that emotionally binds a person from the start and that is the smell.
Anticipation is one thing. Being swept up as you wait in line to meet your favorite author to have a word with them and receive their personalized thanks to you for buying their work along with their autograph is another. However, waking up early on a Sunday morning with your pillows in the perfect placement behind you, your favorite beverage on your nightstand, and you listen to the sound as the stiffness of the binder cracks, taking in the sight of the first word, and that new book smell is what memories are made of. Oh, alright. Let’s take a step back from fantasy land. You go to the food court and grab a smooth, some fries and kickback. However, you still get that new book smell and the aroma informs your brain to get ready to rumble! It’s time to have something to gouge itself on. If you never had read a book for just the sheer pleasure of it, be forewarned. Books are a happy addiction and when it is in the handheld page turning form, very addictive. As with all living things, memories are what we experience be they good or bad. Books in all forms are capable of so much more and in most cases very safe. That is excluding paper cuts and nightmares from a really good writer. Books can cause involuntary laughter, tears of both happy and sad emotions, stir or rekindle the thoughts of romance, and pump the heart with visions of action, adventure, and suspense. I enjoy the ease and all the advantages of Electronic Readers, but compared to have a favorite book in my hand without occasional screen glare getting in-between me and the story, give me a book. Besides, no one can confuse me playing a video game, on the phone, video conferencing, or watching a movie with a book. SD Tracy Harper
Illustration; lifeand100books.com
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