Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Am I the only one who smells printed matter?

I had to take a long look at one of the bookshelves in the office to remember the last hard cover book I purchased. It was The Dangerous Book for Boys—purchased around April of this year. I get a new book or two quite a bit throughout the year but they're usually paperback and more often than not, design/academic related.

The last hard cover novel I purchased? Unless there is something in a box in the basement I'm forgetting about, it would be The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Which I didn't technically purchase. It was a gift. From my high school graduation. In 1994.

We go to the library all the time, but it has been so long since I've been the first person to open a beautifully bound book. I had forgotten what a wonderful experience that is. Until today. I walked out of the bookstore this afternoon with $80 worth of hard cover books. Four books that are very dear to my heart. One of the best set of books I've ever read.

The Twilight Saga.

Why, yes, I am such a dork that I'm showing you a picture of my new books.

I had been hoarding money from my birthday—which was in August—for whatever reason. I suppose I didn't want to waste it. I had planned to buy clothes, but I hate shopping for them. I think that's why I've had the money for so long. When I finished the Twilight saga in August I knew I wanted to buy the set—and they had to be hardcover. Such a well written series deserves as much in my opinion. Plus, I love the way the way a nice set of books look on a shelf.

When I was shopping this afternoon I knew it was time to part with some of that money. I sprung for the box set which comes slipcased with each of the four cover images on a panel. The set came shrink-wrapped so I can guarantee you, nobody else has opened any of the books.

Cracking open my copy of Twilight was so satisfying. The creak of the front cover when I made that first crease. The smell of the ink on the paper. The sound of the pages running through my fingers. The shiny black covers with the simple yet beautiful typography.

I wonder how it will be my second time through now that I've seen the movie? My visions of the characters were so different than the casting in the movie. Now, Rob Pattinson is Edward. I can't get that vision out of my head.

You know what I mean?

9 comments:

Lisa said...

Hi Pixie:
I love the new format!

I love the smell of printed stuff so much that when I was little I would chew on newspaper. Not kidding. I also love the smell of the tire section at Costco. All that petroleum, yum!

I haven't read the Twilight series. I live in Seattle and Forks is just a short trip away, so the news media does stories all the time about all the fans now visiting the area. Weird.

What is it about vampires that fascinates us so much? The immortality? The cool black hair/white skin contrast? Hmmmm...

Cupcake Blonde said...

I love hard cover books. I wish I had bought the whole set like you did instead of one at a time because I would love to have the box to put them in. But I couldn't wait to own them. I do get a little thrill whenever I get a new hard cover book. Something about it smelling so new and fresh is exciting! And it will be fun to read the books again after seeing the movie. I already picture scenes from the film when I listen to the soundtrack. I bet that will happen with the books too. :)

P.S. They look great on your shelf!

Anonymous said...

God, I read the first one yesterday (yes, all in one day) and rushed out to buy the other three today. I made sure to get all hardbacks and the thrill of reading them? Priceless.

I luckily haven't seen the movie even though I have seen the promos...I tend to use the movie poster image for Bella but imagine a Shane West type guy for Edward. I'm hoping to finish all books before I go see the movie.

:)

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

Leezer—How about the smell of gasoline or bleach? Love them! Did the ink from the newspaper come off in your mouth? That seems a little yucky.

VP—I wonder if you could buy just the cover somewhere?

Hilly—Welcome to the Twilight Club. I hope you enjoy your stay.

Lisa Armsweat said...

Those books do look beautiful! And, like all of us here, I also LOVE the feel and smell of a brand-new book. Oh, man. That's really one of the coolest pleasures in life to me. I recently stopped borrowing from the library...again... because of the germs thing. I am convinced those books are just filthy as hell and I always feel like I have to wash my hands after reading, even the newer books I borrow. And I'm not even a germaphobe or anything; I just prefer my OWN books, that have only been handled by me. I think I've always been that way, too, although as a kid I couldn't stay away from the library. Books = awesome, always!

I love the smell of gasoline and tires, too! And brand new leather shoes. And dentist offices, oddly enough. I hate sitting in the chair, but love the smell. It's a kind of sweet smell, but with burning-teeth mixed in--YUM.

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

cruel shoes—Isn't it nice to know that your quirks are the quirks of those you consider good company? I love that!

Steelers Wine Girl said...

Brand new books have always been among my favorite smells. I remember buying my first "Baby-Sitter's Club" books with my own money and sniffing them the whole way home!

I HAVE to buy books, b/c I read and re-read. I can't even tell you how many I have, but most are not hardbacks. Those I do have were either super-bargain or for a special occasion (like Harry Potter or Twilight).

I do still always get a thrill out of new books, though...

Holly {ArtistMotherTeacher} said...

SWG—I only re-read the ones I really like. That's why I usually go the way of the library first.

Anonymous said...

The smell of library books is totally nostalgic for me. Mom used to take us to the downtown library and I would open a book and take a deep whiff. Ahhh! I still love that smell (and still like to smell the books).

ac(w)p