Old Books Make Me Swoon

Used book stores might be one of my favorite places.  There was the used book store in Downtown Milwaukee, shelves high as the ceiling full of old books.  The beautiful ornate book spines would beckon me to pull them off the shelf and take a closer look.  The lighting was dim as if a few bulbs had burnt out and no one had bothered to change them or noticed or cared.  It gave the whole place an eerie feel, while surrounded by books that had seen so much.  If only they could tell us what they have seen or who had tossed them about and dog eared the pages.  Why did they underline that word?  Whose hands had flipped through these pages?

Then there are those special treasures, the ones with book inscriptions, little endearing notes from the giver to their love, friend, or family.  These are the books that give you a glimmer of insight into their past.  I found one of those books.  It helps me remember a time when guys would give a book as a gift, writing a handwritten note in the front cover to be cherished by the receiver forever.  This would happen back in March of '63, but it should happen more often today.  Maybe it does happen.  I just haven't met the guy who will give me that book with that sweet handwritten note hidden within it's cover... yet.  If I ever have that moment, I think I might be a goner.

There is something to be said about a guy completely enthralled reading a book.  It always makes me do a double take.  So Gentleman take note, if you want to make me or a great many girls I'm sure go weak in the knees, put down that phone and pick up a book.  I'm not talking about an ebook on your iPad or Kindle either.  A real old fashioned book, preferably used with an inscription.

This is why I love old books.  This one book brought me back to a time before texting, ecards, and the instant gratification that all things in this technological age have brought us.  A time when a simple note in a little book was a grand romantic gesture.  Let's go back to that time with these little things that can mean so much.  That time could be now.