I had a wonderful time writing this article for the Stella Maris Center about how to find good books. The short answer is book lists, of which there are many fine specimens, both long and short.
Every once in a while, I fall prey to a feeling of sad certainty that a good book I’ve just finished is it. There couldn’t possibly be anything so good to read. Sayonara, joy of a new and exciting read! We’ve read the last one there is.
Utter foolishness. Skimming John Senior’s legendary list of asking trustworthy friends about their favorite childhood books will yield treasures of which you could never have dreamed. While talking to friends recently about books for kids getting into chapter book series on their own, one expressed surprise that something was new to the rest of us. She hadn’t heard of it (in this case “The Happy Hollisters”) but she assumed the more bookish of us would have already known about it. But, ah, there is always more to discover.
Compiling information about finding good book lists and tracking down volumes to read gave me an opportunity to find a C.S. Lewis quote I was curious about. Someone told me the gist of the quote, but I was happy to finally discover it in full. In a dialogue in the manuscript for “God in the Dock,” C.S. Lewis wrote:
“Yes,” my friend said. “I don’t see why there shouldn’t be books in Heaven. But you will find that your library in Heaven contains only some of the books you had on earth.”
“Which?” I asked.
“The ones you gave away or lent.”
“I hope the lent ones won’t still have all the borrowers’ dirty thumb marks,” said I.
“Oh yes they will,” said he. “But just as the wounds of the martyrs will have turned into beauties, so you will find that the thumb-marks have turned into beautiful illuminated capitals or exquisite marginal woodcuts.”
It’s a good reminder that there are always more spectacular volumes to read and a reminder that I want to live my book life generously. There is nothing quite like receiving a book from a friend, and such friendships are nurtured by offering books. Personally, I’ve never regretted lending or giving a book away. I’m not one for first editions or anything. It’s the words on the page that do it for me. And, as much as I privately revel in certain passages, whatever I enjoy reading is so much enhanced by having other people to enjoy it with.
You can read the full article at Stella Maris here.
