Missing in Action
I'm torn. I own a copy of Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" that I've had since college. It has notes in the margins from where I used it in a writing class -- we were originally only going to study one story, but the whole class loved it so much, most of us went out and bought the book, and we ended up going through several more of the stories. I have been in the mood to re-read it lately, but at some point I loaned the book out.Now it is missing.
I know I gave it to someone in my family, possibly my mother, but everyone I've asked claims they have no knowledge of it. Someone is lying because they want my notes. I know it. My dilemma is that I DO want to read it again, so do I re-buy the book? Give up on ever seeing my good friend again and lose all the interesting things (which was half the fun of re-reading it) we talked about in class, or do I hold out and ransack my parent's house when I go to visit them next time?
This isn't the first time I've had this happen either. I loaned my spiffy copy of "The Chronicles of Narnia" to my Aunt, an expensive book actually since it has all the books in the series in one volume, with the non-movies cover (I hate movie covers). I know she still has it, but do I give up on ever seeing it again and re-buy it, or do I hope that someday I'll see my book again?
This is why I hate loaning out books. I am a huge re-reader -- pretty much every book in my collection has been read through at least two or three times. I even stopped borrowing books from the library because I get irritated when I want to revisit something and I don't have it. But it is just so much worse when I did purchase the silly book, and I still can't look at it again. My family really doesn't understand this, as none of them ever re-read, so while I love them all dearly, I hate giving them books. I've already re-purchased quite a few books I loaned them and never saw again, but 'Things They Carried' is a special case. It almost hurts to lose that one because of my notes. I didn't keep notes in too many of my college texts -- that one and my Shakespeare omnibus are two of the few -- but I feel a special fondness for them, since those are the classes and subjects I really felt a connection with.
Ah well, I'll wait until Thanksgiving when I visit my parents to check I suppose. Am I the only one who gets possessive and clingy when it comes to books? Have I just confirmed my total geekiness for all those who doubted? I'm almost afraid to find out.
posted by Toni @ 11:30 AM
Comments: 4
