Books of Circumstance

Books may be chosen depending on the circumstances which will occur during the reading. There is the well known "book of summer", light and breezy and lending itself to be read on the beach.

I have had "hospital books", such as lend themselves to occupy the mind while waiting at National Jewish Hospital in Denver during the Hanukah-Christmas season. I read Rupert Sheldrake in such circumstances, and I found him scintillating.

There are "waiting in line" books, which are useful for those queues at airports and generally while waiting for anything. Then there are the "airplane flight" books for the flight itself. There are the seldom perused books, which are secreted somewhere in an automobile for the chance that someone else may do the driving, and you - suddenly at freedom - are already surfeited by the surrounding scenery, and escape into reading.

There is "waiting at the doctor's office", which is a fine book, particularly if you do not wish to have to skim through the doctor's own paltry and thin offerings. Of course, steps need be taken to disinfect afterwards.

I am sure that the more electronically mature just have the same old Kindle for all these uses, switching titles as need be, but that is too much like Deng Xiaoping having the same old Mao suit to wear each and every day; I would rather open the library doors and be dazzled by the array of books, as varied and numerous as Imelda Marcos' shoes!

I am a citizen of the Universe of Books.
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