He's seen all the movies. Like a lot a lot, but he's just now getting to that age where there's a certain fascination with the written word.
I hope he becomes a reader. Two reasons: One, my personal library is getting out of control, and two, I would really be hella pissed if I'd wasted all those hours reading "Th Cat in the Hat Comes Back" out loud to him before bedtime.
Na.
I wouldn't be pissed.
Okay . . . maybe a little pissed.
Anyway, we had to steal my mom's copy of the 4th book because our's disappeared somewhere, or has yet to be unpacked from our last move. (It was nine years ago, but there are still some boxes yet to go.)
Probably what happened is we loaned it out to someone, forgot who, and never got it back.
That . . . is perfectly fine by me. I like the idea of books with a particular sense of wanderlust. If I need to read something, I've got family and friends with other libraries like mine, I've got several wonderful local libraries within bicycle distance, and if I absolutely need to read something right this second, I've got an iPad or a quick walk to Barnes and Noble.
So . . . anyway . . . we borrowed this book from my mom, and when it was opened out fell an old coupon from the original purchase.
If you remember your year 2000, you might recall that the release of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire was the most important thing that happened.
I think there was some sort of election too. Something about Florida and Chads.
Chad is such a weird name.
But the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the first time the HP books created a media circus. Kids dressing up as wizards and lining up to purchase books. Local news agencies doing delightful feel good stories on the power of the written word.
Of course someone always has to roll out some bible thumping ass-hat who claims children shouldn't be reading stories of witchcraft.
: )
In particular note, I'm a pretty lenient whatever goes parent.
I would not however read Genesis out loud to my nine-year old. He's way too young for that level of incest and smut.
Just . . . saying.
But back to HPGF (Which is the texting version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and how I will write it from here on out), the coupon that fell out of my mother's copy was from one of those small independent bookstores that the heart of every town needs.
This one was called Towne Center Books.
A lot has been written about the death of the town bookstore. There's too many books to fill everyone's needs, so the megastores replaced the little guy, and then the internet happened and killed the megastore.
Thanks, Al Gore.
How a few of the little guys survived is beyond me.
So I was pretty delighted to look online and see that Towne Center Books, in the heart of Pleasanton is still alive and kicking.
We need more of those.
Lots more.
Though, gotta admit, I'm pretty hypocritical. Of the three indie bookstores in my home town, I've only been to exactly one of them.
For shame.
And this from a man who spent a few years managing a book store.
And who also reads at least fifty books a year.
For shame.
And who also calls himself a writer.
I really don't know why god isn't striking me down right now.
I deserve a little smiting.
But Towne Center Books doesn't need my business, it's humming along nicely on it's own. And I would probably go there more often, but it's far away, and the only coupon I have is expired.
No comments:
Post a Comment