Recycled books

We took a family outing tonight to a great used bookstore, Recycle Books, in San Jose. I love used bookstores, even though my nose gets a bit itchy from the dusty smell. They always seem so full of character and potential. The books in used bookstores have their own story to tell, not just the story of their words, but of their history and their path and their people. This bookstore has such a sense of character and identity of it's own, with it's resident cats, comfy chairs, and piles of books everywhere. I really love going there.

I picked up some very inexpensive copies of Chiam Potok's The Chosen and The Promise. I read these books in college and I've been wanting to read them again. I can't remember who was blogging about reading them recently, but I haven't been able to get them out of mind since then!

I also perused the Christian section of the store and found Thomas Merton's "The Wisdom of the Desert", St. Teresa of Avila's "Interior Castle", and a copy of "The Rule of St. Benedict". I guess I'm drawn to the writings of Catholic contemplatives right now.

Many of the books that I looked at in the Christian section, including two of the ones I bought, were from one man's library. They have his name and an embossed marking on the first pages. I wonder who he is or was? Was he a pastor or priest? Did he die, or just get rid of a lot of books? The book in my hand feels different, knowing that someone else also bought it, read it, thought about it. I love that. It helps me to remember that many, many people have read and thought about these things.

Well, I can't write or read blogs for too long tonight - I've got some reading to do! And all for the wonderful low price of $11.06 plus tax! Like I said - I love used bookstores!