Thursday, February 05, 2004

Book Receipts

There are lots of cool things about library books but one of the best things is finding the check-out receipts of previous readers. I found two in On the Road. In June of 2003 someone named Kelly checked out this particular copy. Along with this she also got Fury: A Novel by Salman Rushdie. Then in October of 2003 someone named Heidi checked out this copy as well as Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Kelly and Heidi both have very literary tastes. I'd like to meet them and talk to them about On the Road and the other books they checked out. What did they think of Kerouac? I want to know from Kelly if Fury was good or were the critics that panned it right? It's on my bookshelf but I haven't read it yet, should I? I want to ask Heidi if she thought Cathy was a sell-out marrying the rich guy. Does she think Cathy should have married Heathcliff? Could they have been happy? And what did she think of Tender is the Night? I haven't read it but have read The Great Gatsby three times trying to figure out what was so great about it. I didn't succeed so never tried any other of Fitzgerald's books. I want to know from both of them why they chose to the read the books they did. But all I have are their receipts and my musings. I've decided to leave my receipt in On the Road when I turn it in. Besides On the Road, it has The Middle Mind on it. Maybe someone else will find it interesting to look at our three slips and wonder about them and come to a conclusion about us as readers. Thanks to tinLizzy for the link to Women and Children First, an independent bookstore in Chicago. Their site has shopping, Book Sense 76 picks, and features of store bestsellers and staff recommendations. Check it out!