Staying Connected

I never had to count how many books I read in a particular time frame. Not until the beginning of this year, that is. In 2009, I read 50 books. That's quite a feat that I was equally proud and embarassed to admit. I'm not here to enumerate what those books are but to elucidate (to myself maybe) why I read so much.

I've fallen in love with men that have close connections to books. A writer, editors, a book collector - men who appreciated the written words, even loved them, as much as I do. I feel a connection with them when I read, particularly the ones that they've touched in one way or another.

Sometimes this brings me joy but most times it makes me sad. I miss them more than I care to and it reminds me of how unconnected and far away they are from me. The many times I've loved and lost has made me dependent on that injury - emotional cutting, I guess.

In any case, here's a partial list of the books I've read so far. Don't read too much in to my taste (pun intended) and don't try to make connections. These don't even make sense to me so try not to edify their meaning.