live in fear of finding one of my books in a used book shop. What does that mean? Did the owner not care enough? Is my book like the puppy in a shelter?

Well, here’s one that’s worse.

Found a neat book at the used bookstore. As I read it, I noticed that it was in great condition, but had GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE LIBRARY stamped on the side. So I could always look this school up but I’m going to go with the idea that it’s some sort of commuter college, a tiny place in the backwoods somewhere. So this book had been on their shelf.

But then, when I finally finished it (and it was pretty good), I noticed in the back that there was one of those old library card slots (curious, since this book came out in 2016, recently – I didn’t know libraries still used cards, but I guess up in the Georgia highlands they do).

And, sadly, there wasn’t any checkout dates listed. The book had sat on the shelf for a few years, attracting no eyeballs, and was eventually sold to some agency that resells used books to used bookshops. That depressed me. Possibly the students are too busy for pleasure reading, don’t care, whatever. But to me it’s kinda a sign of the state of reading in our country and world. With Netflix and the internet, why get involved with a book in the first place, right? That’s what it seems to indicate, anyway.

For all I know, I’m the first and only person who ever read this specific copy of this book.

How about this – next time you are out there, either at a used bookstore or a library, go looking for something you might not have considered. Find a little lonely book in the corner of the shelf and invite it into your life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have a new favorite before you know it.

Please. Read.

>>>ESPECIALLY MY BOOKS, FOR SALE HERE!<<<