"i have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

How these authors are able to portray such detailed, unique experiences in such a small amount of words is amazing to me.  I feel as though I have to type a thousand sentences to get my point across sometimes, and for them, it seems so easy.  I have to remember that these professional writers started out in the same place that I did, learning the abc's, so that I do not lose hope.  There are a few pieces in the packet of readings we were assigned that really caught my attention and made me want to read more.  Maurice Sendak's piece about how he began writing was really easy to relate to for me.

Sendak describes the illustrations and stories he wrote as a child, and as he does this, it makes me think of the dozens of handcrafted books I still have packed in a box in my closet.  I think this essay made the biggest impact out of all of them because of a couple really powerful sentences.  Sendak says, "So, it seems that as a small boy, I pasted and clipped my bits of books together and hoped only for a life that would permit me to earn my bread by pasting and clipping more bits of books.  And here I am, all grown-up, at least physically, and still in the same old business."  These two sentences really hit me in a way that writing usually doesn't.  I don't want to sound all cheesy and say something along the lines of, "this inspired me to believe I can actually accomplish something with my writing," but that is exactly how it made me feel.

I was also able to really relate to Sendak's love for books themselves.  He spoke about the pages, the smell, and texture.  I am the kind of person who walks around Barnes & Noble just so I can smell new books... which sounds creepy, but who cares? This reminds me of the Anchorman quote, "I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."  I have been in love with books since the minute I learned to read.  This might account for my lack of a really great social life... but hey, at least I have my books.  Just kidding, kind of.  Part of the reason I really appreciated Sendak's love for books themselves is because this whole business about online books, Kindles, and iPad libraries drives me bonkers.  I need to flip the pages of a book.  I like marking my place in the story with a bookmark to see my progress.  I love that feeling of reaching the back cover of a book and knowing it is time to jump in the car and go buy the sequel to whatever I'm reading at the time.  People say books, newspapers, and magazines are dying and that everything being online is great.  Call me old fashioned, but I would rather "have many leather-bound books" than stare at my laptop screen all day.