I'm a big fan of sharing books with friends. Not unlike illegally sharing music files, this process allows many people to enjoy the benefits of the artist's work. And, strikingly different from illegally sharing music files, no one in a suit will show up at your house and take you away into the dark of night to torture you for their IP addresses. That is what the RIAA does, right?
Anyway, I tend to have trouble figuring out what to do with books once I've finished reading them. Sometimes I donate them to charity. Other times I keep them, assuming they will become interesting again in six months. But sadly, not every book can live up to the polished allure of the Twilight Saga.
But... I recently discovered something new and fun to do with books when you're done reading them. Set them free.
There's a website called Book Crossing. You just put in the book's info and they give you a number code to write inside the front cover of the book. Then you leave it... anywhere. I was disappointed to find that there weren't any books in Ann Arbor that had been set free. I was rather hoping to go find one and leave one in the same day, but I guess us Michigan students aren't big readers.
I, of course, decided to start off with one of the great classics of literature. I mean, sure, its a tough read, but Ann Arbor is a smart city. I was sure people could get through it. I struggled, myself. Its a good thing there was a movie adaptation to let me know what was going on in the parts of the book I didn't understand. Well, technically there were several movie adaptations.
American classic.
Once the book was picked and the code written inside the front cover, it was just a matter of figuring out a good place to leave it. I wanted to put it somewhere heavily trafficked in the hope that someone who didn't know about the site would find it and think it was cool, just like I did. And thus, the butterfly effect would kick in and I would singlehandedly end world hunger just by showing that one person this one website. Its called cause and effect.
In the end, I left the book under the center arch leading into the law quad, on the ground. I figured it would look enough out of place there for someone to pick it up and thumb through it looking for an owner. I also just realized that I applied WAY too much logic to the decision about where to place the book. Oh well. Overthinking is like cross-training for your mind. You shouldn't do it every day, but regular workouts are recommended.
This decision took hours.
Honestly, I just think the Book Crossing idea is about the coolest thing ever. I'm hoping there will be some books in the wild out in Lansing this summer so I can go pick them up. I had found the site back in January (you know, when the entire state of Michigan dies of frostbite?) and saved it for a warm day. I gotta tell ya... I was waiting with baited breath for a warm enough day to do this. It reminded me how nice anticipation can be. People are so impatient to get the things they want right now - myself included. I'm a huge fan of the here and now, but I gotta start remembering that some things are better when you don't get them right away or when you have to work for them. Waiting is a journey and a journey is a story. And I freakin' love stories.
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