The bibliophile.

Blame it on the fact that the first books I've read were just borrowed from a friend or from the library or blame it on me being a spendthrift, your choice. I have and will always love used books. 

My romance with used books began when I discovered Book Sale and the old books tucked in the deepest parts of the school library. When the books' covers are a bit wrinkly already, its spine filled with lines after being opened and closed for millions of times and when the pages are already yellow with age--that book just calls for me. It's a bonus when beautiful lines are highlighted or underlined and sometimes books with comments or doodles made by prior owners remain and these are simply amusing. Here's to the best part--to dedications. I find it so enchanting when a book that was once given as a gift to somebody is now in my hands. Knowing that these books were already read by other people makes me wonder about these people and how they liked the book.

If books could speak, old books would tell the most interesting stories. They've been around for some time, they were witnesses to a gazillion of things. Their body might be already be destroyed but the wisdom they hold within them through time remains, and that is just beautiful.

Tonight, I dropped by an antique shop and saw these books. I couldn't help myself but get all of them. I cradled them, carefully evaluating which one to buy and set aside, two seems to be rare books and the other one is almost half the price compared to bookstores. The owner saw my dilemma and let out a polite laugh, told me it seems like I'm having a hard time deciding. He then offered to give me a discount to the book that I'll choose. He was so nice I bought all three books. Hahaha! And I indeed got a discount.

Here are the books that I bought:

1. Chuck Palahniuk's Non-Fiction P200

2. Akira Kurosawa's Something Like an Autobiography P200

3. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude P250

4. Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running P355

Oh, about the Murakami. Haha. Dropped by Powerbooks Megamall few nights ago and saw the book. I've heard that it's a bit difficult to find so I considered myself lucky. I like Murakami but his books are a bit expensive so it took me a while to decide. When I read that it's like a glimpse to this Japanese genius's writing process, I bought it.

There you go. I'm a bit sleepy now. Goodmornight.