Lori’s Book Nook

Tagged by the lovely alejna, also lifted from the rather literate casa az, who happened to have a copy of the fabulous Mr. Davies on her bedside table. (Go and read their posts — lovely and literary!)

Because I’ve not updated my blog recently, and because I have a copy of Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame on my desk, here we go:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag 5 people

So, from the architecturally-inclined Monsieur Hugo:

“Those thousand thickset angular roofs, clinging together, nearly all composed of the same geographical elements, when seen from above, looked almost like the crystallization of a single substance. The capricious fissures formed by the streets did not cut this conglomeration of houses into slices too disproportionate. The forty-two colleges were distributed among them very equally, and were to be seen in every quarter.”

And as to tagging? I, too, will make this self-tagging — you know you want to do this!! Go ahead — make my comments delightful to read!

I want to stay at the Library Hotel.

Organized according to the Dewey Decimal System so each floor of the hotel has a different category, and each room a theme on that category. Stay in the Poetry room on the Literature floor (Room number 800.003, with one full-sized bed). Or try Room 1100.002, the Ethics room on the Philosophy floor, which has a queen-sized bed.

Cool.

In the 1800s, people used to sit and listen to much longer lectures than we have the patience for today…the one I’m reading now (in my trusty Harvard Classics), is one by John Ruskin, with the intriguing title above. It’s 42 pages long. (good number, really)

How long is that?

[pause]

I just timed myself reading, nay, emoting, a page, and it took me 2 minutes. Okay, so I lied. It’s an 80+ minute lecture. But it is definitely thicker than what we’re accustomed to today.

Here are some of the more delightful samples (courtesy of this site, which saved me from typing it all in myself!):

Practically, then, at present, “advancement in life” means, becoming conspicuous in life; - obtaining a position which shall be acknowledged by others to be respectable or honorable. We do not understand by this advancement in general, the mere making of money, but the being known to have made it; not the accomplishment of any great aim, but the being seen to have accomplished it. In a word, we mean the gratification of our thirst for applause. That thirst, if the last infirmity of noble minds, is also the first infirmity of weak ones; and, on the whole, the strongest impulsive influence of average humanity: the greatest efforts of the race have always been traceable to the love of praise, as its greatest catastrophes to the love of pleasure.

This brings to mind Alain de Botton’s book, Status Anxiety, which is on my ‘everyone must read’ list.

Another bit from Ruskin’s essay that I liked, more specifically about reading (the main theme of the lecture):

Very ready we are to say of a book, “How good this is - that`s exactly what I think!” But the right feeling is, “How strange that is! I never thought of that before, and yet I see it is true; or if I do not now, I hope I shall, some day.” But whether thus submissively or not, at least be sure that you go to the author to get at his meaning, not to find yours. Judge it afterwards, if you think yourself qualified to do so; but ascertain it first. And be sure also, if the author is worth anything, that you will not get at his meaning all at once; - nay, that at his whole meaning you will not for a long time arrive in any wise. Not that he does not say what he means, and in strong words too; but he cannot say it all; and what is more strange, will not, but in a hidden way and in parables, in order that he may be sure you want it. I cannot quite see the reason of this, nor analyze that cruel reticence in the breasts of wise men which makes them always hide their deeper thought. They do not give it to you by way of help, but of reward; and will make themselves sure that you deserve it before they allow you to reach it.

Seems a wise approach to any new book.

My other exposure to Ruskin is through one of his books on architecture, The Stones of Venice. That link is its Library Thing page, and the copy of the book I have is pictured on the sidebar, right at the bottom…the Folio Society version. So beautiful.

My friend over at Creative Energy just sent me an utterly fabulous link!

Bibliophiles, beware! These images are not for the novice. I would suggest sitting down first.

Are you ready?

Check it out: Hot Library Smut.

And the book, Libraries by Candida Hofer includes an introduction by Umberto Eco, no less, the man who brought us The Name of the Rose with its fantastic library, and Foucault’s Pendulum (He dealt with Knights Templar conspiracies long before the ubiquitous Dan Brown!), all about books itself.

I’m adding this book to my wishlist.