There’s something about holding a book in your hands. I may spend a lot of time reading and writing, but I am enchanted by incarnated, physical things. (Like blankets. And casseroles.)
At the Festival of Faith and Writing this year, when I was tired of listening to people talk about books, I wandered around in the little bookstalls set up by various vendors, just touching the books.
It’s so nice just to be able to touch the books, I told the man at one of the stalls. And then I think I blushed because it sounded sort of silly. But the man didn’t think so.
That’s right, he affirmed, with utter seriousness. We believe books are meant to be touched.
Yesterday, I got to touch my book. It took about a month, but it got here. It looks nice, and feels nice. It was printed in the USA, and the paper has that good partially-recycled-paper texture. And the cover just makes me smile.
{If you’d like to put your hands on a copy, please consider ordering from Hearts & Minds books, one of those rare places where you can actually touch the books before you buy, and where the people selling the books love books as much or more than you do. But if you’re not the book buying type, please consider asking your local library to stock it. Thanks!}
Congratulations, Rachel! I’m a tactile person too.
Can’t wait to read Eat With Joy!
Thanks, Adriana! Even though circumstances (living in Africa!) mean I use Kindle books and other digital resources LOTS, and am thankful for them, I don’t think paper books will ever die. They’re just too good, and I think a lot of us crave tactile and incarnated encounters, maybe even MORE so as we live in a digital age…
I love having the real thing, too. Although, most of the time I borrow from the library because we don’t have enough space for a lot of books right now. They didn’t have a copy yet, probably because it’s so new. Hubby web programs at IVPress, though, and they have a bookstore on site, so it was easy to buy a copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, by the way! (I was inspired to make lentil soup over the weekend and we had some crusty sourdough bread to go with. Yum!)
I can only imagine what it feels like to be an author and hold your book in your own hands. It must be a great feeling and I’m so happy for you! Congrats!
Your blog bio says you live in N.Y. I’m curious how you ended up in Africa. I’m new to the blog so maybe I missed a post on this?
You look so happy holding your book in that photo, Rachel. And I think your book looks happy being held!
Tim
IVP does it again with a great cover. When you were a baby they snagged me with their dust jacket for Guthrie’s NT Theology. Simple, tasteful, and featuring a Botticelli print…
PS: That was but one of many books that I confess to having purchased at least in part because of a great cover. As for browsing in brick & mortar bookstores, you are obviously my daughter!
So I was holding your book before you, I feel bad about that but can understand the reason. I have it on the table because its just to good to put away and I want to do more of the recipes as well. The cover really is attractive and I think its amazing that you were able to put so many interesting things in a book of that size.
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I just received a copy of your book in the mail yesterday. Looking forward to reading it. And yes, there is something about holding a book in your hands that I don’t think will ever go away.
Thanks, Marie! Yes: books have a special quality all their own, don’t they?