In her research for the book Orlean decided to burn a book, to see what Harry would have felt if he had been at the library that day. She found that the actual act of burning a book was not hard but the preparation, the buildup to the book burning was challenging. It turns out that Orlean found it incredibly difficult to find a book to burn. She attributes this to the same reasoning that she cannot throw out a book. She can give it away or donate it but she can’t throw a book in the trash, no matter how hard she tries. A book for her is akin to a living thing, it feels alive in a moment and on a continuum. They have a “potency of life”. When she finally does find a book to burn, Fahrenheit 451, and burns it, she notes that the book burned rather quickly and left nothing behind; an item full of human stories disappeared rather quickly.
I have always had trouble letting books go; after all I might read it again. When I do let books go, I tend to donate them or give them away, even if they are in poor condition. I find like Orlean, I cannot throw a book in the trash. I hope that someone else can get the same enjoyment and thrill that I received or that they might enjoy what I didn’t. Do you find it easy to get rid of books? Do you prefer to give books away or can you throw a book in the trash? Why do you think we have trouble letting books go?
I have always had trouble letting books go; after all I might read it again. When I do let books go, I tend to donate them or give them away, even if they are in poor condition. I find like Orlean, I cannot throw a book in the trash. I hope that someone else can get the same enjoyment and thrill that I received or that they might enjoy what I didn’t. Do you find it easy to get rid of books? Do you prefer to give books away or can you throw a book in the trash? Why do you think we have trouble letting books go?