How To Look At Books

© Copyright 2021 Melissa Emanoilidis, Ryerson University 
     Books are unique, like humans. Inside holds a story, which can be absorbed by each person who reads it differently. The pages are perfectly bonded and held together by a spine, filled with words of beloved author’s work. When looking at book, we see a cover, one that provides a glimpse at what is written between the pages. The colours contrasting with the title are important, and the observer must question why this was the visual chosen for their book. There are so many aspects that go into the process of publication, such as the trees that create the paper, the ink that prints all the author’s words, and numerous editing sessions that perfect the writer’s vision.
      Books can vary in genre, from fiction to autobiographical. From the millions of books that have been written and published, it is incredible to note that every single one is different. Every author must go through a process of writing and brainstorming, editing and producing in order to creates a story that you now hold between your hands. However, the physical copy is only the start, it is the journey that you are about to take when reading what is within. The environment you are in, the silence of your surroundings, are what contribute to this moment of following the story that is on the pages ahead. A book is not just something you read; it is an experience that you share with the author.
      When you look at a book you must consider the date it was published. The time period that the author wrote this story is important to specific elements of their narrative. The laws that were in place at the time, the acceptance of different races and genders, and the political stability that was present is crucial to note in terms of characters and setting. With this, you can then think about what the author what thinking when they wrote this story and what message they were attempting to get across when writing it.
      When you are holding a book in your hand, you are seeing someone’s dream come to life. The young child that always wanted to write something specifically for people like you to read. They went through the backbreaking process of finding inspiration and expressing it onto paper in hopes of pleasing the fellow readers that will walk into a bookstore and purchase their work. You should look at books as an example of success, setting personal goals for yourself that if you work hard enough you can achieve your goals. Readers begin to have an emotional attachment to their favourite books. This can be due to the time when one has read that book or what they took away from it. Books are meant to be shared like the stories that they carry, and they allow room for discussion about how each person interprets its meaning. Books are a steppingstone to further learning, therapeutic reasons, and a conversation opener with those who share your interests.
Melissa Emanoilidis' bookshelf with various texts
Emanoilidis, Melissa. “How to Look at Books.” February 10, 2021. Digital Photograph. Canada. ©Melissa Emanoilidis.

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