tink makes art

To piggyback on my last post about books, my favorite bookstore of all time – with Chamblin Bookmine in Jacksonville, Florida coming in a close second – is the Strand in New York City. Wooden bookshelves, LOTS of books (2.5 MILLION or 18 MILES of new, used, and rare books), a maze of a building (3 floors) with never-ending nooks and crannies, and rich history (family owned since 1927!). I have to pop in when I’m in the city…

It’s where books are LOVED!

When my uncle was in town a few months ago, he took me to see the Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films at the Carolina Theatre in Durham (A historic theater that shows movies and hosts concerts. A must go if you live here and have never been!). I, along with everyone else in attendance, fell in love with The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which, with no surprise, won the Oscar. It captures the beautiful, amazement of books.

Don’t you love the smell of old books? The smell of pages and pages of aging books is one of my favorite things about a library. I also love running my hands across the books as I stroll down the aisle thinking two things: 1) “I wish I could absorb all the knowledge contained in these books just by touching them.” and 2) “This library holds A LOT of information, ideas, and thoughts…all of which have been written down, but what about the things no one has ever put in writing?” The last thought makes me feel small in relation to the vastness of knowledge but, somehow, that same truth makes me feel like a giant.

So, back to my point, why do old books smell so good? Well…

“Lignin, the stuff that prevents all trees from adopting the weeping habit, is a polymer made up of units that are closely related to vanillin. When made into paper and stored for years, it breaks down and smells good. Which is how divine providence has arranged for secondhand bookstores to smell like good quality vanilla absolute, subliminally stoking a hunger for knowledge in all of us.”

They smell so good because, apparently, they release a compound similar to the substance that comes from the vanilla bean. Sure makes me think the old excuse, “The dog ate my homework.” isn’t such a far fetched idea after all…

Quote from Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez’s Perfumes: the guide via It’s Okay to Be Smart

Kinfolk Vol. 3 is now available for purchase. “Volume three explores how the experiences we love and feel enlivened by can become a part of our daily habits and routines, instead of merely storing them up for special occasions, or those rare weekends away. The images and stories remind us to casually celebrate food, community, and simplicity as often as possible.”

Available for order on the Kinfolk Shop.

It seems enchanting, “The Simple Life,” but how do we achieve it in today’s world lead by consumerism, corporations, and individualism?  I’d love to have a garden and some animals, but I work everyday. How am I supposed to manage a small farm when I am not even home the majority of the day? I’d love to live on several acres in the middle of nowhere, but I love the convenience and culture of city life too. Bah! How do we achieve the mentalities and activities of “The Simple Life” while living in a modern society? Thoughts?

Photos: 1, 2, 3 (unknown)

Here are some books I wish I had sitting on my coffee table ready to read. What books are on your wishlist?

Black & White (and a bit in between) by Celerie Kemble

Creative Display by Geraldine James

The Natural Home by Hans Blomquist

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

The Beekeeper’s Bible by Richard A. Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch

I came across this video by Sean Ohlenkamp and Lisa Blonder Ohlenkamp, owners of Type, a bookstore in Toronto, and love how the books come alive. It reminds me of Toy Story when the toys come alive when the humans aren’t looking.  Oh books, I love you.

via swissmiss