Give a book for a gift – Ed Iannuccilli

by Ed Iannuccilli, contributing writer

This year, for Christmas, we gave the gift of books to our grandchildren. This was a far cry from the usual gift card, which we considered less thoughtful because it lacked a personal touch. Gift cards felt too easy an out.

Diane and I believed that giving something personal that required only a bit more effort would reflect itself in that effort.

It was important to us that those books must come from local bookstores. Our mantra was nothing online, if we could help the stores.

When I visited our local emporium and saw so many people browsing, I appreciated how much the hub was the gathering place for book lovers; smacking of a sense of community.

I had a connection with the store as it supported me when I had books to sell, promoting and hosting events that made me feel good and welcome. And it was a thrill to walk by and see my books on the shelves.

Browsing to look at offerings other than the list I had in hand was fun, rewarding, and comforting. The smell of ink and the musty aroma of aged wood reminded me of my many trips to the stacks of the library. The newer books in the store had a dry, metallic scent which I can only describe as new. They offered a welcoming silent crack when I opened them.

I had a list of books I wanted, but I needed more. How helpful the sales force was in pointing me to the more popular books and more especially, to those they loved. It was much like the librarians who played a critical role in my education over the years in fostering my love of reading.

How did we decide on the books that were on our list? First, we tried to tailor them to each grandchild’s interest; from the twelve-year-old who loves lacrosse to the pre-medical student who I decided needed to read a couple of classics that I read years ago. Do you remember “Arrowhead” and “The Cry and the Covenant?”

Second, we made a list of books we loved and tried to match them with our interests, genres, and styles. Like “A Confederacy of Dunces” and “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.”

Lastly, when we were stuck, a rare occurrence, we checked with the parents. And of course the bookstore aficionados.

And guess what? It was not difficult. The difficulty came in narrowing down which to choose as the list seemed endless.

We felt that our grandchildren could more easily immerse themselves in a book rather than the “other” media stuff. It is a much better way to connect with the characters and their issues while at the same time providing entertainment and education.

Our best hope is that one day they will say, “Thanks. Those books were great”

We’ll see. In any event, it has given us satisfaction to know that we have chosen a gift that is forever, that will, hopefully, give joy, learning, and a connection to some place, some person.

I love Mary Oliver’s quote from her book, “Upstream: Selected Essays.”

I learned to build bookshelves and brought books to my room, gathering them around me thickly. I read by day and into the night. I thought about perfectibility, and deism, and adjectives, and clouds, and the foxes. I locked my door, from the inside, and leaped from the roof and went to the woods, by day or darkness.

I love the book as a present. I loved supporting our local bookstore.

Ed Iannuccilli – edwrites.net