Friday, December 15, 2017

Dear Fahrenheit 451

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life. Annie Spence. 2017. 256 pages. [Source: Library]

Premise/plot: Most of the book consists of "letters" to various books from the author's life--personal and professional, read and unread. Some letters are 100% snark. Others are more sentimental and gushy. A good many contain profanity, the profanity that isn't so much necessary (warranted) as deemed entertaining and "cool."

My thoughts:

Dear Fahrenheit 451,
I wanted to love you. I mean just LOOK at that cover. It promises great things. And it wasn't just your cover I was drawn to, it was also your premise. A book about books, what is there not to love? But I could have done with a little more sincerity and a little less snark. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate snark. But it has its time and place. A pickle goes great with many meals, but who would want to eat a meal consisting solely of pickles?!
What I loved best was the premise. I would love to start writing letters to the books in my life--past and present. I think I will.
I do think you will find a readership. There are plenty of readers--of all ages--who will find themselves nodding their heads, smiling, wanting to read some of your passages aloud to anyone and everyone who will listen, or pretend to listen. (I loved her letter to Color Me Beautiful).

Becky

Favorite quotes:
[Dear Miss Maple Series,]
Who would have thought a gossipy spinster from St. Mary Mead could bring us all together? Sometimes I wonder if the library could get by on a collection that was just you, A Child Called It, The Five Love Languages, and some Rick Steve travel DVDs. Honestly, I think we'd make it a week before someone complained. But you're my favorite, Miss M. My good-time gal. Props, Annie. (18-9)
Dear Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury,
I've been with a lot of books and had other characters who've imprinted themselves on my heart. But your main character Toad is my spirit animal. For starters, we are both pear shaped. But it's so much more than body types. Toad's very character aligns so closely with my own that I find myself going to some of your stories for advice. What would Toad do, I ask myself, when faced with a challenge. Would he go home and sleep or make some food? Either way, it's excellent counsel...(42-3)
Dear Fahrenheit 451,
Don't ever change. And stay here with us, always. You were created in a library, and I'm comforted by the fact that you'll remain on library shelves around the world...(85-6)
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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